Twobobs Aviation Graphics

1/48 A-10A Eielson's Ice Hawgs decal sheet

Product # 48-149

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Apr 2 2012

 

 

This A-10 decal sheet from Twobobs features options for four aircraft with enough markings for one complete Euro 1 scheme and one complete Compass Gray scheme jet.  The Euro 1 scheme jet is the Spirit of Fairbanks jet from back in the day while the Compass Schemes are from OEF.

If you're going to build one of these then Twobobs suggests the following kits and aftermarket detail items.

1/48th Scale
  • Revellogram A-10A
  • Tamiya A-10A
  • AMT/ERTL A-10A
  • Hobbycraft A-10A
  • Hobby Boss A-10A
  • Black Box Cockpit
  • Legend Prodctions Cockpit
  • Aires GAU-8 Cannon
  • Cutting Edge Masks
  • Eduard Photo-etch
  • EZ Masks
  • Verlinden Update Set
  • Shull-24 LASTE Update Set

 

Click on images below to see larger images

Ladder Door Artwork

"Ice Hawg" "Iron Ass" "Terror of the Taliban''

The first aircraft is a A-10A "Spirit of Fairbanks" Thunderbolt II with the 343rd TFW as it appeared in Aug 1986.  This Warthog is painted in the Euro 1 camo scheme of FS 34102 Light Green/ FS34092 Dark Green and FS 36081 Dark Gunship Gray.  Artwork on the engines is the state of Alaska in blue with a big yellow star and the white script "Fairbanks".  There's also small squadron artwork of a blue cartoon character carrying a big A-10 gun.

The second aircraft is a A-10A "Iron Ass" Thunderbolt II with the 354th Ops Group as it appeared in October 2005.  This Warthog is painted in the Compass Gray camo scheme which includes 2 shades of gray with a third darker gray false canopy under the forward fuselage.  Markings include ladder door art of a donkey with an iron box on it's rear end.  

The third aircraft is a A-10A "Ice Hawg" Thunderbolt II with the 355th Fighter Squadron as it appeared in May 2004.  This Warthog is painted in the Compass Gray camo scheme of which includes 2 shades of gray with a third darker gray false canopy under the forward fuselage.  Markings include ladder door art of the sabre toothed squirrel from the movie Ice Age (dreaming of a acorn with bomb fins) with the text "Ice Hawg".  The ladder door art also includes Sid the sloth from the same movie (with A-10 ammo in his mouth).  

The fourth aircraft is a A-10A "Terror of the Taliban" Thunderbolt II with the 355th Fighter Squadron as it appeared in May 2004.  This Warthog is painted in the Compass Gray camo scheme of which includes 2 shades of gray with a darker gray false canopy under the forward fuselage.  Markings include ladder door art of Osama Bin Laden with the text "Terror of the Taliban" and below that is the US flag with the text "Remember September 11 2001".  

The instructions are clear and include 4 views of each aircraft.  The decals are beautifully printed on 1 decal sheet.  Paint codes are called out in FS #'s, Testors MM, Humbrol, Gunze Sangyo and Xtracrylics. 

The Compass gray scheme aircraft are current model A-10s with the LASTE modifications.

Special thanks for reference on this decal sheet goes out to Art Chase, Scott Wilson and Don Logan.  Art chase created the "Spirit of Fairbanks" scheme when he was a member of the 343rd Tactical Fighter Wing.

You get enough markings to do 2 complete aircraft.  Some of the decals come in multiple layers to ensure perfect registration between the different color layers on the decals.  The decals are beautifully printed on 3 decal sheets with the artwork decals being printed with a special process to offer better shading in the artwork.

Another great sheet from Twobobs and the ladder door art is always a special treat when building an A-10 and this sheet offers excellent variety in artwork.  You just gotta' love those Alaska jets. 

I would like to thank Twobobs for this review sample.

This sheet is available through the Twobobs website and select US Hobby Shops.  Overseas customers can purchase these from Twobobs site or through Twobobs network of overseas distributors.  

Steve Bamford

Click on images below to see larger images

      

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford