1/32 JB-2 Loon ‘US Version of V-1 Missile’

The JB-2 Loon was the American answer to the German V-1 missile that terrorized Britain at the end of World War II. After obtaining technical documentation and remnants of the German missiles, the United States began a program in 1944 to copy the weapon under the designation JB-2 (Jet Bomb 2). The original intention was to deploy the JB-2 in large numbers against Japanese targets as part of the planned invasion of the Japanese islands. However, the use of atomic bombs in August 1945 ended the war before the JB-2 missiles could be used in combat. Despite this, the JB-2 Loon remained in the arsenal of the U.S. armed forces - the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Air Forces, and the U.S. Navy - as a training and experimental weapon until the mid-1950s, when it was replaced by more modern types of cruise missiles.

Technically, the JB-2 was almost indistinguishable from its German V-1 predecessor. It was propelled by a pulsating nozzle, which gave it a characteristic noisy sound, and navigation was by means of a simple autopilot and gyroscopes. The missile was launched from ground ramps or from aircraft. American production required minor modifications due to the availability of materials and manufacturing standards, but the overall concept was retained. For modelers, the JB-2 Loon is an interesting subject because it combines German wartime technology with American post-war developments and represents a less common type of weapon in 1/32 scale.

The 1/32 scale Special Hobby kit offers detailed craftsmanship with a combination of classic plastic parts, photo-etched parts and 3D printed components that enhance the accuracy and fineness of detail. The decals cover four variants of the US JB-2 - three in the typical olive green paint used by the Army and Air Force and one in white, presumably an experimental or training version. The package does not include the paint or glue needed for assembly.