USAF MQ-9 Reaper in 1/72 Scale

The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (which was initially named the Predator B as it resembles a larger version of the Predator drone) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remote controlled or autonomous flight operations and combat primarily for the United States Air Force (USAF). The MQ-9 and other UAVs are referred to as Remotely Piloted Vehicles/Aircraft (RPV/RPA) by the USAF to indicate their human ground controllers. The MQ-9 is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance. In 2006, the then–Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force said: "We've moved from using UAVs primarily in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance roles before Operation Iraqi Freedom, to a true hunter-killer role with the Reaper."

The MQ-9 is a larger, heavier, and more capable aircraft than the earlier General Atomics MQ-1 Predator; it can be controlled by the same ground systems used to control MQ-1s. The Reaper has a 950-shaft-horsepower (712 kW) turboprop engine (compared to the Predator's 115 hp (86 kW) piston engine). The greater power allows the Reaper to carry 15 times more ordnance payload and cruise at about three times the speed of the Predator. The Reaper is monitored and controlled by aircrew in a Ground Control Station (GCS), including engagement with weapons.

In 2008, the New York Air National Guard 174th Attack Wing began the transition from F-16 piloted fighters to MQ-9 Reapers, becoming the first fighter squadron conversion to an all–unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) attack squadron. In March 2011, the U.S. Air Force was training more pilots for advanced unmanned aerial vehicles than for any other single weapons system. The Reaper is also used by the United States Navy, the CIA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, NASA, and the militaries of other countries, like the Royal Air force. The USAF plans to keep the MQ-9 in service into the 2030s

MQ-9 official specifaltions include:

Crew: 0 onboard, 2 in ground station
Length: 36 ft 1 in (11 m)
Wingspan: 65 ft 7 in (20 m)
Height: 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Empty weight: 4,901 lb (2,223 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 10,494 lb (4,760 kg)
Fuel capacity: 4,000 lb (1,800 kg)
Payload: 3,800 lb (1,700 kg) Internal: 800 lb (360 kg)
External: 3,000 lb (1,400 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop, 900 hp (671 kW) with Digital Electronic Engine Control (DEEC)
Maximum speed: 300 mph; 260 kn (482 km/h)
Cruising speed: 194 mph; 169 kn (313 km/h)
Range: 1,151 mi; 1,852 km (1,000 nmi)
Endurance: 14 hours fully loaded
Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,240 m)
Operational altitude: 25,000 ft (7.5 km)
Armament: 7 hardpoints
- Up to 1,500 lb (680 kg) on the two inboard weapons stations[
- Up to 750 lb (340 kg) on the two middle stations
- Up to 150 lb (68 kg) on the outboard stations
- Up to 4 AGM-114 Hellfire air to ground missiles can be carried or four Hellfire missiles and two 500 lb (230 kg) GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs.

The 500 lb (230 kg) GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) can also be carried. Testing is underway to support the operation of the AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missile.

In March 2014, MBDA successfully test fired a dual mode Brimstone missile from a Reaper aircraft on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence and Royal Air Force.[163]

The Reapers are expected to serve well into the 2030s.


This Italeri kit comes in a beautifully illustrated box. It also has great pictures on the back of the box that depict various configurations and groups to which the NQ-9 is deplyed, Inside, the the aircraft and the poieces are very well molded and detailed.

You can build the aircraft with the wheels down, or retracted into the fuselage.Decal numbers and details are included for three different aircraft, including a Royal Air force version. I am choosing trhe USAF 432nd Air Wing.

The hull does have some really nice surface detail along both sides, including the bilge keels.

There are a lot of good details for the model and it comes with four Maverick missiles and two large GBU laser guided bombs for armament.

The instructions are very well done as are the depictions of each of the aircraft depictions...and decals for each. The decals set in particular are very detaied.


Finally, there are a couple of areas where the instructions do not call out the location of some of the parts at all, for example with the torpedo tubes, which it shows being assembled in a sub-assembly bullet, but then does not show where they should be placed.

As stated, he decals include names for ten different vessels. I intend to go ahead an build the The Sullivans, DDG-68. for me, the history of the name and those brothers is just too compelling not too.

All in all, a decent kit that should build into a very good model.

Here are the initial parts out of the box.

I painted the entire model in the various colors called out before starting assemble. I then added the wings to the lower fuselage and glued the upper fuselage to it:


I then added the engine assembly and the landing gear assemblies. At this point it was time to build the weapons, which concists of four Hellfire Missiles and two GBU 500 lb lase guided bombs. Here's how

that looked:


Looking good.

Now it was time to add various sensors to the aircraft and to attach the weapons to the mounting points which alsoo were added at this point. There are two pilons under each woing, with the outer pylons

capable of carrying two Hellfire missiles each.

Here's how they all looked when added to the aircraft.

There are a lot of decls for the model...and they really set it off. I decided to build the 432nd Airwing aircraft. You could also build a New York aircraft or a Royal Air Foce version.

Here's how the decals looked when completed:

She's looking pretty good.

At this point I just had to do some touch up and then add a couple of coats of dull coate before doing the final model pics. Here they are:

And some close-up and mpore detailed pics:


A very nice depiction of the MQ-9 Reaper armed UAV.


- By November30, 2016 Buy and complete the Orange Hobby USS HArper's Ferry, LSD-49

Thanks Jeff. That's really good.

subotai1 said:

Thanks Jeff. That's really good.

Click to expand...

You are welcome. The Reaper is a tired and proven system that has doen a lot of work in the war against Al Qeada, the Taliban, and ISIS.

The US (and others) have learned a LOT through their employment that have helped in developing even more sophisticated weapons like the X-47B...which I also built: