The Exocet (French for "flying fish") is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
The Exocet is built by MBDA, a European missile company. Development began in 1967 by Nord as a ship-launched weapon named the MM 38. A few years later Aerospatiale and Nord merged. The basic body design was based on the Nord AS30 air to ground tactical missile. The air-launched Exocet was developed in 1974 and entered service with the French Navy five years later.
The relatively compact missile is designed for attacking small- to medium-size warships (e.g., frigates, corvettes and destroyers), although multiple hits are effective against larger vessels, such as aircraft carriers. It is guided inertially in mid-flight and turns on active radar late in its flight to find and hit its target. As a counter-measure against the air defence around the target, it maintains a very low altitude during ingress, staying 1–2 m above the sea surface. Due to the effect of the radar horizon, this means that the target may not detect an incoming attack until the missile is only 6,000 m from impact. This leaves little time for reaction and stimulated the design of close-in weapon systems (CIWS).
In the box
With most Eduard weapon sets they are packed into a blister pack, but due to the size of the Exocet missiles, Eduard have had to pack them in their Brassin black box. Inside the box is two resin Exocet missile bodies, eight fins, four exhausts, a set of instructions and a small set of stencils.
The resin parts are split into two bags, with the stencil sheet in another bag, and all the parts are sandwiched in-between foam inserts, so breakages should be very rare.
Detail is as usual from Eduard for the missile bodies a mix of raised and recessed detail, and is pretty good.
The mid section fins are thin and are cast in twos on a casting block. Although the fins are thin, disconnecting them from the blocks should be pretty easy, but some care should still be taken.
Two types of exhausts are supplied, with Block 1 and Block 2 exhausts. Two exhausts are attached to each casting block and a razor saw will be needed to cut them away.
Instructions and decals
A small instruction sheet is supplied which covers the two stage build sequence, and more importantly covers the stencil placement and paint guide.
The build is simplicity itself, with the only pitfall is making sure you glue the fins in the right way round lol.
The decals are thin, and in register, and depict the various placards, warning signs and live/inert bands found on the missile body.
Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE.
Highs: A nice set of two Exocet missilesLows: None reallyVerdict: A easy to build and pretty well detailed set of Anti Ship Exocet missiles to hang from any jet aircraft that used them.
About Andy Brazier (betheyn) FROM: ENGLAND - SOUTH EAST, UNITED KINGDOM
I started modelling in the 70's with my Dad building Airfix aircraft kits. The memory of my Dad and I building and painting a Avro Lancaster on the kitchen table will always be with me. I then found a friend who enjoyed building models, and between us I think we built the entire range of 1/72 Airfi...