1:32 AN/ALQ-71(V)-3 ECM pod (1pcs)

The later version of the AN/ALQ-71 jammer, version 3

The later stage of the well-known jamming pod differs from the earlier one in the layout of the radiating elements and in small details on the casing. The package contains one piece printed for 1:32 scale, with suggested panel lines and with crisp edges on the mounts that are hard to achieve by casting. The inner side of the mount has a clean seating surface with no need for further work.

Electronic warfare over the north

The contest between surface-to-air missiles and aircraft led in the 1960s to a rapid succession of improvements. Every new version of the jammer answered a change in the frequencies or in the operating mode of the defenses; crews therefore went through several versions within a few years without the shape of the pod itself changing. A modeler thus chooses which version to hang on a machine according to the period and the unit it belonged to.

The procedure for fitting it

First offer the pod up to the pylon dry and check the angle; only then lay on the glue. A short pin drilled into both parts increases the strength of the joint, because the contact surface tends to be small. Lettering and markings seat better on a smooth gloss surface. A flat finish with a light dusty cast matches field operation.

Where you will use it best

• on fighter-bombers of the 1960s and 1970s
• when building a pair of machines with different equipment
• in a scene with armorers beside an aircraft
• in a collection of underwing electronics

You are buying the pod alone, in one piece. The aircraft model and consumables are not enclosed, so count on paints of your own.