VideoAviation.com LAU-51 Rocket Launcher (197732) 1:32

[Mike]

LAU-51 Rocket Launcher (197732)

1:32 Videoaviation.com

 

 

The LAU-51 rocket pod has 19 tubes from which is can fire 2.75" Folding Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) or Wrap Around (WA) rockets either individually or in ripple-fire mode with a 40-60ms interval between launches to give a concentrated advancing barrage on a target.  They were pylon mounted and commonly used on the Jaguar, Alphajet, F-104, G-91 light fighters in the ground attack role.

 

 

The set arrives in a small clamshell box with a bag of resin behind the header card, two more resin parts wrapped in (removable) foam to protect the delicate parts, a small decal sheet in another bag, and the instruction sheet folded in front to reduce vibration damage during shipping and storage.  There are six main parts, plus a run of eight suspension lugs, of which only four are needed, so you can afford to lose a few!  Each rocket pack is made up from the main body, which has an aerodynamic nose with 19 perforations, the rear exhaust ports, and a coaming around the rear that both masks and contains the launch plume.  Each part is a very snug fit to its mate, so there is very little room for error, other than losing more than four of the lugs.  These fit two per pod onto the top line, which has two small recesses on top to receive them.

 

The decals are well-printed with stencils, and half the A5 instruction sheet is devoted to detailed painting and marking of the finished pod, mostly in relation to Luftwaffe F-104G and G-91 Ginas.  If you're not using them for these aircraft, check your references and adapt the decals and colour schemes accordingly.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

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