Trumpeter 1/32 A-6A Intruder Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

Many of us have been waiting anxiously for Trumpeter's release of the A-6 Intruder in 1/32 scale. We were grateful when Captain David Mason shared some photos of a test shot late last year (look here). The kit looked as promising as the folks at Trumpeter had promised. Well the wait is over, here is a look at the kit that just landed in the Cybermodeler labs! As you might imagine, the box is huge and for good reason - the A-6 is not a small aircraft and is definitely a hefty model in 1/32 scale. Let's take a look:

As usual, the kit is molded in light gray styrene and presented on 29 parts trees (!!!) plus three trees of clear parts, one fret of photo-etched parts, one set of white metal landing gear struts, and one set of rubber (vinyl) tires. There are over 570 parts in there. I've been through the parts trees as well as the instructions and while there are obviously quite a few parts in here, the kit isn't over-engineered. You have the option of seeing all of the details in here. Thank you Trumpeter!

Among the features and options in this kit:

• Nicely detailed cockpit - you might get some better details in an aftermarket resin cockpit, but a good modeler can do much the same with what's here and some extra bits
• Two nice GRU-7 ejection seats w/photo-etched harness details - ditto on the resin options (which are available for the Trumpeter 1/32 F-14A/B Tomcats)
• Detailed and positionable canopy
• Positionable port and starboard boarding steps
• Two nice J52 engines with great detailing sitting between normal intake and exhaust ducts
• Nice engine bays with positionable access doors to display the installed engines
• Positionable ventral avionics bay
• Avionics bay has black boxes installed, just needs some cabling and details to complete
• Positionable radome
• Nice detailing on the radar sets and forward bulkhead.
• Detailed and positionable landing gear
• Positionable tail hook
• Positionable ram air turbine (RAT)
• Positionable fuselage speed brakes
• Positionable wingtip speed brakes
• Positionable rudder
• Positionable ailerons
• Stabilator is not positionable
• Positionable flaps and slats
• Wings can be positioned folded or extended

And what do we have for external stores?

• 2 x AGM-45 Shrike
• 2 x AGM-12 Bullpup
• 2 x GBU-8 HOBOS (not used on the A-6A if I recall correctly)
• 12 x Mk.82 slicks
• 12 x Mk.82 Snakeye
• 6 x Mk.117
• 2 x MER
• 2 x TER
• 3 x external fuel tanks (1 x centerline, 2 x underwing tanks)

There are other stores in the box but you won't need those until the A-6E release.

The stabilators are mounted in the neutral position on the fuselage but with a little modification, you can add a bit of 'hydraulics off' droop to the stabs.

The kit comes with a nice decal sheet that provides options for two aircraft:

• A-6A, BuNo 152940, VA-35, NG/510, USS Enterprise
• A-6A, BuNo 155717, VA-145, NE/507, USS Ranger

The sheet also includes a set of maintenance stencils as well as stencling for the weapons.

As I said at the beginning, the kit isn't over-engineered and the AMS modeler may want to add more simply because this model is the perfect platform for that modeler's touch. Straight out of the box though, this kit will look great. To be honest, I was torn between this 1/32 Intruder and the 1/32 B-17G since I have a love for that subject as well. In the end, I can have some serious fun super-detailing this beast, fold the wings and part it in a fraction of the space that a B-17 will take on my shelf. Shelf? I think the B-17 may require a room addition! Great work on this Trumpeter!