1:48 AGM-114 Hellfire

AGM-114 Hellfire, an armament set in 1:48 scale

This set from Metallic Details replaces the simplified plastic missiles with more accurate resin castings in 1:48 scale. The box holds missiles in both the longer and the shorter pattern and photo-etched sheet for the fine surfaces, above all the stabilizing and control fins. It is an armament accessory for a kit you have already bought, so neither a helicopter nor an aircraft model is included in the package.

The real subject

The AGM-114 Hellfire is an American antitank guided missile launched from helicopters, light aircraft and unmanned vehicles. It is carried above all by the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, which launches it from the square racks on its stub wings. The missile is made in several versions with different guidance and warheads, which shows externally in a different front section and body length, and that is why the set offers both lengths.

Building and painting tips

Wash the castings in warm soapy water, cut the casting blocks off with a saw or a cutting disc and level the surfaces by wet sanding with respiratory protection. It is bonded with super glue (cyanoacrylate). Separate the photo-etched fins with a sharp knife on a hard surface. It is practical to paint the missiles separately on a skewer and to glue them to the racks only when they are finished. Cylindrical bodies come into their own on a smooth base: a primer, fine sanding with the finest paper and only then the base shade. The color bands on the body are easier to do with masking tape than with a brush.

Who the set is for

• modelers of attack helicopters in 1:48 scale
• builders of contemporary aircraft carrying this armament
• anyone after a detailed rendering of racks and stores
• modelers who find the plastic missiles from the base kit insufficient

The accessory is supplied unassembled and unpainted. The base kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.