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Monogram 1/48 A-7B


Stikpusher

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This is the last aircraft model that I started and completed a few months back. It’s the old Monogram A-7B. I did a few add ons in the cockpit, and changed out some of the kit ordnance using Hasegawa items based off of photos that I found online. Markings are from a couple decal sheets that I cobbled together to build a VA-95 bird off USS Midway during Operation Linebacker in Spring and Summer of 1972.

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On 11/28/2020 at 11:46 PM, ghodges said:

Wow! Your skills squeezed every last drop of  "cool" from that old Aurora repop! Congrats on a super looking model from what is at best a mediocre kit!

 

Gil :smiley16:

Thanks Gil. This is indeed at best a mediocre kit. But who says we can’t give those a nudge up?

On 11/29/2020 at 4:28 PM, Mark Deliduka said:

I am stunned as well at how magnificent this is! I really love the grime in the panel lines! Way to go Carlos!

Thanks Mark. The grime is very easy to do- pencil along the raised panel lines, then smudged in tje direction of airflow using a cotton ball. The perfect technique on light color subjects with raised panel lines.

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21 hours ago, Stikpusher said:

Thanks Gil. This is indeed at best a mediocre kit. But who says we can’t give those a nudge up?

Thanks Mark. The grime is very easy to do- pencil along the raised panel lines, then smudged in tje direction of airflow using a cotton ball. The perfect technique on light color subjects with raised panel lines.

THAT is an old Aurora kit ?!!!

AMAZING results !

I was unfamiliar with the kit even though I lived trough the Aurora era from childhood through adult.

Only just read about it's Aurora vs Monogram variants here

https://www.blindbatnews.com/2015/05/148-scale-comparison-a-7-corsair-2-aurora-revell-monogram-esci-hasegawa-hobby-boss/38065

Aurora kits were pretty much despised by the Chicago area IPMS members during the late 1970s and later.

Your results coupled with Ron Bell's Aurora builds make me wonder if there shouldn't be a separate Aurora category in model contests.

........whenever contests are again able to occur., that is.

Edited by cheveuxroux
added hyperlink to kit review
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Bob, this is the Monogram issue of the kit. It was originally an Aurora mold that Monogram acquired when Aurora folded. Monogram retooled the molds a bit, adding wheel wells, a cockpit, and some other goodies, like they also did with the F-111. I built the Aurora A-7 long ago, but it was given to my kids to play with once they came along years later. Good diversion to keep them from playing with dad’s then recent and current builds... 

Thats too funny about an Aurora category at contests. Might as well add Lindberg there too... 🤣

Edited by Stikpusher
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9 hours ago, Stikpusher said:

Thats too funny about an Aurora category at contests. Might as well add Lindberg there too... 🤣

Carlos,

I have a Lindberg car kit re-issue and intend to add parts from Monogram and aftermarket manufacturers for a future Chicago area IPMS contest....maybe include a Lindberg aircraft in what if markings................

if I can ever spare time from the must do list of projects around the house.

Maybe some day I'll build 'em and post photos but the build dates keep getting kicked down the road.😭😭

In the mean time, I can at least enjoy the results of other people's work.  🤗

 

Edited by cheveuxroux
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Truth be told, I love old kits. My hat is off to anyone who can make them look great. Build them when you can to the best of your abilities and have fun while doing so!

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16 hours ago, Stikpusher said:

Bob, this is the Monogram issue of the kit. It was originally an Aurora mold that Monogram acquired when Aurora folded. Monogram retooled the molds a bit, adding wheel wells, a cockpit, and some other goodies, like they also did with the F-111. I built the Aurora A-7 long ago, but it was given to my kids to play with once they came along years later. Good diversion to keep them from playing with dad’s then recent and current builds... 

Thats too funny about an Aurora category at contests. Might as well add Lindberg there too... 🤣

The story goes that Monogram wanted to do more to refine the Aurora molds, but the material that Aurora's tool makers used was quite hard and difficult to re-work.  They did what they could, and given that it wasn't until 1977 that ESCI graced us with a better kit (although many will debate how much better, and they only did the A-7D and A-7E, like Hasegawa did a decade later), and 1987 when Academy/Minicraft gave us another 1/48th scale F-111, the old Aurora kits carried on quite well.

Nice work, the finish is quite nicely done!

Cheers!
Ralph

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Thanks for your compliments and that information Ralph. I remember the ESCI A-7 kits quite well. I’ve built the D and have the E in my stash. I think that those actually came out before Monogram had retooled the ex Aurora A-7. And yes it is debatable as to which is superior to the other. Yes ESCI does offer a wing fold option, but with no detail in said wing fold area. The Monogram cockpit has better detail than ESCI. Obviously the more recent Hasegawa and Hobbyboss kits offer higher levels of detail and accuracy. 

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You are correct.  According to scalemates.com, Monogram issued the re-worked Aurora kit in 1979.

I built an ESCI A-7D kit while I was in college back around 1985, and the wings were badly warped.  Try as I may, I could not get them to straighten and stay straight, despite hot water treatments and brass tubing spars.  I actually bashed a friends old Monogram effort (even he described it as a "glue bomb") for the wings.  The final result wasn't too terribly bad.  The model met its demise during a move, IIRC, and I has shifted all my jets to 1/72 scale by then...

Cheers!
R

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