Bomb Weathering

[John1]

One thing I've noted is that modelers (most of them actually) tend to produce beautifully weathered aircraft and then hang pristine, uniformly painted bombs underneath them.  For the most part, this isn't accurate.  Most bombs were heavily faded, scratched, if not covered in mud / dust by the time they made it to the aircraft.  Even bombs used on carrier aircraft were stored in open air bomb dumps before being loaded on the ships.    I think I've only seen a very few models that have accurately weathered munitions.   

 

If anyone is interested, this blog has a great article on the subject. It's also a great reference for aircraft bombs / missiles in general.  

 

 http://thecombatworkshop.blogspot.com/

 

Note that this applies not just to bombs used in earlier conflicts but even those weapons in use today.  Scroll down past the article above and check out the blog on the GBU-38 JDAM.  Observe the wide range of finishes on the Mk 82 bodies. 

 

Regards,

 

John

Edited June 2, 2018 by John Irwin

[CANicoll]

John,

 

Great pictures and thanks for sharing the article.  Love the pictures of the guys sitting or riding the bombs, as well as just the general wear and tear these things exhibited overall.

 

Best,

Chris

[ScottsGT]

I just learned this a few weeks back. I was always under the thought that bombs were new production and shipped to the battle field depots. I guess I'll start rolling them down the driveway to make them look authentic.

[LSP_K2]

I tend to disagree; some modelers weather their weapons, others do not, and I've seen plenty of examples of both done here. The same could be said about wheels and tires, landing gear, etc.; some are weathered, some are not. Many of my WWII, Korea and Vietnam related aviation books, show a myriad sampling of weapon dirt and grunge, different colors, outdoor storage, etc. 

[CATCplSlade]

I'm kind of surprised anyone would not know this, since it is easy to find images of bombs stockpiled out in the open where they would be exposed to all kinds of weathering.

[John1]

I'm kind of surprised anyone would not know this, since it is easy to find images of bombs stockpiled out in the open where they would be exposed to all kinds of weathering.

All you need to do is look at pics of completed models posted here and elsewhere and you will see that many folks aren't aware of this (or just decide to go with glossy, immaculate weapons regardless).  I'm going to go to town on my next kit that has under-wing ordinance.  Should be a great deal of fun, I can use techniques that previously only applied to armor kits. 

[Guest Maxim]

Good website. Munitions slung under the model should be researched just as much as the aircraft your going to hang them on. Depending on the weapon it can be in a very clean stats such as missiles and guided weapons due to thier cost  etc where GP munitions such as iron bombs can be in pretty much any condition.I've seen both from modellers, weathered and non weathered.

[John1]

Good website. Munitions slung under the model should be researched just as much as the aircraft your going to hang them on. Depending on the weapon it can be in a very clean stats such as missiles and guided weapons due to thier cost  etc where GP munitions such as iron bombs can be in pretty much any condition.I've seen both from modellers, weathered and non weathered.

Yeah it's a pretty interesting subject (at least to a nerd like me).   Note that even guided weapons can show weathering.  The other articles have some great pics of JDAM's and some LGB's.  The guidance and aerodynamic fixtures are all immaculate but the bombs themselves are the same old grungy, faded MK8x series.    

[Finn]

Here are some WWII RAF bombs being put together:

 

https://youtu.be/zHFBTWN6tDQ?t=411

 

as you can see the tail sections are kept in containers out of the elements and even though the bombs are inside, in the ready use building, they do show signs of being outside. Another thing to note, not all bombs or missiles that get loaded get expended, they get loaded, they get unloaded so they tend to get a little manhandled and weathered as you can see with this AIM-120:

 

http://www.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/160913-N-NF288-060.JPG

 

and this AIM-7:

 

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/76b273606fe9ab6a_large

 

Jari

[chrish]

As well, I know it's just me being nit picky, but model aircraft with weapons loaded that have access panels open or, removed is (in my opinion) wrong. Weathered or not

[quang]

Guys, thank you for this interesting, instructive thread.

STILL.....I admit a secret longing for the red-nosed rockets and bombs on the old Lindberg Line box-arts.

Q

 

 

[LSP_K2]

Yeah it's a pretty interesting subject (at least to a nerd like me).   Note that even guided weapons can show weathering.  The other articles have some great pics of JDAM's and some LGB's.  The guidance and aerodynamic fixtures are all immaculate but the bombs themselves are the same old grungy, faded MK8x series.    

 

And nerds like me too. It is an area of discussion that can leave a more favorable overall impression of the model, if the modeler has spent the same amount of time looking at the weapons that he's spent looking at the weathering of the overall air-frame. While some choose to pursue this and others do not, I suppose it just comes down to personal choice, though my personal preference is always for consistency.

[Fred Jack]

Many of the bombs used in Vietnam were left over from WW2. What I'd like to see are references of the color stripes used on live ammo and dummy ammo.

[Bill Cross]

Couldn't agree more. And the bombs often have "streaks" around them from being stored on something black (rubber?).

[LSP_K2]

Couldn't agree more. And the bombs often have "streaks" around them from being stored on something black (rubber?).

 

On US WWII bombs, yes. They used what I always presumed to be mostly rubber clamps (2), or metal with a rubber protective strip, to facilitate rolling them around easier, or at least that's what I think they were for. These rings frequently left rusty looking rings/streaks around the circumference of the bombs.