Bomb stripes/markings

Here are some typical Vietnam Mk.82s and M-117s. After the Forrestal fire in 1967 a special ablative coating covered the bomb body and second yellow stripe was added to the nose of Navy bombs

Post 1967 ablative coating two stripe Navy Mk 82

Here are typical Vietnam era Napalm cans

Here is a good shot of the CBU on a NKP Sandy

And lots more good Skyraider pics here

http://skyraider.org/skyassn/imcol.htm

stikpusher

... After the Forrestal fire in 1967 a special ablative coating covered the bomb body and second yellow stripe was added to the nose of Navy bombs ... Post 1967 ablative coating two stripe Navy Mk 82 ...

Stik's right about the Navy bombs procured after 1967, however, it was a number of years after that before all the pre-1967 bombs made it all the way through the inventory.  During that period, some Mk 82's were one stripers and some had two.  You never knew what was coming out of the magazine on a given day.  The following photos were taken aboard the USS Kitty Hawk on Yankee Station in 1970-71, the Westpac I was on with VF-114 (CVW-11), and are provided to you from my personal library:

The bomb farm (two stripers, mostly, but look carefully and you'll see some one stripers - also, notice the differences in stripe width and location - there could be quite a variance):

One stripers moving a little closer to the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos:

One stripers on the magazine deck, prior to stowage (this is how they highlined aboard from supply ships, in this type of 'container'):

Two striper being fused:

Another two striper getting a fuse job:

One stipers waiting for a ride on an A-7 (note the cart full of nose fuses and arming wires):

Navy bomb loading gear in action on an F-4J, LOL! (courtesy of VF-213).  Note the hernia bar screwed into the nose fuse cavity - much leverage gained.  Two stripers this time:

So, even on Navy 'Nam builds after 1967, you can use one yellow sripe on the Mk-82's, or you can use two stripes and still be accurate.  Prior to 1967, one stripe is the ticket.

Stik - thanks for all the cool ordnance photos, as always.  This was my chance to show you some, finally .

Ordie

Excellent photos and info Ordie! Very enlightening for a guy like me who likes things that go boom. I was curious as to how long it took for the pre '67 stuff to get off the line. I cannot imagine that the Navy just set all that stuff ASAP to the shore bases or the Air Force. So nearly 4 years after the Forrestal fire in July '67, in '71 older ordinance was still at sea.

stikpusher

... So nearly 4 years after the Forrestal fire in July '67, in '71 older ordinance was still at sea.

Yup.  I think the bomb farm photo says it all - both types were in use on carriers well into '71.

No pics but I have some pointers on painting the stripes.

I paint the bombs with some kind of white base.  Tamiya white primer is really good.  Next paint the nose of the bombs yellow.  The yellow looks better over a white base.  Then cut thin stips of masking tape and wrap them around where you want the stripe or stripes and paint over that with the OD.

Another thing you can do is this:  Next time you get a decal sheet that has the curved yellow stripe decals you can scan that into your computer, print it out and voila you have templates to cut out masking tape stripes that are curved and will therefore settle onto the curved surface a little better.

You can use an elliptical drafters template to cut out curved stripes as well.

Fly-n-hi - That's a great tip about scanning the stripe decals for use as masking templates.  Thanks!

Old Ordie

Fly-n-hi - That's a great tip about scanning the stripe decals for use as masking templates.  Thanks!

The way I do it is decidedly low tech but it works perfectly. I place the tail of the bomb into the drill chuck of my variable speed 1/2" drill and get the thing turning very slowly. I then take a brush the size I need and get it pretty saturated with yellow paint. Just touch the brush lightly to the bomb and you get a perfect stripe every time!

Old post from 2012 and the only one still here is stik.