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Equip your 1/72 scale strike aircraft with precision-crafted cluster munitions and tactical dispensers from MPM Hobbies. This specialized collection features authentic replicas of cluster bombs and dispenser pods including the iconic Mk-20 Rockeye cluster bomb for anti-armor missions, the advanced CBU-89 Gator cluster bomb with combined anti-tank submunitions, and the specialized BLU-107 Durandal anti-runway bomb, manufactured with crisp molding, accurate dimensions, and authentic surface details for realistic weapons loadouts.
MPM Hobbies specializes in creating highly detailed 3D printed resin aircraft ordnance that brings authenticity and realism to scale model strike aircraft builds. This specialized collection focuses on cluster munitions, anti-runway weapons, and tactical dispensers that represent some of the most sophisticated and controversial weapons in military aviation history. Each piece is manufactured using advanced 3D printing technology to ensure crisp detail, accurate dimensions, and authentic surface features including dispensing mechanisms, fin assemblies, and mounting hardware that capture the unique characteristics of these specialized weapons.
The Mk-20 Rockeye cluster bomb represents one of the most effective anti-armor weapons developed during the Cold War, designed specifically to defeat concentrations of armored vehicles. This iconic weapon features distinctive cylindrical body housing 247 Mk 118 shaped-charge bomblets, characteristic clamshell dispensing mechanism, stabilizing tail fin assembly, authentic mounting lugs and arming details, and accurate dimensions matching the actual weapon. The Rockeye's effectiveness against armor made it a primary weapon for strike aircraft from the Vietnam War through Operation Desert Storm, where A-6 Intruders, A-7 Corsairs, F-4 Phantoms, and A-10 Thunderbolts carried it against Iraqi armor formations.
The weapon's operation involved release from the aircraft at low altitude, followed by the clamshell body opening to dispense the submunitions over a wide area. Each Mk 118 bomblet contained a shaped-charge warhead capable of penetrating tank armor, making a single Rockeye capable of engaging multiple armored vehicles simultaneously. This area-effect capability made it devastatingly effective against armored columns and vehicle concentrations, though its use required careful consideration of collateral damage concerns.
The CBU-89 Gator cluster bomb represents an evolution in cluster munition technology, combining anti-tank mines and anti-personnel mines in a single weapon system. This sophisticated munition features streamlined SUU-64/B tactical munitions dispenser body, mixed payload of BLU-91/B anti-tank mines and BLU-92/B anti-personnel mines, characteristic dispensing mechanism, stabilizing tail assembly, and authentic surface details. The Gator's dual-purpose design allowed it to create instant minefields, denying areas to enemy forces while the anti-tank mines threatened armored vehicles and the anti-personnel mines protected them from clearance efforts.
The CBU-89's deployment during Operation Desert Storm demonstrated its effectiveness in channeling Iraqi forces and protecting coalition flanks. Aircraft could rapidly deploy minefields across key terrain, forcing enemy units into kill zones or delaying their movement. The weapon's self-destruct mechanisms addressed some concerns about unexploded ordnance, though cluster munitions remain controversial due to their area effects and potential for civilian casualties.
The BLU-107 Durandal anti-runway bomb represents French innovation in airfield denial, designed specifically to crater runways and taxiways to prevent aircraft operations. This specialized weapon features distinctive rocket motor for penetration enhancement, delayed-action fuze for subsurface detonation, parachute retarder for proper impact angle, unique body shape optimized for runway penetration, and authentic French Air Force details. The Durandal's operation involved release at low altitude, with the parachute deploying to orient the weapon vertically before the rocket motor fired to drive it deep into the runway surface before detonation.
The resulting crater not only damaged the runway surface but also created subsurface fractures that complicated repair efforts, potentially keeping an airfield out of action for extended periods. This capability made the Durandal valuable for suppressing enemy air operations, forcing aircraft to operate from damaged runways or relocate to alternate bases. The weapon saw service with French forces and export customers, representing a specialized capability that few other weapons could match.
The AN-M41 with M-1 Series cluster adapter represents early American experimentation with cluster munitions during WWII. This historical weapon system features fragmentation bomb body, mechanical cluster adapter for multiple bomb carriage, characteristic tail assembly, authentic WWII-era details, and period-correct construction. The M-1 cluster adapter allowed multiple smaller bombs to be carried and released together, increasing the area coverage and effectiveness against dispersed targets like aircraft on airfields or troop concentrations.
