1:72 Chinese PLB625 AA Gun & Missile Integrated Weapon System

The real subject

The name denotes the Chinese PLB625 air defense system, in which gun and missile armament are merged into a single vehicle. This combination is usual in modern short-range air defense: the missiles cover the greater distance, while the rapid-fire cannon deals with targets that get close. How the system is arranged in detail and which version the set captures are described in the manufacturer's instructions.

What 1:72 scale involves

A model in 1:72 scale takes up little room in a display case and goes well with aircraft in the same scale. Small parts such as the barrels and the missile canisters do, however, call for a steady hand and a sharp blade. It is precisely these that decide whether a finished model looks convincing, because the eye compares them with the flat surfaces around them.

Building and painting

• separate the small parts with a margin and sand the rest down carefully
• dry-fit the chassis and the superstructure before you reach for the glue
• let the rotating part dry in a stable position so that it does not set crooked
• apply the paint thinly, as a thick coat floods the detail in a small scale
• bringing out the gaps and edges does most of the final impression on a small model

Who it is for

The set will please builders of modern vehicles and the collector who is building up a display case of air defense systems. It also works well as an addition to an aircraft collection in the same scale. Paints, glue and filler are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.