Zactomodels 1/32 R-27ET (AA-10 Alamo D) First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | October 2009 | Manufacturer | Zactomodels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | R-27ET (AA-10 Alamo D) | Scale | 1/32 |
| Kit Number | 32017 | Media | Resin |
| Pros | Interesting options for the Trumpeter kits | Cons | |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $25.00 + Postage |
First Look
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Zactomodels is a small aftermarket company that does some of the most incredible engineering and casting to correct selected beloved subjects. This time around, they've produced the first of several nice missile options for modern Russian fighters. With each generation of fighter/radar combination, the former Soviet Union would also develop a new set of weapons to exploit the advances that the new fighter and radar possessed. In the case of the MiG-29 and Su-27 that evolved at about the same time, a common set of weapons were developed to provide a good mix of long-range attack, mid-range attack, and dogfight.
In the dogfight missile department, the very capable R60 (AA-8 Aphid) that armed the previous generation of fighters was replaced with the R-73 (AA-11 Archer).
The mid and long-range missiles were developed out of the R-27 (AA-10 Alamo) family. A shorter missile body with a smaller rocket motor provided the medium range capabilities while a longer missile body containing more rocket fuel provided the long-range component. Both versions of the Alamo airframes used the same fins and seeker head options. As with previous mid/long range missiles produced (AA-6 Acrid for the Foxbat and AA-7 Apex for the Flogger), these missiles have a radar seeker head or a heat (IR) seeker. The radar seeker head has a pointed radome while the IR seeker head has a rounded head.
In this release, Zactomodels has produced the R-27ET which corresponds to the long-range (long missile body) IR-guided (rounded head) variant of the Alamo. These missiles are carried by the MiG-29 Fulcrum, Su-27/Su-30/Su-33/Su-35/Su-37 Flanker and some updated MiG-23MLD Flogger K. The R-27ET and R-27ER missiles are most commonly seen on the Flanker.
The casting of these missiles is up to the usual great standards of Zactomodels with the fins and rocket motor bells cast separately. When only two of these missiles were carried, it was standard practice to carry one radar-guided and one infrared missile.
If you want to put the best-looking weapons on your Trumpeter MiG-29, Revell MiG-29, Trumpeter Su-27 or Trumpeter Su-30 kit, these new missiles from Zactomodels will definitely be a nice eye-catching enhancement for your next big project.
You can learn more about this and other project from the Zactomodels website at http://www.zactomodels.com.
My sincere thanks to Zactomodels for this review sample!