Soviet Air-to-Surface Aircraft Armament Set

This is incomprehensible to me. When it came to reproduce NATO and US weaponry in the 1990s, right after first Gulf War, both Airfix and Heller did a masterful move toward High-Tech replicas of such weapons. These kits seem to have disappeared in thin air, and yet they were truly masterpieces in their own right. You had a full complement of Air-to-Air, Air-to-Surface missiles, ECM Pods, Laser Targeting Pods, Recce Pods, Cluster Bombs and Laser Guided Bombs, as well as more goodies than one might imagine, and all of this with an outstanding accuracy, including Photo-Etched Fins and details and a plethora of stenciling decals to complete it all. It was plainly and simply modellers' Nirvana. Today instead, what do we get? Clunkers. In a day and age in which the Web rules, and in which information about weaponry abounds everywhere, not to speak of 3-D copiers, sophisticated CAD programs, and other goodies of this kind, we are still provided with under-par replicas of well known weapons. Not just the accuracy in sizes are still completely off the track, but even the molding details are sometimes either completely left off or completely misinterpreted. How can this be? Unless one considers people who care only about making a quick buck out of misinformed and gullible people. Alas though, for such companies I would dare say, their effort is a little bit wasted, since the majority of modellers out there are today, by far better informed at times, than the designers who concoct and put together some models, such as this present item. OK. It's not as terrible as it may seem. As I also stated in my review for the previous ICM #72212 Soviet Air-to-Air Missiles, the molding of the parts is perfectly clean and therefore no worries about flash showing everywhere. Also, there are no ejection flaws I could determine. The real problem are the sizes that to my eyes seem kind of odd to say the least, but then again, not being a true expert in Soviet weapon loads, this should be verified with an actual museum piece. Although I must also specify that at times, and as far as I am given to understand, the Soviet Air Force modified certain missiles and bombs according to the immediate use they were meant for. So, no one can really say, whether or not a certain model was taken from its prototype, a demonstration item or an actual employed weapon. The shroud of secrecy in those years was so tight it would be a miracle to know how many species of one kind of weapon there was. So, in other words, one must take this with a kind of philosophy and accept what one gets, possibly crossing your fingers. And yet, one cannot ask himself why ICM cannot finally dish up a High-Tech version of these very same weapons, and perhaps also emulate the example of Airfix and Heller, by including photo-etched fins, metal or resin parts for exhausts, as well as a full stenciling decal sheet. Is that too much effort? Methinks not. OK now. What does one receive for the money he spends in this? Let's start with 4x X-29T (AS-14 Kedge) missiles could have been provided with a clear injection lens, either in plastic or resin, for the seeker; 4 x X-31P (AS-17 Kripton) not too bad, but could be better; 2 x X-59M (AS-18 Kazoo) again, not bad, but many details could be improved upon; 6 x KAB-500Kr same comment as for the X-29T (AS-14 Kedge) above; 4 x B-8M1 rocket launchers; 4 x B-13L rocket launchers. Also included are various pylons and pylon adapters for various configurations. Another thing lacking with ICM is the mention of what Aircraft carries what and on which station they were, or are, usually carried. Once again, the modeller has to do his/her homework in order to find this out. Also and again, I stress the missing stenciling decal sheet. This is simply above me, why ICM insists to omit such details. They do with any other models they produce: cars, trucks, artillery and even aircraft. So why not with actual aircraft weapons? And if they cannot produce it, why can't they just ask another company to do it for them? Cartograf comes immediately to mind, but there are so many more out there who would jump at the chance to produce an entire sheet of these. What are they? Shy? Or simply too lazy to bother? I bet every modeller would welcome the inclusion of a nicely done decal sheet, and yes even of resin and PE parts (why not?). And yes, if well done and well researched, the average modeller would even dish up some more money (not too much though) in order to get a decent and complete set of Soviet weapons. But I guess I am asking for a miracle here. So, in conclusion, is it really worth your hard earned money? Again, it depends. If you really need some more accurate weaponry than that usually offered with a model (especially from Western producers or older models), and do not want to carve your eye out of the socket to get some, then yes, you may be in luck, but you will still have to seek an aftermarket decal sheet for at least the stenciling of such weapons, and this will add to the cost of this purchase. If instead, you are a seasoned and expert modeller, well then, prepare your purse and get something more worthwhile like those missiles, bombs and rockets offered by Eduard Brassin, which are truly outstanding, although requiring a lot more skills in sanding, filling and assembling, than what you get in this Box. Another interim solution could be to combine some of the parts contained in this Kit with the specified Brassin offerings, in order to make the best of two worlds, but then you will have a double expense. In this complex world we have built for ourselves, nothing comes easy anymore, and therefore before spending your valuable money, think above all about your true needs in your hobby and at how much you value specificity and precision in it. If it is just to display your model for family and friends, then this kit will suffice you, but if you are bound to participate in a competition and want to earn a price, or worse, you are commissioned by a museum to build a correct replica of an existing aircraft in this scale, then you must stay away from ICM and choose the more expensive way of doing things. In the end it's all in your own competent and skillful hands.