While primitive compared to modern cluster munitions, these early systems demonstrated the tactical advantages of area-effect weapons and paved the way for subsequent developments. The AN-M41's use in the Pacific and European theaters provided valuable lessons that influenced post-war munitions development, making it an interesting historical subject for WWII aircraft models.
The SUU-30 dispenser series represents a family of tactical munitions dispensers designed to carry and release various submunitions. This versatile system features streamlined pod body for reduced drag, internal racks for submunition storage, characteristic dispensing mechanism, multiple mounting options for different aircraft, and authentic surface details. The SUU-30 could carry various payloads including bomblets, mines, leaflets, or other tactical munitions, providing flexibility for different mission requirements.
The dispenser's design allowed controlled release of submunitions, either in a single salvo or rippled over time to adjust coverage patterns. This flexibility made it valuable for close air support, interdiction, and specialized missions where precise munition placement was required. The SUU-30's compatibility with multiple aircraft types ensured widespread use across the tactical air forces.
The SUU-14A/A dispenser provided similar capabilities in a different configuration, featuring alternative body design, different submunition capacity, characteristic mounting hardware, authentic dispensing mechanism details, and period-correct surface features. These dispensers represented the evolution of tactical munitions delivery, moving from simple bomb racks to sophisticated systems that could precisely control submunition release.
The SUU-42/A flare dispenser pod represents a different category of dispenser, designed to protect aircraft from infrared-guided missiles rather than attack ground targets. This defensive system features streamlined pod body, internal magazine for flare cartridges, sequential dispensing mechanism, standard pylon mounting interface, and authentic surface details. The SUU-42 allowed aircraft to carry additional defensive flares beyond their internal countermeasure systems, crucial for operations in high-threat environments.
The pod's operation involved automatic or manual release of flares in response to missile threats, with the hot flares designed to decoy heat-seeking missiles away from the aircraft's engines. This capability proved vital in conflicts where shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles threatened low-flying aircraft, allowing strike aircraft to operate more safely in defended areas. The SUU-42's external carriage meant it occupied a weapons station, representing a trade-off between offensive capability and defensive protection.
MPM Hobbies manufactures these specialized ordnance replicas using advanced 3D printing technology with UV-cured resin, ensuring crisp molding with fine surface details, accurate dimensions matching historical specifications, authentic features including dispensing mechanisms, fin assemblies, and mounting hardware, minimal cleanup required with well-designed support structures, and consistent quality across all products. Each cluster munition and dispenser is carefully researched using historical documentation, technical manuals, and photographic references to ensure maximum accuracy.
These precision cluster munition and dispenser replicas transform strike aircraft models from static displays into realistic representations of combat-ready machines configured for specialized missions. Proper weapons loadouts add authenticity and visual interest, telling the story of each aircraft's mission and capabilities. Whether building an A-6 Intruder loaded with Mk-20 Rockeye cluster bombs for anti-armor missions over Vietnam, an A-10 Thunderbolt carrying CBU-89 Gator munitions during Desert Storm, or a Mirage 2000 equipped with Durandal anti-runway bombs for airfield suppression, these detailed munitions complete the picture.
These 1/72 scale cluster munitions and dispensers are designed to complement strike aircraft kits from leading manufacturers. Pair them with models from our 1/72 Trumpeter Jet Aircraft collection for modern strike aircraft, or combine them with conventional bombs from our 1/72 MPM Bombs collection for mixed loadouts. For modelers working in larger scales, explore our 1/48 MPM Clusters and Dispensers collection offering many of these same munitions in increased detail.
Each cluster munition and dispenser represents more than just an accessory; it tells the story of tactical aviation's evolution, the missions flown, and the conflicts that shaped modern warfare. From early WWII experiments with cluster adapters to sophisticated modern combined-effects munitions, these weapons played crucial roles in military operations while also raising important questions about the laws of armed conflict and civilian protection. By adding authentic specialized ordnance to your strike aircraft models, you create more than a display piece—you build a historical narrative that honors the aircraft, the missions, and the complex realities of modern warfare.