Kraken Hobbies
1/350 Mk8 Gunfire Director Radar

 

Reviewed by Martin J Quinn
October 2023
Kraken Hobbies has sent along another one of their products for review.   The set is 1/350 Mk8 Gunfire Director Radar, and contains three MK8 Fire Control Radars . 

About the Mk8 Fire Control Radar, the website The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia says:   "The Mark 8 (FH) fire control radar was used to direct large-caliber cruiser and battleship guns. Its design dated to 1941, but the previous FC and FD radars were good enough that deployment of FH to the fleet took place at a relatively leisurely pace. It was the first operational radar to make use of the phase array principle, using mechanical switching to alter the phase relationships between different elements to steer the beem without physically moving the antenna. Though it gave no useful altitude information, it had remarkable accuracy in both range and bearing, making it ideal for fire control against surface targets. Its rapid scan of a 30 degree arc simplified acquisition of targets.  One drawback of the Mark 8 was the complexity of its antenna array, which prompted development of the postwar Mark 13 parabolic antenna."

You can also find a scan of "Ordinance Pamphlet No. 658" on the Researcher at Large website.  This pamphlet goes into great detail on the Fire Control Radar, Mark 8. 


Click to enlarge images
MK8 FIRE CONTROL RADAR
The packaging is in the usual large plastic clamshell container, with double sided tape securing the print raft to the package. 

There is one print raft included.  On it are three Mark 8 FC radars.

The trio of Mk8 FC radars are very  nicely done.  The antennas are especially well printed.  These will not only make photo-etch obsolete, but they should pretty much drop fit right onto your model.  There are some print lines visible, but again, they are more prominent in photography and not as noticeable to the Mk1 eyeball. 



INSTRUCTIONS
There are no instructions. 
CONCLUSIONS
If you are looking to update your Mk8 Fire Control radars on the USN battleships and cruisers in your scale fleet, this is the set you are looking for. The MK8 Fire Control Radars will be a big improvement on the kit versions, looking much more realistic than the injection molded versions, and are easier to work with than photo-etch.  I wish these had been available when I had built the HobbyBoss 1/350 USS Alaska, as I would have certainly used them. 

My only complaint is the faint print lines, but I believe they will disappear under a coat of primer or paint. Otherwise, recommended. 

This is Kraken Hobbies 1/350 Mk8 Gunfire Director Radar set.  It retails for $7.99 USD, and is available directly from Kraken Hobbies, who I'd like to thank for this review sample.


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