1:32 SUU-11B/A Minigun pod 7,62mm (1 pcs)

The SUU-11B/A pod in 1:32 scale

An external pod with a 7.62 mm rotary machine gun belongs to the equipment that gives a helicopter or a light combat aircraft a Vietnam-era look straight away. It is added to the pylon of a model under construction; the aircraft or helicopter is not part of the delivery.

The real subject in service

The SUU-11 pod came about as a quick answer to the need for fire support from small aircraft. Inside it worked a six-barrel rotary machine gun driven by an electric motor, able to pour a continuous stream of rounds onto a target. The pods were hung under Bell UH-1 helicopters, under observation and forward air control aircraft such as the Cessna O-2 and the OV-10 Bronco, and under piston-engined attack aircraft. The sound of the weapon, more of a saw than a rattle, became one of the recognizable signs of the conflict in Southeast Asia.

Fitting to the pylons

First check whether the pylon on the model matches the period arrangement, and only then deal with the gluing. The pod is a heavier part, so secure the joint with a wire pin glued into a drilled hole; the surface of the pylon itself is usually small. Take the finish in olive green with a brownish exhaust stain and dust on the underside, and leave the barrels dark and slightly metallic instead.

Who the pod is for

• builders of helicopters and light combat aircraft of the Vietnam War
• modelers who are short of believable external stores
• anyone interested in a large scale with the emphasis on small shapes
• makers of dioramas with aircraft ready for takeoff

Paints and adhesives are not included.