1:48 Jaguar GR.1/GR.1a catapult hook for airfix

The real subject

The SEPECAT Jaguar in the GR.1 and GR.1A versions was a single-seat tactical attack aircraft of the Royal Air Force, which took it into service in the 1970s. The arrestor hook under the rear fuselage served to stop the aircraft in an emergency on a runway fitted with an arresting cable, that is for the case when the pilot could not slow down in the usual way. On a model it is a small but conspicuous detail, because it is visible from below and from behind.

What the set contains

A replacement arrestor hook in 1:48 scale. It is cut for the Airfix kit and replaces the corresponding part from its sprue. Thin parts shaped in a mold for injection-molded plastic tend to be thicker than the scale would call for, so a separately made part looks slimmer on the model. The material is not polystyrene, so ordinary cement for plastic has no effect on it.

Fitting and painting

Cut the excess material off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the remainder carefully, so that the thin section of the hook does not break. Wash and degrease the part before painting; the paint then holds considerably better. It is bonded with super glue; the joint face is small, so it pays to roughen it lightly beforehand and to hold the part while it sets. The exact position and orientation of the hook are given in the manufacturer instructions and in the kit instructions.

Who the set is for

For modelers building the British Jaguar who want the rear end worked out in detail. It will also serve anyone who broke or lost the original part during the build. The kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.