1:48 KDA-1(Q-2A) Firebee US Drone

KDA-1 (Q-2A) Firebee 1:48, an ICM kit

An injection-molded plastic kit of the American jet-powered Firebee target drone of the first generation, designated KDA-1 and Q-2A, in 1:48 scale from ICM. The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. The same manufacturer also makes other releases of the Firebee with different contents, so watch the exact name of the item when choosing.

The real subject

The Firebee was a jet-powered unmanned target developed in the 1950s for gunnery practice and for testing anti-aircraft systems. It was launched either from the ground or from a carrier aircraft, and once its task was done it came down by parachute and was reusable. The Firebee family is among the longest-used unmanned vehicles of all: the first generation laid the basis for further versions that were built and used for decades. It is precisely the combination of small size, jet power and reusability that made the Firebee standard equipment on gunnery ranges.

Building and painting tips

Thanks to the size of the subject the model is fairly small even in 1:48 scale, so cleanliness of work decides everything. Fill and sand the fuselage joints and the leading edges of the wings carefully, so that no visible line is left. Targets are normally finished in prominent signal shades that have low covering power, so apply them over a light base and in several thin coats. Coat the area with gloss varnish before the decals and even the surface out once it has dried. Keep the weathering in check: a target was an operational vehicle, but it did not fly in the kind of service a combat aircraft did.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of unmanned vehicles and less usual aircraft
• Modelers looking for a quicker project between large builds
• Builders of scenes from gunnery ranges and test bases
• Anyone interested in the development of unmanned jet vehicles

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.