1:48 OV-10А Bronco exterior Part 2 ALQ-144 Infrared Counter measures device

The real subject

The OV-10 Bronco is a twin-engine turboprop aircraft with a twin-boom tail, intended for reconnaissance, for forward air control and for light attack tasks. Thanks to its short take-off and the good view from the glazed cockpit it served above all over the battlefield, where it was necessary to stay low and slow for a long time. The set is aimed at the outside of the airframe and the name lists it as the second part, so it follows on from the parts in the first part of the same series.

The ALQ-144 device

The ALQ-144 is an infrared jammer, that is a device that emits modulated infrared radiation and thereby confuses the seeker heads of anti-aircraft missiles. On the aircraft it is mounted externally, so that it radiates into the space around the machine. On a model it is a small but conspicuous element that anyone who knows the subject notices at once, and it is exactly such details that set a built model apart from a model assembled straight out of the kit.

Building and painting

The parts are not polystyrene, so they are glued with cyanoacrylate glue, not with liquid cement for plastic. Cut off surplus material with a sharp blade a short distance from the part and sand the remainder carefully, so as not to damage the shape. Try the small parts dry before gluing and have tweezers ready, because they are hard to hold in your fingers. Wash and degrease them before painting and use a primer, otherwise the finish holds badly. For placement and the exact assembly procedure follow the manufacturer's instructions and photographs of the real machine.

Terms of supply

The model, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.