1:32 Mark 77 napalm bombs Mod.4/5 (2 pcs)

Mark 77 incendiary bombs in 1:32

The Mark 77 is a thin-walled tank without stabilizing surfaces, filled with a thickened fuel mixture and completed by an igniter at the tip. It is not guided, has no propulsion and tumbles after release, so on impact it splashes its burning contents into a wide patch. That is exactly why aircraft released it from low altitude and in a straight pass over the target. It appeared in service in the 1960s and was carried by machines from propeller-driven attack aircraft to jet attack types.

According to the name, the package contains two pieces in the variants designated Mod.4 and Mod.5, which differ in the size of the tank. The modeler therefore gets both commonly carried forms in one bag and can put together the mixed load that is seen in photographs of the period.

What it suits: models of combat aircraft from the conflicts of the second half of the twentieth century, but also dioramas as part of ordnance preparation beside stands and trolleys.

A painting tip: a smooth surface without ribs invites an unbroken coat, but the real rounds carried prominent bands and lettering and tended to be weathered from storage in the open. Fine shading of the area gives depth even to a shape as simple as this.

Loading and handling: incendiary tanks were brought to an aircraft on low trolleys and lifted by hand, so the marks of straps and scuffs from the edges of a trolley were left on the surface. If you are building a scene with ground crew, a pair of these bombs laid beside the machine gives the picture context without a single extra figure.

Before you start building: check the shape of the tip, where the igniter extension tends to be the most delicate place of the casting.