FineScale Modeler – October 2019

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With the major portions assembled, including

the warhead carrier, it’s time to start adding

the details.

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Simple additions like the handles and these cranks make all the difference in the level of a

model’s realism.

The model was designed to be posable. Here

the launch assembly is between the stowed

and launch positions.

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are held in place by the large nut on the
launch platform, 4.
The last of the basic building included
the warhead carrier, cable mast, upper mis-
sile connector, and the split top ring, 5.
Handles fashioned from 26AWG
stainless-steel wire were attached to the
both booms with super glue. I sanded any
excess glue, 6.
I used the same wire to make handles
for the leveling plates — two each. I also
shaped a set of cranks (normally stowed
under the deck) from .047-inch styrene-
coated wire, 7.
My references revealed that kit was
missing storage boxes: a double box on the
driver’s side to store missile umbilical cables,
and a small box on the opposite side for the
load levelers’ hydraulic cables.
I made the double box from .020-inch
sheet styrene, painted the interior flat olive
drab, then attached the whole to the trailer.
The small box by the mudflap was made the
same way from scrap photo-etched metal
(PE), 8. The smaller box for the hydraulic
cables fits next to the load leveler control
system and was made the same way, 9.
Two hydraulic pistons and springs adjust
the front launch leveler, which resides under
the launcher chassis. I made the pistons
from .080-inch styrene rod with a 26AWG
wire coiled around them to form the spring.
The top and bottom piston rings were
punched from .020-inch sheet styrene. The
attachment clip is scrap PE cut and bent to
shape, 10.
I fabricated the C-channel steps using
scrap PE. The missing rear reflectors came
from .010-inch styrene sheet using a
punch-and-die set, first making the outer
diameter, then punching the center hole, 11.
The kit’s davit crane was essentially a
hunk of plastic in about the right shape.
After filling and cleaning it up, I added a
control handle from my spares box and ran
hydraulic and electrical lines using .040-
inch black insulated wire. Rivets, plates,
and axle ends came from .020-inch sheet

Handles

Handles

You can see the wire handles I added along

the boom.

Before gluing the pistons to the trailer, I primed them with Tamiya flat black (XF-1) and followed

with Tamiya olive green (XF-58).