RPG 1/35 Phalanx CIWS

Ben M
👀

Mike Szwarc
I got the Mod 11 Block 1B version of this kit because I found it on sale for a good price. What I didn't know (until I started building it) is that this kit is basically RPG's MK -15 Phalanx CIWS kit plus the different parts needed to build the Mod 11 Block 1B version. I wasn't paying close enough attention to the instructions when I started building, and ended up assembling the tracking radar enclosure using a panel for the standard MK-15, and I didn't catch the error until after the glue had set. While trying to figure out what to do, I discovered that this kit had all the parts to build the standard version, so I downloaded the instructions from Scalemates, and happily continued building the standard MK-15 . . . until I got to the barrel assembly. I had to drill out the barrel support blocks with much larger drills than indicated in the instructions, and then when I test fit the barrel assembly to the gun mechanism, I discovered that the barrels were about 7 or 8 mm too short. The Mod 11 Block 1B uses a shorter barrel. I eventually solved the problem by affixing a piece of brass tube to the gun mechanism to lengthen the socket that accepts the end of the barrel assembly. Once painted and assembled, the fix shouldn't be too obvious.