Eduard GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb - 1:48 Eduard Brassin

[Julien]

GBU-43/B MOAB (648348)

1:48 Eduard Brassin

 

 

 

The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb is a 21,600lb bomb developed by the US Air Force research laboratory.  The bomb follows on from the BLU-82 which was developed during the Vietnam war to clear landing zones in the Jungle. Years later during the continuing war in Afghanistan the BLU-82 was used and this lead to the USAF looking to develop a modern version of a large bomb. Like the BLU-82 the GBU-43/B is delivered from a C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft. The newer bomb though is larger than its predecessor and more accurate. It is reported that the USAF had 15 of these weapons made. The one and only use in combat was in April 2017 in Afghanistan. It is believed they have not been used more widely due to the the worry of killing non combatants. It should be noted that the weapon is a conventional filled bomb not a thermobaric weapon as had been reported, and it is not a penetrator weapon either. The weapon is coloquailly know as the "Mother of all bombs" and it has been claimed to be the biggest bomb dropped. However this is all down to definition. The RAF Grandslam bomb weighed in at 22,000lbs so technically heavier than the MOAB, however the MOAB has 18,700Lbs of explosive fill to the Grandslams approx 11,000Lbs due to it being a penetrating weapon with a much heavier casing. 

 

 

 

Kit

I will call this a kit rather than an accessory as it is a kit in its own right.  It arrives on one of Eduard's  BIGSIN type boxes and inside are 18 resin parts, 7 large sheets of etched brass and a small decal sheet. The kit is for the bomb itself and its large transport cradle.  There are many folds to the etched brass and it makes you wonder if some of the parts would not be better in plastic or resin in this scale.  The underside of the transport cradle is made up first, ten its flipped over.  Next the support beams are built up and added to the top of the cradle. With interlocking side frames and longitudinal ones care will need to be made to get it all lining up.

 

 

The bomb itself is fairly simple to make up consisting of three main parts, nose extended detenators and the rear fins. These can be made folded or extended. Care will be needed to remove these from the pour blocks. PE parts are added to the bomb when complete. 

 

 

 

 

Two sets of markings are provided. One for an example (hopefully innert) displayed at the Elgin Air Force Armament Museum in a striking John Deere Green colour scheme. A second is for a combat ready weapon.

 

 

Dare I say it but it is the Mother of All Bomb Kits! It should make up into a good looking kit which no doubt will generate some discussion. Highly recommended.

 

 

 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

[Mike]

I had a look in the box before I grudgingly sent it off to Julien, and it's also the mother of all resin castings... it's a big'un!

[Mick4350]

Eduard also do this in 1/72 # 672160.

[Julien]

1 hour ago, Mick4350 said:

Eduard also do this in 1/72 # 672160.

They do my colleague reviewed it here;

 

 

[Bughunter]

This is posted under Aircraft, but I was not sure, so I posted by build (soldered framing!) into Diorama section:

Cheers,

Bughunter

 

[Julien]

29 minutes ago, Bughunter said:

This is posted under Aircraft, but I was not sure, so I posted by build (soldered framing!) into Diorama section:

Cheers,

Bughunter

 

Looks good, I am attempting to build it at the moment but the instructions are not the best. 

[Bughunter]

Thanks! I had no issue with the instructions, but I'm used to the Eduard ones. A little thinking about and dry fitting helps to understand.

The only issue with the kit I had was the cuts above the openings in parts PE18 and 19, are not matching. It's normally no issue, but I added belts (made from HGW seta belt fabric), so I really need the openings.

 

Cheers,

Bughunter