Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II 1/72 Scale Diecast Metal & Plastic Model

1:72 Scale  Metal Diecast – Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II  – Length: 9"  Wingspan: 9.5”

This A-10 model is the single seat version, the cockpit is permanently closed and there are no pilot/crew figures. The landing gear is optional, one can attach the landing gear or cover the wheel wells. There is a basic plastic stand included.

For this model, the fuselage is made of metal while the wings and other smaller parts are made of plastic.

This model has some weapons/accessories already attached to the wings and fuselage. It has a pair of short range AA missiles and four pairs of air to ground missiles and well as a targeting pod. The weapons are already attached to the wings

The maker of the model, DeAgostini, really did a good job with the model, the panel lines and details are very crisp and one can see the little dots that represent the rivets holding down the panels.

The packaging is quite basic, the model comes packed between two transparent plastic clam shells and these are attach to a cardboard background. The clam shells are quite strong and keep the model safe for shipping.

This is really a "no-play" model or a "display-only" model. It is mostly metal and very heavy. It also has a number of antennas which look great but are very fragile. If you have small kids that like to play with your models, save yourself some frustration (and money) and wait till later to get a model like this one. The box is labeled as not suitable for children under 14.

The package measures 11" x 11" x 4"

The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American twin-engine, straight wing jet aircraftdeveloped by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. It entered service in 1976, and is the only United States Air Force production-built aircraft designed solely for close air support, including attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets.

The A-10 was designed around the 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon that is its primary armament. The A-10's airframe was designed for durability, with measures such as 1,200 pounds (540 kg) of titanium armorto protect the cockpit and aircraft systems, enabling it to absorb a significant amount of damage and continue flying. Its short takeoff and landing capability permits operation from airstrips close to the front lines, while its simple design enables maintenance at forward bases with limited facilities.^[4] The A-10A single-seat variant was the only version built, though one A-10A was converted to an A-10B twin-seat version. In 2005, a program was begun to upgrade remaining A-10A aircraft to the A-10C configuration.