1:72 MQM-74A Chukar Target Drone

1:72 MQM-74A Chukar Target Drone from Special Hobby

A model of an unmanned aerial target in 1:72 scale. The real subject is a machine just under four meters long, so the finished piece measures only a few centimeters and will be lost in an ordinary display case unless you put it on a stand or into a scene with a launcher. That is exactly why these goods are for collectors of unusual types rather than a large display centerpiece.

The real subject

The Chukar belongs to a family of subsonic targets powered by a small jet engine. It was launched from a launcher with the help of a booster rocket, its flight was controlled by a ground or shipboard station, and once the task was done the machine returned by parachute, so it could be used again. It served to train the crews of anti-aircraft systems and to test seeker heads, because in its radar return and its speed it stood in both for an aircraft and for an anti-ship missile. It is named after a partridge that lives on stony slopes, which matches the habit of naming targets after birds.

Building and painting tips

Small pieces are easiest held on a stick or a wire pushed into a future joint, which saves fingerprints in fresh paint. Targets were painted in loud signal tones so that they could be seen above the water, so it pays to lay a white base under them, or the saturation of the shade will drop. Reinforce the leading edges and the nose with a glue that sets more slowly; small surfaces otherwise crack easily.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of unmanned vehicles and practice targets
• Builders of carrier and shipboard scenes in 1:72 scale
• Modelers looking for a quick build outside the usual types
• Anyone interested in naval training equipment

The kit is supplied unassembled and unpainted; the glue and the paints do not come with it, unless stated otherwise.