F-4Dable Models 1/48 F-14 LAU-138 BOL/Chaff Launcher First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | December 2009 | Manufacturer | F-4Dable Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | F-14 LAU-138 BOL/Chaff Launcher | Scale | 1/48 |
| Set Number | 48001 | Media | Resin |
| Pros | Updates the Hasegawa 1/48 Tomcats with the later missile rails | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $TBA |
First Look
F-4Dable Models is an interesting aftermarket company from Malaysia that produces a growing array of decals and detail sets for a number of contemporary subjects. This new release is a simple conversion/update for the Hasegawa 1/48th scale Tomcats to update the shoulder AIM-9 missile rails to the later LAU-138 types.
The LAU-138 was able to support the variety of Sidewinders through the AIM-9M like the previous rails, but these also included a built-in chaff launcher to provide the Tomcat with better self-defense capabilities.
This resin set is comprised of two nicely cast resin parts on thin carriers and even have the Hasegawa tabs to allow these to be drop-in replacements for the stock kit parts. The only difference is that you'll have to use cyano adhesive to mount these rails after you remove them from the resin casting blocks.
This is a simple update for the Hasegawa kits and will definitely bring your Tomcat up to configuration used in its later years.
My sincere thanks to F-4Dable Models for this review sample!
You can find out more about this set and other products from F-4Dable Models by visiting their website at www.f-4dablemodels.com.