I’m lookg for a source/reference material on the Mk. 182, 3000# bomb, used in VIetnam. I’m building an F-105D in 1/48 scale. I want to build a replica of the aircraft used by a friend here who got a Silver Star for the mission in which he was shot down. He carried a 3000# bomb mounted centerline on a raid in the North. He did deliver the bomb and it dropped the span, but he was shot down and spent 5 1/2 years in the Hanoi Hilton.
Any sources for this weapon in 1/48 would be great. My scratch-building skills are untested, but I’d give it a try if I could find some sources.
I don’t think that there is such a thing as the Mk-182. The Mk-118 was a 3,000 pound class general purpose bomb used in Viet Nam. It was sometimes carried by the F-105, usually one on each wing inner station or one bomb on one side and an asymeterical load of a fuel tank on the opposite wing. This was the weapon used in several raids trying to drop the Paul Doumer bridge connecting Gia Lam to Hanoi across the
Red River.
Yes, it’s a Mk.118 (don’t know where I got 182 from?) I just ordered the 1/48 from Cobra; thanks for the reference. Also when I checked out mk. 118 I found a reference to Fisher Models and Patterns. They make a 1/32 scale. It was listed on their website, but a call resulted in product delivery in 2 days, Postal Service, no special fees. Check out fishermodels.com for more.
I wanted to load up my Thud for bear. I can get 18 Mk 82 bombs if I cut the fuse extenders off the last 6. Actually, going by the ordnance sheet on the Hasegawa kit, it should be 6 on the centre MER, 4 each on the inboard MER and then a single bomb on the outer pylons. Does that sound about right ? 16 all up ? Could I mix the Mk 82 with the fuse extenders, in with those that dont have them ? I’m a bit fuzzy about what a fuse extender actually does.
Sorry for tagging on to this thread, in the same ballpark though…
You would have a very short ranged Thud with that bomb load. There are pics of the Thud loaded like that for test purposes, but comabt loads were usually ,much less. The “daisey cutter” fuse extender allows the bomb to explode above ground, so that all blast and fragments are above ground instead of some going in to the ground.
This is what I’m looking for. An early Vietnam mission before the SEA camo scheme was adopted. (unless this is one of those test flights you mentioned)
These look like 750lb M117, I dont have enough of them (4) in the Hasegawa 1/72 weapons set.
I’ve got 12 Mk 81, as previously mentioned, 12 Mk 82 plus another 6 with fuse extenders. 6 x Mk 83 and a couple of Mk 84.
Are you saying that it wouldnt be “mission authentic” without a centreline tank ?
Yes I have seen that photo. I will venture it was bombed up for a mission to Laos rather than North Vietnam due to range restriction with all that ordinance.
These are some photos of an F-105D that I built a few years ago. I have a couple of photos of this exact airframe with this ordnance load on a SEA combat mission to South Viet Nam. This ordnance configuration was undoubtedly not used over the North because of the VERY limited range. The inboard two stations on the wing MER could not be loaded because the bombs would interfere with the landing gear. Fuse extenders could be installed on any of the forward bombs, but I chose not do so because the photo I used for reference did not have them.
Dont forget to backdate your Thud too. Most F-105 kits have all the late model equipment, air intakes, radar warning receivers, stiffener plates, emergentcy hydraulics. On silver Thuds they all need to be removed.
