Eduard K-13M/R-13M Missiles (648445) 1:48

[Mike]

K-13M/R-13M Missiles (648445)

1:48 Eduard Brassin

 

 

This confusingly named missile shares a name (R-13) with a great big sub-launched ICBM, but there the similarity ends.  It is a reverse-engineered Sidewinder missile that went home stuck in the back of a PLAAF Mig-17, and was rushed into service to counter the surprise introduction of the AIM-9 Sidewinder by the US.  The K-13M was an updated variant with an infrared seeker head that was introduced in the 60s and was dubbed Advanced Atoll by NATO.  It had a longer range, was more agile and had a more accurate seeker head with better proximity fuse that improved its chances of success.

 

 

As usual with Eduard's larger resin sets, they arrive in the oblong Brassin box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions wrapped around, providing extra protection.  Inside are three bags of resin parts and a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) with a sheet of decals on the other side of the stiffener card.  There are sufficient parts for four missiles, four adapter rails and a choice of clear or covered seeker head apertures.  The missile bodies have the rear stabiliser fins moulded-in, and four separate steering vanes, with a PE exhaust ring, and either a clear resin seeker head, or if adding the FOD cover, the tip of the missile is cut off as per the diagram, then the cover is glued on instead.  If the missile is to be in storage, a small PE tag is fitted to the top proximity "bump", which is removed before it is wheeled out to an aircraft. 

 

The adapter rails are single parts, and have lots of stencils applied after paint.  The missile is painted and decaled as per the diagram on the front page, which shows the location of each stencil, and the colours called out in Gunze codes.

 

 

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