History

The MHU-12 munitions handling trailer is used to transport items such as bombs and missiles from a storage location to a flight line for loading on a combat aircraft. It can accommodate a wide variety of munitions using various adapters, cradles and chocks. There are two hinged deck panels in the center of the trailer bed that fold open to provide access under stores for loading and unloading. The deck openings are covered by a set of doors. In the closed position the doors cover the deck openings whereby a flat main deck is available for general transport purposes. When a door set is opened, the deck opening that is uncovered provides clearance for loading and unloading of munitions items from the deck. Mounting structures can also be attached to the doors which secures the munitions items to the deck during transport. The MHU-12 is used by many Air Forces around the world.

Kit

This resin set from Video Aviation allows you to build one MHU-12 Munitions Trailer as either an early or late version. The set comes in a sturdy cardboard box with the parts enclosed in a zip-lock baggie so none are lost in transit. Included are 48 parts cast in crisp cream-colored resin. The attachment points are small and removal of the parts should not be an issue. The box also includes a three page instruction sheet with warnings and general information. The layout of the numbered parts and assembly instructions are shown in clear, colour pictures. The assembly instructions are easy to follow and each part is shown and called out with clear numbers and arrows for placement. Lastly, there is a very nice sheet of decals with markings for each version.

The set includes parts to build the trailer as either an early or late version with two complete sets of tires and different draw bars for the two versions. The additional tires and draw bars allow you to build an early MHU-12 used up through the 1980s, or a later version in current use. All of the parts are crisp and free of flash and left over resin bits. Video Aviation has captured these parts very well.

Assembly is follows a logical order by building the undercarriage first, then the deck, and finally the hinged doors and mounting brackets for the munitions. Some of the features include steerable front wheels, multi-position deck panels, and position-able brackets for holding the munitions. The two tire sets include very nicely engraved/raised lettering depicting Goodyear (early) and Carlisle (later) tires. Painting instructions and decal placement are shown well and a couple of photos of MHU-12s in action are also included. There were no issues while building the trailer. Parts placement and attachment were easy to accomplish and worry free.

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