1:72 Ship's anti aircraft missile system Sea Wolf

1:72 Shipboard Sea Wolf Anti-Aircraft Missile System, Gran Ltd.

A set in 1:72 scale from the manufacturer Gran Ltd. rendering the shipboard Sea Wolf anti-aircraft missile system. It is neither a model of a ship nor a kit in its own right: it is an accessory with which a model of a warship is further equipped, or from which a stand-alone deck scene is built.

The real subject

Sea Wolf is a British shipboard short-range anti-aircraft missile system intended for the immediate defense of a vessel against aircraft and anti-ship missiles. Its basic form is a container launcher mounted on the deck and coupled with a guidance radar. The system became a typical feature of the silhouette of British frigates of the later generations, so it is recognizable on a model at once. In 1:72 scale this is a large, clearly visible assembly, and in this scale deck weapon systems are often built as a stand-alone scene without the whole ship.

Building and painting tips

Wash the castings in warm water with detergent first, so that no mold release agent is left on the surface. Cut the casting blocks off with a saw rather than breaking them away; with thin angular parts the risk of cracking is high. They are glued with cyanoacrylate, and a thicker variant or an epoxy will help in bringing them into position. Apply a primer before painting, which will at the same time reveal any remaining faults in the surface. For naval hardware a gray base works well, with a fine wash into the recesses and restrained salt and rust only in the places where they genuinely belong; an over-weathered deck system looks unconvincing.

Who the set is for

• For builders of warship models in 1:72 scale
• For modelers who build stand-alone scenes of deck armament
• For more experienced modelers used to working with castings and cyanoacrylate
• For collectors of modern naval hardware

The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted. The ship model, glue and paints are not included in the package.