1/32 Trumpeter A-7E VA-72 Desert Storm

Gallery Article by J B Wolstenholme on Jan 24 2013

 

 

For this project I used the excellent Zactomodels intake, windscreen and canopy correction sets (thanks Chris), together with the Aires cockpit and gear bay sets.

I have corrected as many aspects as are known to me and within the realms of my modelling skills.  This entailed either scratch built components, or a rework of the kit parts, over a period of some 18 months, excluding a break to digitize my vinyl record and tape collections!

Aires

  • Correct Aires cockpit rear RH console for –E, rather than –D.

  • Add missing detail to Aires seat.

  • Correct/add detail to aft MG Bays.

Kit

  • Add windscreen air ducts

  • New lengthened and repositioned nose pitots

  • Enlarge vents to port nose.

  • Add missing probes and antennae to front underside fuselage.

  • Reshape gun trough and make blister panel as one panel, instead of a separate stuck on piece.

  • Reform trough shape of launch bar housing and modify launch bar.

  • New missile rails.

  • Try to incorporate a ‘pinched’ look to fuselage at rear of canopy requiring modifications to both fuselage and Zactomodel canopy frame. 

  • Rebuild and detail nose leg, adjusting length for correct sit of model. This was my preferred option rather than modifying the main gear.  Nose wheel tyres modified so as not to look like a 4WD.

 

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  • New gun gas purge door and ram.

  • Lengthen airbrake and bay which is too short, adding detail to bay.

  • Structural work to inside of fuselage at airbrake position to correct what is an otherwise poor fit of the fuselage halves.

  • Form new dorsal and ventral nav lights and mountings.

  • Open all cooling inlets/vents, adding mesh where applicable.

  • Strengthen wing joints for extended wing positions.

  • Form main gear legs from combined plastic and metal parts with added detail and eliminate spliced joint to rear strut. 

  • New fuel vent; kit part looks more like a UHF aerial.

  • New ventral ECM canoe housing; kit part too small and wrong shape.

  • Reposition and re-size air starter panel.

  • Remove raised LORAN to fin.

  • Reduce width of rear fuselage (tail cone) which is too wide relative to depth.

  • New turbine exhaust and lengthened jet pipe.

  • Add frames to inside of rear fuselage/tail cone, including new pivot mounts for tailplanes; kit provision inadequate.

  • Add chaff/flare dispensers at rear underside.

  • Tailplane fuselage fairings corrected so as not to go underneath tailcone.

  • Replace ECM antenna to fin top rear for correct orientation.

  • Modify 4 No outer wing pylons to hollow aspect and all pylons to have the correct orientation of ‘apertures’ and ‘resets’

  • Remove raised panels to nose and re-scribe areas which were incorrect when compared with photos.

  • Modify drop tanks to correct length, diameter and detail

In addition to the correction aspects I endeavoured to recreate the impromptu onboard paint job with corrosion treatment touch-ups, hydraulic oil staining etc. 

I am grateful for the technical input from Tom (Superheat), Mark (mhoupt) for specifically taking photos of the rear MG bays and to David Brown’s photos on Airfighters which helped resolve some painting issues

A selection of higher res. photos can be seen here:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=214546&st=0 

J B Wolstenholme

Click on images below to see larger images

      

Photos and text © by J B Wolstenholme