AGM-114 Hellfire Set

Brengun, 1/32 scale

Reviewed by David Couche

The AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-surface missile (ASM) first developed for anti-armor use, but later models were developed for precision drone strikes against other target types, and have been used in a number of targeted killings of high-profile individuals. It was originally developed under the name Heliborne, Laser, Fire and Forget Missile, which led to the colloquial name "Hellfire" ultimately becoming the missile's formal name. It has multi-mission, multi-target precision-strike ability, and can be launched from multiple air, sea, and ground platforms, including the Predator drone. The Hellfire missile is the primary 100-pound (45 kg) class air-to-ground precision weapon for the armed forces of the United States and many other nations.

The Hellfire can be fired from rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, waterborne vessels and land-based systems against a variety of targets.

Most variants are laser guided, with one variant, the AGM-114L "Longbow Hellfire", being radar guided. Laser guidance can be provided either from the launcher, such as the nose-mounted opto-electronics of the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, other airborne target designators or from ground-based observers, the latter two options allowing the launcher to break line of sight with the target and seek cover.

The development of the Hellfire Missile System began in 1974 with the U.S. Army requirement for a "tank-buster", launched from helicopters to defeat armored fighting vehicles. Production of the AGM-114A started in 1982.

The Hellfire II, developed in the early 1990s is a modular missile system with several variants. Hellfire II's semi-active laser variants—AGM-114K high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), AGM-114KII with external blast fragmentation sleeve, AGM-114M (blast fragmentation), and AGM-114N metal augmented charge (MAC)—achieve pinpoint accuracy by homing in on a reflected laser beam aimed at the target. Predator and Reaper UCAVs carry the Hellfire II, but the most common platform is the AH-64 Apache helicopter gunship, which can carry up to 16 of the missiles at once. The AGM-114L, or Longbow Hellfire, is a fire-and-forget weapon: equipped with a millimeter wave (MMW) radar seeker, it requires no further guidance after launch - even being able to lock-on to its target after launch - and can hit its target without the launcher or other friendly unit being in line of sight of the target. It also works in adverse weather and battlefield obscurants, such as smoke and fog which can mask the position of a target or prevent a designating laser from forming a detectable reflection. Each Hellfire weighs 104 pounds (47 kg), including the 20 pounds (9 kg) warhead, and has a range of 4.4–6.8 miles (7.1–11 km) depending on trajectory.

The AGM-114R "Romeo" Hellfire II entered service in late 2012. It uses a semi-active laser homing guidance system and a K-charge multipurpose warhead to engage targets that previously needed multiple Hellfire variants. It will replace AGM-114K, M, N, and P variants in U.S. service.

As an example of how numerous the Hellfire is, in 2012, the U.S. ordered 24,000 Hellfire II missiles, for both the U.S. armed forces and foreign customers.

*Text from Wikipedia

This set comes in a small compact sturdy box. When opened,it is full of beautifully detailed cast resin parts.

There are sufficient parts to build 8 Hellfire missiles and 2 launchers capable of holding 4 Hellfires on each one. There is a smaller sheet of photo-etched parts, a sheet of decals and a typical Bregun set of instructions in a double sided A5 strip. The instructions have 5 steps with generic paint colour call outs in the construction steps. The rear of the strip has the decaling details.

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In more detail, the set has 8 grey resin casting blocks with 44 parts on them. There are 2 of each block. The first blocks have 4 missile bodies on them along with a launcher guidance block for each body. Next is a pair containing the top launcher section and well as the 2 lower rails. These a nicely detailed and when the parts from the next block, which is the 2 vertical sections to hold the lower rails, and the various cable conduit sections, are added you will have a very detailed launcher for your model. There are 2 blocks that have 4 head FOD covers on each as one of the choices to display the missiles. The other choice is the seeker heads are supplied in clear resin.

Now to the photo-etched fret.

There is a problem here. The quality is good and it has excellent detail to really add that really nice touch to the lovely resin….. except, you’re only supplied one small sheet with sufficient parts for four complete missiles. You need another full sheet to be able to use the resin parts supplied. I contacted Brengun to try and sort this out and Jan Sobokta has let me know that this is their mistake and if you happen to get a set without 2 sets of etch, they will send you the missing etch. Brengun does have good service for any problems.

The decal sheet includes markings and data plates.

The Brengun AGM-114 Hellfire set will certainly add some quality detail to your models and can be used on many different helicopters and aircraft with makes them really useful.  I would highly recommend this set for the great detail is will provide.

Thanks to Brengun for the review samples.

Review Text Copyright © 2020 by David Couche
Page Created 14 June, 2020
Last updated 14 June, 2020

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