ITEM:

Steel Beach SBA 119: F-14 BOL rails

PRICE:

 $4.99 MSRP From -

REVIEWER:

Scott Van Aken

NOTES:

 1/48 scale for  Revell/Monogram kits. Also fits Hasegawa Tomcats

One of the later mods for the Tomcat were BOL rails. I'm ignorant of just what they do, but it appears that there is some sort of electronic countermeasures antennas on them. They are basically new additions to the Sidewinder rails and replace those on the wing pylons. The Steel Beach set can be used direct on the Monogram kit, while the Hasegawa kit will need to add the small pylons provided. A set of instructions is included for what needs to be done to add these to your late model Tomcat.

According to reader Tom Meyer:

The rails incorporate both cooling gas generators and chaff dispensers with IR heat sources.  Not sure how that actually works, but it gives IR-guided missiles a heat source to work with (and let the real aircraft get away).  It's a Swedish design.
 
I understand it gives an aircraft quite a bit more chaff/IR to compliment any already installed countermeasures.
 
Hasegawa has them in one of their later 1/72nd weapons sets.  Could use them on Harrier GR-7/-9/-9A, Tornadoes, F-14s, and other aircraft.

Thanks to Steel Beach for the review samples. You can get them at -

August 2006

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