Northrop SM-62 Snark: "Got Snark?" Plaque
Revell

This model was first introduced in the early 1960s by Revell as one of its "box scale" kits. Molded in red plastic and still virtually flash free, this "History Makers" release is dated 1985 and marked as 1/96th scale, though in reality it measures out to 1/80th scale. The parts and decals come in a sealed bag. The base and launching platform require painting in gray and yellow with black, gray, and silver highlights. I painted the missile gloss red, as the decals provide all the markings necessary and the white portions are opaque enough so there is no bleed through. They are the best part of the kit. Various labels and warning decals are also provided for the base and platform, though not mentioned in the instructions, one must look very carefully at the box top finished model to determine placement. I highly recommend having Micro-Sol & Set available as some decals require bending around leading or trailing edges. There are a couple of minor fit problems in gluing the fuselage halves together and then the wing to the fuselage. I recommend using liquid cement and gluing the fuselage in small sections to maintain proper alignment. I also recommend trimming the small mounting pin from the bottom of the wing, as leaving it in place caused a slight misalignment durign test fitting. I masked and painted the base and platform parts before assembling them. I assembled the missile, wing tanks and booster rockets separately before painting them. One note: the starboard side air scoop mounting tab is molded incorrectly and will cause you to mount the air scoop backwards if the tab is not trimmed off. The platform assembly was a little tricky because the instructions were a little vague. Once again, I referred to the box top photos. I spent about 10 hours on this kit over three days. I wasn't looking for a home run, just a base hit, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and feel like I hit a good triple with three RBIs! Highly recommended for a moderately skilled modeler. Dedicated to Tim, our SCM fearless leader! Got Snark?

Addendum: This plaque now hangs in my former office where individuals who display the appropriate amount of "snarkiness" receive a certificate and have their name added to a roster on the back of the plaque; a highly coveted honor.