OA-10 Thunderbolt model aircraft kit reviewed with pictures

This Italeri OA-10 Warthog kit comes on two main sprues of light grey plastic and one sprue of clear polystyrene for the two piece canopy.
Moulding quality is very high throughout the model kit, this being typical of this makers recent products. All the panel lines are fine and recessed, no sink or distortion is evident anywhere on the kit.
The teardrop canopy is moulded in two separate halves and is very nicely done indeed. Very clear, quite thin and no scratches due to being separately bagged.

The A-10 wing is of normal construction with a one piece lower moulding and two upper parts. The ailerons are separate constructions.

Click to enlarge these two images.

Well printed decal sheet and a first class canopy in my kit.

The main fuselage is also quite detailed with many of the blade type antenna already mouded on. This will call for some care to be exercised while handling this kit during building to save on super glue later.
A couple of hatches can be displayed in the open position if desired, the model having the required extra detail and parts for these areas. The plane will need plenty of nose mounted weight added, the instructions state 30g.
Towards the rear of the fuselage the A10 Thunderbolt's distinctive twin engine assembly is mounted. The engine sub-assembly comprises top and bottom outer casings with several parts between to represent the two engine intakes and tailpipes.

The twin fin tail assembly comprises five main components all crisply moulded and well detailed.

The undercarriage has split type wheels for the mains which require glueing together, these being fitted to well detailed multiple component main gear legs. The nosewheel is in one piece and joins to a detailed one piece front leg. In the cockpit a multi-part pilot seat fits onto a cockpit floor moulding with integral side consoles. A stick and panel (raised instruments) rounds the cockpit out.

As befits the OA-10 Tankbuster a large array of external ordance comes with this model kit, enough to weigh the plane down with a full load, and it's all nicely moulded.

A small well printed waterslide decal sheet comes with the kit, two examples of the OA-10 are depicted, both having the two tone grey finish.

I have dry fitted the major components of this thunderbolt 2 model together, fit is well above average for a plastic kit. The model looks well proportioned when comparing it to the fullsize photos I have available. The surface detail, antennae etc seem to match up well also.

The A-10 has always been a favourite of mine since seeing and hearing them as a kid. The distinctive engine sound and unusual configuration really make the aircraft type stand out. This kit looks like it will build into a very good minitature of the aeroplane and is next on my build list.

Major parts all fit well, should be a doddle to build out of the box.

There's plenty more kits of the A-10 Warthog out there for the aircraft enthusiast at the moment in 2008, some of these are as follows;
Italeri make a larger 1/48th scale aircraft as well as this one.
Trumpeter make at least a couple of 1/32nd scale A-10 model kits.
Tamiya make them in 1/72nd and 1/48 scale. Hasegawa also kit the aircraft.

A close up picture of some parts.