1:48 Shafrir-1 missile for Dassault Mirage IIIC/CJ, Vautour II (4 pcs)

Shafrir-1 1:48, four air-to-air missiles from Reskit

The set brings four resin Shafrir-1 missiles in 1:48 scale. Reskit prepared it for kits of the Dassault Mirage IIIC and IIICJ and the Vautour II, that is, for the aircraft that carried this weapon. The contents are not an airplane model: they are separate stores with which you replace the coarser plastic parts from the basic box or fill empty racks.

The real subject

The Shafrir-1 belongs to the first generation of Israeli infrared-guided air-to-air missiles for close-range combat. It came about at the end of the 1950s and entered service in the 1960s. The guidance head reacted to the heat radiated by the target's engine, which in its day limited it to attacks from the rear hemisphere and to good visibility conditions. The practical results fell short of expectations and the type was replaced by the considerably more successful and more reliable Shafrir-2 missile.

Building and painting tips

The thin aerodynamic surfaces of the missiles are fragile in resin, so handle the parts carefully and cut the casting blocks off with a saw, not with nippers. Once they are cleaned of the mold release agent in warm soapy water, apply a primer, which also reveals small bubbles for puttying. The body of the missiles tends to be light, which calls for a carefully sprayed opaque coat; put the contrast bands on only once it has dried and mask them with narrow tape. It is glued exclusively with super glue.

Who the set is for

• Builders of French and Israeli aircraft of the 1960s in 1:48 scale
• Modelers who want truer stores than the plastic parts from the box
• More experienced modelers working with resin
• Collectors focused on the history of jet fighters and their armament

This is an accessory for a plastic kit, not a standalone model. It is supplied unassembled and unpainted; glue and paints are not included in the package.