1:72 British 1000lb retarded bombs w_960 fuse

The real subject

The bomb of the 1000 pound weight class was among the basic armament of British tactical aircraft. The designation 1000 lb is a weight class, not a caliber, and it says which category the bomb belongs to. The retarded form differs from the slick one in what happens after release from the aircraft: a retarding device deploys, the bomb slows sharply and the aircraft has time to leave the area of the explosion. That is exactly why retarded bombs go with attacks from low altitude, when the machine passes over the target at treetop level and has no room to climb away above it.

What the set offers

A set of external stores for a model in 1:72 scale. The number 960 in the name marks the type of fuze the bombs are fitted with, and it is the piece of information that distinguishes the set from other items in the same line. The bombs are hung on racks under the wing or under the fuselage and replace parts from the kit, which tend to be coarser in this scale. The number of pieces in the package and the extent of the set are stated in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

• the parts are not polystyrene and plastic cement does not hold on them, so use cyanoacrylate glue
• cut the excess material away with a sharp blade a little distance from the part and sand off the remainder
• wash and degrease the parts before painting, otherwise the paint adheres poorly
• paint the bombs separately and fit them to the racks only at the end
• check that they all hang parallel to the axis of the aircraft and at the same height

Terms of supply

This is an accessory set to a kit. The model of the aircraft, racks beyond those in the set, paints and glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.