At the end of August 2019, the 355th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, began repainting an A-10 Thunderbolt-2. They claim it’s going to look like a World War-2 P-51 Mustang!
It’s part of preparations for the USAF 2020 air show season.
But wait, this isn’t the first A-10 to be painted like a P-51. In 2013 the Michigan National Guard got one painted to represent a P-51(F-6A) of the 107th TRS Red Devils during the invasion of Normandy.
Can you find the P-51(F-6A) painted A-10?
Video from October 2018:
Have they painted any Thunderbolt-2s to look like their namesake, the P-47 Thunderbolt?
IDAHO A-10C warthogs wallowing IN THE CALIFORNIA DIRT, JUNE 2019
Phase-1 pilot’s control box originally was used on the Apollo Moon mission’s Lunar Modules. Phase-2 used three IBM AP-101 computers for the flight control system.
Another RF-84F in 1:72 scale is the PJ Production multi-media kit, in resin, PE, metal and vacform plastic. It is highly accurate and detailed. Reviewers report it is not for beginners and requires a lot of dry fitting to reveal the difficult areas of assembly. The kit has been around for at least a decade, yet PJ Production website still lists it as a “new product”. It lists for 41.50 Euros (about $50 to $60 USD depending on the exchange rate).
Almost forgot that in 2018 Sword issued their RF-84F. The quality of the parts is typical of Sword kits. Issued in two boxings with four different markings per box. Initial reviews are good. In the United States the price ranges from $20 to $32, and they’re selling fast.
For decades the only 1:48 scale RF-84F was the not so good Heller kit. Apparently first released in 1979-80 along with its F-84F Thunderstreak. About four years later Monogram released its way better F-84F, but for some reason decided not to do a much needed RF version. The Heller kit is as basic as the 1:72 scale Italeri kit, it’s been re-issued continuously and the U.S. price for previously owned kits averages $20, while the latest new issues are going for as much as $40 (outrageous given its age and lack of quality).
And now for something really outrageous. Recently a Japanese company called Tanmodel issued the newest 1:48 scale RF-84F. You’d think it was the best damn thing in the world going by how much sellers are asking for it. An internet review said it was better than the ancient Heller kit, but the recessed surface detailing is not much better than Monogram’s raised detailing. In fact the reviewer said the recessed rivets (which there are no such thing on real airplanes) look more like 1:32 scale rivets, the pics of the completed kit makes it look like the trench-n-divet surface details are raised because they’re so over-scale. You get air intake ducting and an exhaust pipe. You also get a detailed camera bay, which is pointless because the fuselage is not molded so that you can poise the access door in the open position (you could do surgery). The ultimate reason this kit is so outrageous is its asking price, I’ve seen prices ranging between $70 and $180!!!
