The A-12 Avenger II was supposed to be the U.S. Navy’s next-generation stealth attack plane—a long-range, low-observable flying wing that would replace the Grumman A-6 Intruder. Instead, after spending somewhere between $2.8 billion and $5 billion, the program delivered nothing more than a full-scale wooden mockup and a few canopies. Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney pulled the plug in January 1991, calling it the largest project termination in Pentagon history.
Now, scale modelers can build their own Avenger II, thanks to a 1/48 scale kit from Model Collect. Builder Chris Wallace recently assembled and painted one, documenting the process on his blog. He calls it “the world’s most expensive model airplane”—a nod to the billions spent on an aircraft that never left the ground.
The Real Flying Dorito
The Avenger II earned the nickname “Flying Dorito” for its distinctive triangular shape. Designed by McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics, it was meant to carry a two-person crew, pack internal weapons bays, and offer stealth capabilities far beyond the A-6. The Navy planned to buy 620, the Marines 238, and the Air Force considered 400. But weight problems, manufacturing difficulties, and the end of the Cold War killed the project.
“I did terminate [the A-12]. It was not an easy decision to make because it’s an important requirement that we’re trying to fulfill. But no one could tell me how much the program was going to cost, even just through the full scale development phase, or when it would be available.”
— Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense, 1991
The only full-size reminder of the Avenger II sits at the Fort Worth Aviation Museum, where the original wooden mockup is on loan from the City of Fort Worth. It was first shown to the public in June 1996, years after the cancellation.
A Model Collect Kit With Quirks
Model Collect is known for its large-scale kits—their B-52 is a popular release. The A-12 Avenger II kit has some odd design choices, but Wallace says it fits together with “occasional coaxing.” The surface detail is crisp, though minimal—not surprising given that the only real reference was a rough mockup.
Inside the box, modelers get a pile of weapons for the massive internal bays: cruise missiles, bombs, and other ordnance. Wallace left them unpainted and closed the bays, choosing to focus on the clean flying-wing silhouette.
His only real complaint: the main landing gear must be installed before the build is complete, a practice he dislikes because it risks breakage. Fortunately, the gear is large and sturdy, and nothing snapped during the rest of the assembly.
Painting and Final Assembly
Wallace opted for an Air Force-inspired scheme, painting his Avenger II like an F-16 of the same era. He used Tamiya acrylics, mixed according to recipes from the Replikator Club website. “Nothing is more reliable to find in a hobby shop and nothing sprays as consistently,” he notes.
He also swapped the kit seats for resin ACES II ejection seats from True Details, adding a bit of aftermarket detail under the closed canopy. The only fit issue came when closing the fuselage: some internal bulkheads and weapons-bay walls needed filing to get a perfect match. But once together, the wing leading edges required only a small amount of CA glue to smooth out.
The final assembly is simple—install the wheels and gear doors—and the model sits nicely on all three gear without any nose weight needed.
A Quick, Rewarding Build
Wallace reports that if you stick to the box contents, you can have the A-12 ready for paint in a matter of hours. That makes it an ideal weekend project for anyone with a soft spot for Cold War “what-ifs” or canceled aviation programs. The finished model captures the striking, futuristic shape of the Flying Dorito—an aircraft that, despite billions in investment, only ever existed as a wooden ghost and, now, as a plastic kit.
