Monogram 1/48 F-84F 'stores configuration study model'

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ALE-2 chaff pods

The last 'store' that I found out about was the AN/ALE-2 chaff pod. I've seen photos of two pods used on the outboard pylons combined with 230 gallon tanks on the inboard pylons, and one pod on the left inboard pylon with a 450 gallon Type 2 tank on the right inboard pylon.

I found two resin models of the ALE-2, but I did not like what I saw. Therefore I decided to build a better one myself. I started with two M116 napalm tanks, that I combined to a long shape. The nose shape was modified to that of the ALE-2, with a xxx mm hole in the nose. And then I found out that the Great Wall 1/48 T-33 'Late Type' from 2017 from contains two ALE-2s. I have not been able to establish how accurate they are, and finding a set will take time. Therefore I decided to finish what I started.

To figure out the details of the pod, I started making a drawing of the pod. I based it on the main dimensions, and sketched in the details from photos a video. The drawing is therefore only a best effort.

Work progressed nicely. Here's the pod about 3/4 done, with a first layer of paint to check for paint defects. I hade run a needle through the small rectangular fasteners, that's why they are so apparent.

The chaff 'exhaust' was achieved by about half an hour worth of scraping with a small scalpel blade. The shape I saw in photos emerged slowly but surely.

And finally it's ready for casting a silicone rubber mold. The photo shows my state of the art molding technique, that is improving all the time.

Here's the silicone rubber mold and the first eight castings. They turned out perfect, with zero air bubbles or other defects, thanks to vacuum casting. And of course I only need two of them.

I made an extra mold to test an idea for casting 'clean' parts without any resin blocks to remove. I haven't perfected the technique yet, but it did yield these parts.

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