Eduard Sniper ATP. 1:32

[Shar2]

Sniper ATP

1:32 Eduard/Brassin

 

(632-101) – Sniper pods provide improved long-range target detection/identification and continuous stabilized surveillance for all missions, including close air support of ground forces. The Sniper pod enables aircrews to detect and identify weapon caches and individuals carrying armaments, all outside jet noise ranges. Superior imagery, a video datalink and J-series-weapons-quality coordinates provided by the Sniper pod enable rapid target decisions and keep aircrews out of threat ranges.

 

High resolution imagery for non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (NTISR) enables the Sniper pod to play a major role in Air Force operations in theater, providing top cover for ground forces, as well as increasing the safety of civilian populations.

 

The Sniper pod is combat proven on U.S. Air Force and international F-15E, F-16 (all blocks), B-1, A-10C, Harrier GR7/9 and CF-18 aircraft. Lockheed Martin is also in the final stages of integrating the Sniper pod on the B-52. The pod's plug-and-play capability facilitates moving the pod across platforms without changing software.

 

The single sniper pod comes in the blister style pack normally used for the smaller items, well protected by foam pads inside.  It is really well detailed, as we have come to expect from Eduard and the parts are very neatly moulded.  The pod comes in four grey resin and three clear resin parts, along with a small etched brass fret and decal sheet.

 

 

Assembly begins with the fitting of the brass end piece to the main body of the pod along with a resin piece. The seeker head is the glued to the front of the main body, at whatever position you want. The difficult part comes with the fitting of the three clear parts as the edges where they join each other in a faceted fashion are flat, and need to be chamfered to the correct angle to get a good fit. Once this has been done the pylon adaptor plate is attached and two small PE discs glued to the upper quarters at the rear of the main pod.  The whole pod is then painted in overall grey and the decals added.

 

 

 

Conclusion

This is another very useful piece of kit to add to your 1:32 aircraft. They are, or have been fitted to so many types now; everything from the F-15 to the F-16 via the Harrier GR-7/9 so could be of interest to a whole host of modellers.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of