1/48 Italeri A-10C "BLACKSNAKES"

This large twin-engine plane was built for the U.S. Air Force for troop support and anti-tank missions. Despite its extensive amour and armament the A-10 is highly maneuverable which is particularly important to overcome enemy anti-aircraft fire. The Thunderbolt (also called “Warthog”) was practically built around its remarkable 30 mm gun GAU-8, which can perforate tank amour with its special high performance ammunition. The aircraft was widely used during the Gulf War, where it successfully destroyed a few hundred Iraqis vehicles with minimum losses despite the heavy enemy defense of conventional and missile fire power. A.10 Around the mid-2000s, the A-10, updated to "C" standard, has been improved to be in line with the changed and evolved operational needs. The A-10C is, in fact, the most modern version of the robust and reliable strike aircraft able to use the most advanced weapon systems and target acquisition pods.

The model is molded in light gray styrene and presented on five parts trees, plus a single tree of clear parts.

The ailerons are molded in three parts each, allowing you to pose the speed brakes open or closed. These are the only flight control surfaces molded separately as the rudders and elevators are molded into position.

The landing gear is nicely detailed as are the gear wells. The access door on the front of the port gear fairing is molded separately so it can be positioned open to reveal the single-point refueling port.

The boarding ladder access bay on the port side of the nose and an avionics access bay on the starboard side are molded into the fuselage halves with doors provided separately so you can pose the bays open or closed.

External stores included in this kit:

• 1 x ALQ-184
• 1 x ALQ-131 (short pod)
• 2 x AIM-9L/M on twin-rail launcher
• 2 x rocket pods (OA-10A)
• 2 x Rockeyes
• 4 x SUU-30A cluster bombs
• 2 x AGM-65
• 1 x external fuel tank

The kit decals provide three options:

• A-10C, 82-0661, 163 FS 'Blacksnakes'/IN ANG, IN, Fort Wayne ANGB, 2012
• A-10C, 81-0975, 107 FS 'Red Devils'/MI ANG, MI, Selfriridge ANGB, 2012
• A-10C, 79-0084, 190 FS 'Spudbangers'/ID ANG, Boise ANGB, 2012
• A full set of maintenance stencils are also included on the decal sheet.

Optional extras include the easy to install Quinta Studio 3D color printed cockpit set below:

1/48 A-10A 3D-PRINTED & COLOURED INTERIOR (FOR ITALERI)

Or for the more advanced modeler that is not afraid of cutting plastic and replacing with resin, Aires makes set #4655 which replaces all the wheel wells, turbofan faces, cockpit, avionics bay and a bit of Photo Etch. 

1/48 A10A THUNDERBOLT DETAIL SET FOR ITA

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