1:72 Sky Shadow ECM pod

1:72 Sky Shadow — a resin electronic warfare pod

A detail set in cast resin in 1:72 scale from the Czech manufacturer Eduard. The subject is the Sky Shadow pod, that is a device for jamming enemy radars, which is hung on a standard pylon of a combat aircraft. In the small 1:72 scale the difference between a coarse plastic part and a resin casting is obvious at once — a casting holds the thin edges of the covers and the fine antenna elements. The package is an accessory for a plastic kit and does not contain the aircraft itself.

The real subject

Sky Shadow is a British electronic warfare pod intended to jam air defense radars. Combat aircraft carry it on a pylon together with other equipment, and its task is to worsen an opponent's ability to track the aircraft on radar. In design it is a slender housing with an aerodynamic cover, on whose surface antenna covers and vents for the electronics can be seen. It is typically carried paired with a chaff dispenser pod.

Building and painting tips

Wash the castings first in lukewarm water with detergent, otherwise the paint will not hold on them. Cut the casting block off with a fine saw at a place that will be hidden once the pod is hung, and level the surface on abrasive paper laid on a flat board. Protect your airways while sanding. It is glued with cyanoacrylate glue. For painting use a primer and then a shade matching the external equipment of the aircraft in question; bring out the details of the covers with a thin wash into the engraved lines and light drybrushing on the edges.

Who the set is for

• builders of modern combat aircraft in 1:72 scale
• modelers who want a faithful stores configuration instead of simplified parts
• more experienced builders used to small resin parts
• builds aimed at a particular deployment and its equipment

The set is an accessory for a plastic kit, not a model or a substitute for one. The kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.