UNGUIDED ROCKET S-25L 1/48

S-25L guided rocket, 1:48, from Temp Models

The set holds a 3D-printed resin replica of the Soviet S-25L aircraft rocket in 1:48 scale. It is not an aircraft model but an accessory for the external stores. The print holds the thin fins and the detail of the seeker head, which an injection mold simplifies and thickens.

The real subject

The S-25L came about by adding a guidance and control unit to the nose of an unguided 240 mm rocket. That unit homes on a reflected laser beam, so the rocket hits the target precisely rather than merely within a pattern. From the outside you can tell it from the unguided members of the family by exactly that longer front section with an optical window. It was hung singly on a pylon under the wing of attack and fighter-bomber aircraft.

Building and painting tips

Wash the 3D-printed parts in warm soapy water first, to get rid of any print resin residue. Cut the print supports off with a sharp blade or a fine saw as close to the part as you can and sand the marks away with respiratory protection. Resin does not bond with polystyrene cement, so use cyanoacrylate glue. Apply a thin coat of primer before painting, otherwise the paint will not hold well on the smooth print. Assemble and paint the armament separately and glue it to the pylon only once the varnish has dried, so that the fine surfaces do not get rubbed.

Who the set is for

• A replica of the laser-guided S-25L rocket in 1:48 scale
• A guidance unit in the nose, longer than on the unguided versions
• Resin 3D print with fine resolution
• An accessory set, not an aircraft model
• Needs cyanoacrylate glue and a primer under the paint

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