1:32 MBD3-U6-68 multiple bombs racks (2 pcs)

The multiple ejector rack of Soviet attack aircraft

The question of how to get more bombs under a single pylon was solved by Soviet design bureaus with a rack carrying several ejector units arranged one behind the other. The MBD3-U6-68 type became one of the most widespread solutions of its class: it carried six smaller bombs and appeared under the wings of fighter-bombers and attack aircraft of Eastern origin. An aircraft fitted with it suddenly carried several times more rounds than it had free stations, and so could cover a larger area of the target in a single pass.

Two racks in the package

The set holds two complete racks, that is, the fit for a pair of pylons. They are cast in resin, and in 1:32 scale the shaping of the individual ejector units, the reinforcement of the main beam and the mounting bracket can all be made out. The bombs themselves are not part of the package; the builder is expected to add them according to the particular weapons fit he wants to show.

Practical notes on the build

The elongated profile of the rack is usually attached to the casting block along the whole of its lower edge. Cut it with a saw run parallel to the edge and true up the rest on a sheet of sandpaper laid on glass, so that the result stays straight. While doing so, check that both pieces are the same length and the same height, because the difference will show on the finished aircraft when seen from the front. In color the racks usually blend with the lower surface of the wing, or else carry a shade of gray a touch darker so that they stand out from the skin; wear around the ejector units is well suggested with a dry brush.