1:48 GBU-15(V)21/B

GBU-15(V)21/B in 1:48 scale — an Eduard resin set

This is not an aircraft kit but an accessory set of underwing armament. The resin castings replace the simplified plastic parts from the base kit: they have sharper edges on the control surfaces, a finer surface texture and a more faithful shape of the forward guidance section. The set is intended for models in 1:48 scale; the target kit is stated on the box, so check before ordering that it matches your kit.

The real subject

The GBU-15 is an American modular glide bomb with no propulsion of its own. It consists of a warhead, a guidance section at the front and lifting and control surfaces at the rear. It is released beyond the reach of close-in defenses and its path is corrected by a data link through a pod carried on the launch aircraft. The figure in brackets after the designation distinguishes the form of the guidance and control section. Its carriers were tactical and bomber machines of the US Air Force.

Building and painting tips

First wash the parts in warm water with detergent — otherwise the remains of the mold release agent prevent the paint from adhering. Cut the casting blocks off with a saw or a sharp cutter, level the surface with a file and sand wet with respiratory protection. Resin is glued with cyanoacrylate glue; ordinary solvent cement for plastic has no effect on it. Apply a primer before painting — it evens out the surface of resin and plastic and the paint then does not peel off during handling.

Who the set is for

• modelers who want faithful underwing armament instead of the simplified parts from the box
• builders of modern tactical aircraft in 1:48 scale
• more experienced modelers used to working with resin and cyanoacrylate glue
• diorama builders who need armament away from the aircraft too, on a trolley or on the ground

This is an accessory set, not a model of an aircraft. The kit, glue and paints are not included in the package.