1/32 Trumpeter A-7E Corsair II 

 by Stewart Gordon

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This is Trumpeter's A-7E with many modifications.  The model depicts an A-7E of VA-192 as it appeared during the Vietnam War circa 1972.  I used the Black Box cockpit interior.  As always, it is beatiful and fits perfect.  In fact, the fit was so good that I didn't even glue it into the model.  The AOA sensor is scratch from brass.  It is well documented that the intake is misshaped and after filing and sanding, I still didn't like it.  So, the solution was to use a FOD cover.  However, I didn't want to use an ordinary store-bought after market boring FOD cover.  Instead, I made my own with epoxy-sculpt, lead foil and solder.  Since it had the intake cover I had to do the same for the tailpipe. 

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I modified the weapons pylons by drilling out the appropriate openings and adding sway braces, arming wires, etc.  The bombs are Snakeyes made by taking the rear portion of the CAM set and adding them to the Tamiya Mk. 82s.  The Rockeye CBUs are also from CAM.

Notice, one of the Sidewinders is an early model AIM-9B and the other a later AIM-9D.  This was done because there was a temporary shortage of later model Sidewinders in 1972 due to a higher than anticipated useage by the Fighter guys.  I made my AIM-9B from the Tamiya Sidewinder with a scratch-built seeker head.  Notice, it is pointing toward the sun!  I entered this model in the recent Indy show and it didn't win a damn thing.  Send me an E-mail and I will tell you why!

Stewart

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Photos and text © by Stewart Gordon