Markings on DS Paveways

[seawinder]

I've found one photo of a GBU-10 from the 1990s. It's got the cylinder painted orange in the area of the front fins, but there is no yellow stripe aft of the fins as seen in some other photos I've found. Does anybody have any other information and/or photos from the Desert Storm period?

 

Thanks! Pip

[Collin]

 

GBU-10’s about to be loaded on Intruders, ultimate destination Iraq circa 1990...just hours before the start of DS1. 

 

 

[Finn]

In the early batches of Mk-84 bomb bodies the yellow stripe was at the front of the bomb, when the seeker head assembly was installed it covered the yellow stripe. Since Navy bombs usually have two yellow stripes, the second one is left uncovered as in the above pic.

 

Jari

[seawinder]

Big help, both of you, Collin and Finn, thanks! I'm thinking maybe the broad stripe on the seeker head is brown? Also, there don't seem to be any forward fins, but the pivot points can be clearly seen. Can we infer that the fins would be put in place once the bombs were on the pylons, or were they used without the fins?

[karl h]

go here: https://www.dstorm.eu/

[seawinder]

54 minutes ago, karl h said:

go here: https://www.dstorm.eu/

Yes, I've been there before. I find loadout charts, but nothing about the bomb markings themselves. Or am I looking in the wrong place?

[Biggles81]

2 hours ago, seawinder said:

Big help, both of you, Collin and Finn, thanks! I'm thinking maybe the broad stripe on the seeker head is brown? Also, there don't seem to be any forward fins, but the pivot points can be clearly seen. Can we infer that the fins would be put in place once the bombs were on the pylons, or were they used without the fins?

The marking is indeed brown - it indicates low explosive or rocket motor when used on ordnance. In this case there is a low explosive gas generator in the head to power the guidance fins, which are usually fitted just before or after the bomb is hung on the jet.

[mrvark]

To (hopefully) clarify things, the Raytheon MAU-169 and LockMart MAU-209 Laser guidance kits are made up of several components. From front to back, they are the Detector (commonly called the birdie) the computer, the control section (where the guidance fins are attached) and the adapter. As previously stated, the control section is often painted FSN 30117 brown (although on kits painted FSN 35375 gray, the brown is often seen restricted to the narrow band at the rear of the control section).

 

The Tritonal filled Mk80 series non-thermally protected (NTP) warheads used by the USAF are identified by a single 3" wide yellow band at the front of the warhead, which is hidden by the adapter collar.

 

The H-6 filled Mk 80 series thermally protected (TP) warheads used by the USN/USMC are identified by two 3" wide yellow bands spaced 3" apart. The aft band is still visible once the adapter collar is installed.

 

The following image shows these differences:

[seawinder]

Mr. Vark et al, I appreciate the images and information. I'm assuming that the two profiles you posted are of GBU-12s rather than -10s because the -10s in the Hasegawa Weapons Set B have much wider rear fins with angled rear edges. In any case, I won't apply the yellow stripe for an F-15E. Thanks again.

[mrvark]

1 minute ago, seawinder said:

Mr. Vark et al, I appreciate the images and information. I'm assuming that the two profiles you posted are of GBU-12s rather than -10s because the -10s in the Hasegawa Weapons Set B have much wider rear fins with angled rear edges. In any case, I won't apply the yellow stripe for an F-15E. Thanks again.

No, those are Paveway II GBU-10s. If you are using GBU-10s from Hasegawa kit B, those are PAVE Way I GBU-10s that were used during Vietnam, Only Paveway II GBU-10s as found in Hasegawa kit D were used during Desert Storm.

[seawinder]

11 minutes ago, mrvark said:

No, those are Paveway II GBU-10s. If you are using GBU-10s from Hasegawa kit B, those are PAVE Way I GBU-10s that were used during Vietnam, Only Paveway II GBU-10s as found in Hasegawa kit D were used during Desert Storm.

Now you tell me! I had to invest in two copies of Weapons Set B to get the five bombs needed (I've got one set). Talk about cost overruns!