1:48 2x AASM 250 (Body Mk.82) (Decals included)

The modular weapon France introduced in place of classic bombing

The abbreviation AASM denotes a modular air-to-ground armament. It is not a whole bomb but a pair of kits that are bolted onto an ordinary bomb body at the front and the rear: a guidance section in front, a boost stage with deployable surfaces at the back. The carrier releases it tens of kilometers ahead of the target, whereupon the weapon flies the rest of the way by itself. Here it is the weight category of two hundred and fifty kilograms, which is the most frequently used size.

What the model gains

The difference from the ordinary armament from the kit is noticeable at first glance: instead of a smooth cigar, a body with an angular guidance head and with a set of small surfaces at the tail hangs under the wing. The silhouette of a finished Rafale or Mirage thereby stops recalling a training flight and begins to match the pictures from live deployments of the last two decades. The pair of pieces in the package is enough for a symmetrical fit under both halves of the wing.

A body of American production

This version stands on the Mk.82 bomb body, that is on the widespread American type with its characteristic rounded nose. The sister variant of the same weapon uses a French-made body and differs in shape, so the choice between them affects how the store will look.

Before gluing

The castings are freed of the remains of the sprue gate with a saw, washed in water with detergent and, once dry, will take paint. They are fastened to the model with cyanoacrylate glue, because solvent plastic cement will not join this material. If you are going to hang the bombs on the racks only after spraying, reckon with the fact that both halves of the store are easier to paint separately and to join only at the end.