1:48 Mk.83 bombs with MAU-91 (4 pcs)

The smooth Mk.83 with the MAU-91 conical tail

The set presents the medium-caliber bomb in its most common form, that is with a conical tail unit and without retarding gear. Its outline is clean, slender and readable even on a model at normal display case distance. The figure (4 pcs) is taken from the entry in the name of the item.

The low-drag tail and what it means

A conical tail offers less resistance, so a machine carries such armament faster and on less fuel, and the charge flies on a predictable path. This form therefore prevailed in attacks from medium altitude. It was carried by carrier-based machines of the Intruder and Corsair II type and by later generations of tactical aircraft, on which the bombs were hung on multiple ejector racks.

Making up the stores on a model

It pays to plan in advance how many charges fall to which rack, so that no empty place is left on the model. The cone has a thin wall, so when cutting it free work with a sharp knife in small steps and then level the edge only lightly. A unified smooth varnish supports the impression of freshly loaded armament; keep the weathering sparing, so that the weapon does not look older than the machine itself.

Suitable for these builds

• models of attack aircraft with fully loaded racks
• builders who are bothered by the soft shapes of plastic bombs
• a comparison of the smooth and the retarded version side by side
• standalone display case presentations of aircraft armament

The set is intended to complete a finished model and does not replace the machine itself.