A-10 Cockpit in 1/32

Cutting Edge Modelworks

Reviewed by Brett Green

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Meteor Productions

One of the most enduring images of a five-month overseas trip in 1984 was during a peaceful picnic on the banks of the Rhine, in a picturesque valley on a bend in the river. The location was perfect. The steep river banks were lined with pine trees and castles. It felt as if I had stepped into a picture postcard. 

The sunny afternoon was interrupted by a noise upriver. Was it thunder on this sunny afternoon? Within seconds, the source of the apocalyptic din swept into view. Just above the Rhine, following the twisting river valley, an A-10 Warthog jinked, straightened and roared past our picnic, disappearing as suddenly as it arrived. 

The plane was not pretty, but it was certainly not forgettable either!

Cutting Edge have clearly decided to create an equally strong impression with their 1/32 scale A-10 cockpit set. 

Trumpeter's 1/32 scale A-10 Warthog kit is big in size and scope, but the cockpit leaves an awful lot to be desired. Although the seat is not bad, the cockpit tub and instrument panel in particular would be considered inadequate in a 1/72 scale kit, let alone a model of this size. Check out the picture of the assembled kit cockpit in Terry Ashley's review of Trumpeter's A-10A.

Cutting Edge's cockpit totally replaces the kit parts. The cockpit comprises 27 parts in grey resin and one acetate sheet with optional instruments. All the resin parts are cast perfectly. There are a few stout casting blocks, but careful application of the razor saw will make short work of most of them. The contrast between the kit parts and Cutting Edge's cockpit is stark. The resin cockpit is nothing short of spectacular.

The central focus is the one-piece cockpit tub. Quilted sidewalls and the rear turtledeck are moulded as part of the tub. This is a stunning tribute to the art of resin casting. The detail is so complete that it is hard to know where to begin. The side consoles bristle with switch, dial and throttle detail. Electrical wiring, cables and cockpit lights snake around the tub. Rivet detail criss-crosses the turtledeck. The large size of the tub also adds to the overall impact.

The ACES II ejection seat is equally remarkable. Harnesses are moulded on, and crisp detail is apparent everywhere. The fabric detail and texture should be singled out for special mention. The different styles of material have been treated to subtly different finishes. The border piping of the ribbed backrest has an almost-invisible cross-hatch pattern, while the seat cushion has a very "fabric" feel to the finish. 

The seat is also semi-operable. After the seat has been removed from its casting block, it is simply slid into the cockpit between the rails, where is remains snugly in place. I have already test-fitted the seat and I can confirm that it really does fit perfectly!

Over the years I have seen a lot of resin. This set rates right up there with the best of them.

Considering the significant financial investment required to own Trumpeter's A-10, I'd expect that most modellers will want more detail in the large cockpit. Cutting Edge's resin replacement cockpit will fit the bill perfectly. It will look breathtakingly realistic after careful painting.

In fact, considering the size of the cockpit tub, I'd almost recommend this set as a stand-alone model. Paint the outside black, stick it on a base and voila! The poor man's Warthog!

Furthermore, the cockpit is so well engineered that it will not present a challenge to build for even relatively inexperienced modellers. 

Highly Recommended for anyone building a single-seater A-10.

Thanks to Meteor Productions for the review sample.

Click the thumbnails below to view the images full size:

Cutting Edge Modelworks products are available from Meteor Productions Website

Review and Images Copyright © 2001 by Brett Green
Page Created 28 March, 2001
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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