Magic Factory Iron Dome Air Defence System 1:35 – build review

Full Review with Rob Ruscoe
Get this great kit from Frome Model Centre now

This kit was given to SMN at Scale Model World 2022 for review. When Geoff sent me a picture of the box art and asked me if I would like to take it on, I thought it was something from a science fiction film and so was a little hesitant. On Googling Iron Dome, however, I was amazed to see it was an actual operational real-life system!

Just before we get started, here’s a look at how it all turned out…

Geoff has done an in-box browse video and you can see that here.

Iron Dome is a highly mobile, all weather air defence system developed jointly by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. Just like the well-known US Patriot system, it is designed to intercept incoming enemy missiles. Iron Dome, however, is a much shorter range system intended as defence against lower trajectory ordinance such as artillery shells as well as short range rockets. The system entered service in 2011 and by 2014 had intercepted over 1200 rockets aimed at Israeli populated areas.

The system comprises three central components:-

• Detection and Tracking Radar
• Battle management and Weapon Control
• Missile Firing Unit.

The radar detects the rocket launch and tracks its trajectory. The BMC calculates the impact point and uses this information to determine whether the target constitutes a threat to a designated area. Only when that threat is determined, an interceptor missile is fired to destroy the incoming rocket before it reaches the predicted impact area.

The system uses the Tamir missile which is three metres in length and weighs 200 pounds. It features optical sensors with proximity fused blast warheads.

Read on…