Steve's Models

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Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Well, the part I've been dreading the most finally came and ended up going fairly quickly and easily. No 100 Squadron was organized for night bombing, and the paint scheme was mostly black, which I liked enough to want to do that one. The problem was it would look silly without the bombs.

The FE.2b night bombers carried a rack under each wing and one under the fuselage. Each rack could hold four 25-lb 'Cooper Bombs', or two 40-lb bombs, or one 112-lb bomb. In addition the center rack could be modified to carry a single 230-lb bomb. Nothing like the two 500-pounders a P-51 could carry in WW2, but pretty big for the era. The maximum bomb load was 350 pounds, so if they carried the big boy in the middle they could only carry four 25-lbers or two 40-lbers total. I found some 1/144-scale bombs that would do for the Coopers, but where to find the big one? Then, on the top shelf, I saw that I had a 1/72-scale Vickers Vimy kit. I opened the box, and sure enough, there was a whole tree of 230-lb bombs! I only needed one.

The hard part was assembling the bomb racks out of .020 (.508 mm) brass wire. Again it went a lot faster and easier than I expected. I guess I'm having a good day. Anyway the bomb racks are installed and the bombs are mounted. Tomorrow we paint!









Oh, yeah: The reason the big bomb is slung so low is so it won't hit the propeller when it drops.

I see it!Armorers loading 112lb bomb? on FE 2b with Cooper's on wings