1:32 AN/AVQ-26A PAVE Tack pod with pilon for F-4 Phantom II

The Pave Tack pod with a pylon for the F-4 Phantom II, 1:32 scale

An add-on set of the AN/AVQ-26A Pave Tack targeting pod including the pylon, in 1:32 scale. According to the name it is intended for a model of the F-4 Phantom II.

The real subject

Pave Tack is a targeting pod with an infrared system and a laser designator. It allowed the crew to find a target even at night and to designate it themselves for laser-guided munitions, so the aircraft was not dependent on designation from elsewhere. It was carried under the fuselage of the machine and belongs to the equipment that turned classic attack work into precision strikes.

What the set contains

The body of the pod with the optical head rendered in detail and the pylon for mounting it under the fuselage. The exact make-up of the set and the number of parts is given by the manufacturer in the instructions.

Building and painting tips

• The parts are not polystyrene and are glued with cyanoacrylate glue; cement for plastic kits does not hold here.
• Cut away any excess material and traces of production with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the surface.
• Wash and degrease the parts before painting, or the primer will crack or peel.
• Try the mounting dry; in the large scales the pylon seating against the fuselage tends to be sensitive to a few tenths of a millimeter.
• Leave the optical windows until last and mask them; glass is easily clouded by varnish.

Who it is for

For the modeler who builds the Phantom in its later form and wants the stores to be faithful rather than merely suggested. In 1:32 scale the pod is a prominent piece of equipment and everyone will notice it on the model.

The aircraft model, paints and glue are not supplied, unless stated otherwise.