A-10A Thunderbolt II

Italeri, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Italeri's 1/48 scale A-10A Thunderbolt II will be available online from Squadron.com

Italeri has released an all-new 1/48 scale A-10A Thunderbolt II.

The kit comprises 210 parts in light grey coloured plastic, and ten parts in clear.

Moulding quality is very good, and a high level of detail has been applied to the exterior of the aircraft. Surface texture is by way of finely recessed panel lines plus raised details as appropriate.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

x two sprues

The fuselage features electronics bay detail and a separate entry ladder. Both of these may be depicted closed if desired.

Other options include positionable flaperons with interior detail, a stack of bombs, rockets and pods, and two-piece canopy which may be displayed open or closed.

Kit engineering is quite conventional, with locating pins and tabs to ensure that even inexperienced modellers should have no trouble building this kit.

Although detail is generally very good, the cockpit is a bit underdone, with flat side consoles and instrument panel being decked out with decal instruments and switches. For modellers who would prefer three-dimensional detail, we can be quite confident that the after-market will quickly come to the rescue with replacement cockpit parts in resin or photo-etch.

The outline of the kit looks good, but the intake fans appear to be not quite right, with too few blades and mounted too shallow inside the engine nacelles. Once again, I am certain the the after-market will offer a replacement for these parts.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

The clear parts are very thin and free from distortion. The large two-part canopy looks very nice.

Four varied marking options are offered, two in wraparound camouflage and two in grey, including a shark-mouth Warthog and the striking black and gold Connecticut ANG 80th Anniversary scheme. These decals are the best I have seen from Italeri. They are in perfect register and luxuriously glossy. Although three-dimensional switch and instrument detail would have been helpful, the decal instruments do look very good. Comprehensive stencil decals are also supplied, including markings for the bombs and rockets.

Italeri's 1/48 scale A-10A Thunderbolt II is an attractive and generally well-detailed kit that should be quite easy to build.

Recommended.

Thanks to Italeri for the review sample