US AIM-9M/L Sidewinder

FabScale, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by David Couche

The AIM-9 Sidewinder ("AIM" for "Air Intercept Missile") is a short-range air-to-air missile. Entering service with the United States Navy in 1956 and the Air Force in 1964, the AIM-9 is one of the oldest, cheapest, and most successful air-to-air missiles. Its latest variants remain standard equipment in most Western-aligned air forces.

The next major advance in IR Sidewinder development was the AIM-9L ("Lima") model which was in full production in 1977. This was the first "all-aspect" Sidewinder with the ability to attack from all directions, including head-on, which had a dramatic effect on close-in combat tactics.

Its first combat use was by a pair of US Navy F-14s in the Gulf of Sidra in 1981 versus two Libyan Sukhoi Su-22s, both of the latter being destroyed by AIM-9Ls. Its first use in a large-scale conflict was by the United Kingdom during the 1982 Falklands War. In this campaign the "Lima" reportedly achieved kills from 80% of launches, a dramatic improvement over the 10–15% levels of earlier versions, scoring 17 kills and 2 shared kills against Argentine aircraft.

The AIM-9M is an improved AIM-9L inheriting the all-aspect capability of the L model but providing all-around higher performance. Having a better background rejection and infrared countermeasures discrimination, and a low-smoke motor to reduce the visual signature of the weapon, and improved guidance control section with counter-countermeasures and improved maintainability and producibility. The AIM-9M uses an annular blast fragmentation warhead. These modifications increase ability to locate and lock-on a target and decrease the missile's chances for detection.

It was deployed in large numbers during the 1991 Gulf War, the AIM-9M was responsible for all 10 Sidewinder kills recorded during that conflict. The AIM-9M was used by the RAAF's being their standard dogfight AAM, carried by the F/A-18 and F-111.
 
*Text from Wikipedia

FabScale gives us this set of 1/48 scale AIM-9M/L missiles in a sturdy cardboard box, with the 4 missiles joined at their print bases.

The 4 missiles come in the sand-coloured resin, along with another printed block that has 6 seeker head covers, a small sheet of decals and an A5 colour printed painting and decaling instructions.

The resin missiles have wonderful raised and recessed detail that is crisply moulded. There are many printing supports that will need to be removed before using each of them.

Very little cleaning up will be required, making these quite simple compared with the old cast resin variety and the benefit of having no seams or moulding marks to clean up.

AIM-9M/L’s were carried by so many different aircraft including, F/A-18A-D, F/A-18E/F, AV-8B, AH-1 and the Air Force's F-16, F-15, F-22, F-111 and A-10 aircraft that this set can go on, that it makes it a good set to purchase.

Once again, FabScale Studio has produced a useful set of high quality and detailed AIM-9M/L’s for your modern US, RAF and RAAF jets. These will most definitely raise the quality of your build.

Highly Recommended.

Many thanks to FabScale Studio for the review sample.

Text and Imges Copyright © 2024 by David Couche
Page Created 27 September, 2024
Last updated 27 September, 2024

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