M117 Bombs Late

Eduard BRASSIN, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Mark Davies

Eduard Brassin’s 1/72 M117 Bombs (Late) are available online from Squadron.com

The M117 is an air-dropped general-purpose bomb used by United States military forces. It dates back to the time of the Korean War of the early 1950s. Although it has a nominal weight of 750 pounds (340 kg), its actual weight, depending on fuse and retardation options, is around 820 pounds (372 kg).

Its explosive content is typically 403 pounds (183 kg) of Minol 2 or Tritonal. It can also be configured with a low-drag tail fin for medium and high-altitude deliveries In the 1950s through the early 1970s the M117 was a standard aircraft weapon, carried by the F-100 Super Sabre, F-104 Starfighter, F-105 Thunderchief, F-111, and F-4 Phantom.

The M117 series was used extensively during the Vietnam War, and B-52G Stratofortress aircraft dropped 44,600 M117 and M117R bombs during Operation Desert Storm. At present it is used only by the B-52 Stratofortress, tactical aircraft now tend to use the Mark 80-series bombs in particularly the Mark 82 (500 pounds (227 kg)) or Mark 84 (2,000 pounds (907 kg)) bombs and their guided equivalents.

Source: Wikipedia

Eduard Brassin offers a growing range of aftermarket bombs, amongst the latest of which is the six M117’s with late style tailfins reviewed here. Eduard also offers the earlier style as 6720057, and with airbrake fins as 672059, both in “The One True Scale”, plus all three in 1/48 scale as well.

The bombs come attractively packaged in a blister pack with sponge cushioning.

Very clear instructions are included, with colour call-outs cross-referenced to the Gunze Aqueous and Mr Color paint ranges. The instructions detail the finish applied to this weapon, and a small sheet of decals provides the bomb markings. A PDF copy of the instructions is downloadable from Eduard’s website.

The quality of casting is excellent, with the casting-blocks attached to the bomb casing and tailfins where the two join. Four separate blocks provide three alternate fuse options; with standard, extended standoff fuses used for above ground detonation, and what may be delayed action fuse for hard targets.

Painted and decaled, Brassins’s M117 (Late) should be an excellent addition to any suitable model, and are sure to be a vast improvement over any injected kit items.

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This set of six M117 bombs by Brassin is very nicely rendered. It offers a real opportunity to improve and refine the appearance of suitable subjects. I definitely recommended them.

Thanks to Eduard for the samples and images.

Review Text & Black Background Images Copyright © 2016 by Mark Davies
Page Created 25 May, 2016
Last updated 25 May, 2016

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