A-10 Warthog 1/16th Scale Snap Together Model

thingiverse

The A-10 has always been my favorite fighter jet and I knew it had to be next on my modeling and printing list. This model is truly massive - 45" x 40" in size, but surprisingly easy to print and a whole lot of fun to put together. The wings and fuselage clip seamlessly together while the back fins and engine attach via sturdy posts. I also used glue for added reinforcement on mine. You'll need exactly 38 clips for both wings and 16 for the fuselage. The largest part is Fuselage 3, measuring a whopping 172mm across. I designed this model in Sketchup. If you'd like to download it and edit it, head over here: https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/01b49bd0-c8ac-44de-8222-3dcd56bd013f/A10-Warthog-Snap-Together-3D-Printer-Ready-Model I'm really impressed with the clips. If you want to integrate them into your next model, check them out here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3047972 If you plan on printing this model, here are some valuable tips: 1. Print the cockpit at a higher resolution and focus on fitting it perfectly to the fuselage at the edges where they meet. This will save you a ton of time during sanding, priming, and painting. You can see from my photos that I used a lot of filler and didn't do a great job of sanding it smooth. If I had to do it all over again, I'd make sure the cockpit and fuselage fit together seamlessly. 2. For the best possible fit with the clips, your bed needs to be as level as humanly possible. I suggest printing the first two parts of the wing and two clips to see how closely they snap together. If your bed isn't perfectly level, you'll have gaps in between the parts even though they're snapped together. Even so, you can fill in those gaps with filler and prime over them if needed. 3. Some of the shroud pieces that extend off of the fuselage in parts 2 and 3 are a bit too thin. I didn't take the time to get those fixed when I printed mine. I would suggest finer printing or supports on fuselage 2 and 3 for those parts to print properly. Or if they don't turn out right, they should be sanded off. 4. I have two options for the cockpit included - one is split in half for easier printing and size, and I also uploaded the full model in case you'd like to print it at one piece. Just make sure it will fit on your bed. Here are some things I think could be improved: 1. The canopy looks okay, but it's a bit off being open on a place with no landing gears deployed. Someone with time on their hands could design a canopy that encloses the full cockpit. 2. A landing gear would look great on this model. However, this model is so heavy that I'm not sure a plastic gear at scale will hold it up or could easily break off. 3. Some parts, since they're designed in Sketchup, are not as smooth as they could be. Sketchup doesn't easily allow for smooth circles, so some parts can look a bit boxy. I really need to learn Fusion 360...