U.S. 500lb & 250lb Bombs

Eduard BRASSIN, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brad Fallen

Eduard's 1/32 scale 250lb and 500lb US Bombs are available online from Squadron.com

Aircraft bombs can be challenging to convincingly replicate in injection-moulded plastic.  Larger bombs are usually moulded in two halves, which can mean a tricky join to fill, while smaller bombs have a mould seam that must also be removed.  The limitations of injection-moulding mean that fins and fuses are often moulded over-sized, and require modification or replacement to look authentic.  As a result, kit bombs are leading candidates for replacement with aftermarket equivalents – although my experience suggests that the quality of these products can vary significantly, with some no better than the plastic items they are intended to replace. 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 

Thumbnail panels:

These two Brassin bomb sets from Eduard are at the upper end of this scale.  Depicting two common items of World War 2 ordnance – US 500 lb and 250 lb general purpose bombs – they are identical expect in the size of the bombs themselves.  (When I was editing the pictures for this review, it was impossible to tell which set was which except in the photos where the bombs were side by side!)  Each set contains the following items:

• Two one-piece grey resin bombs, complete with lugs, fuse and clearly defined fin attachment points.  All four review samples were perfectly cast and will be easy to prepare for painting, with only a small rebate attaching each bomb to its casting block.

• Two one-piece grey resin fins.  Again perfectly cast, these should also be straightforward to clean up – although you will need to take care removing them from their casting blocks.

• One photo-etched fret, containing additional details for the nose and tail fuses.  The latter will need to be attached to a short length of wire that is not included in the Brassin set, but which most modelers will probably have on their workbench.

• A small sheet of stencil and circle decals for adding the finishing touches to your completed bombs.  As you can see from the attached images, the stencil decals are all legible in 1/48 scale.

• A small but clear instruction leaflet.

Both of these Brassin sets offer an easy way to improve the look of your 1/48 US 500lb and 250lb bombs, whether you’re attaching these to an aircraft model or using them in a diorama setting.  Their low parts count and straightforward assembly would also make them ideal choices for modelers making their first venture into the world of aftermarket detailing sets.

Thanks to Eduard for the samples.

Review Text Copyright © 2013 by Brad Fallen
Page Created 8 July, 2013
Last updated 8 July, 2013

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Reviews Page