The Mark 82 serMK82 AIR is a 500 pound bomb modified with a BSU-49/B high drag tail assembly. The "ballute" air bag which deploys from the tail provides a high speed, low altitude delivery capability by quickly slowing the bomb and allowing the aircraft to escape the blast pattern. The tail assembly consists of a low-drag canister unit containing a ballute (combination balloon and parachute), and a release lanyard assembly that opens the canister releasing the ballute. The ballute assembly is made from high strength low porosity nylon fabric. When the bomb is released from the aircraft a lanyard unlatches the back cover which opens, releasing part of the nylon bag/retarder. Air turbulence at the rear of the bomb acts on that portion of the retarder, pulling the remainder out of the housing. Ram air inflation is accomplished through four air inlet ports toward the aft end of the ballute.

Over the past 30 years Californian Erik Simonsen has worked as a manager and director of communications in the aerospace industry. An avid aviation photographer since the 1960s, Erik also has an intense interest in astronomy and has served as a planetarium director and program manager. Honing skills acquired from a graphics and fine arts background, his blending of aviation photography with special effects techniques has delivered eye-catching imagery. Erik Simonsen’s photography has been featured in corporate advertising and various aerospace-related magazines including, Aerospace America, Air Force Magazine, Aviation Week & Space Technology and Flight international. A member of the International Society for Aviation Photography (ISAP), American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), Air Force Association (AFA), U.S. Naval Institute (USNI), The Planetary Society, and Senior Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

When this huge box arrived, I was excited as it was large (26" x 14" x 6 ") and heavy. It came with no box art, instructions, or decals so I borrowed a set of instructions from HK’s first issue from a friend and also received a PDF file of the new, unfinished instructions. At first glance the kit looked impressive, but it has some of the same problems as the last issue. There were still many injector pin marks on the interior fuselage, and the fuselage parts needed to be washed prior to starting the build because they had a heavy residue on them.

The Kit

This is one of the kits in the Airfix Engineer line and is designed to teach, so it’s not really a model of a real combustion engine. Rather, it is a representation, and as such is much simplified. That being said, the kit consists of 92 parts, excluding screws. No glue is required for assembly with everything either being pressure fitted or screwed into place. In addition, no painting is necessary. As a matter of fact, it may not even be possible as all parts that are pressure fitted are of a soft, almost vinyl plastic and getting paint to stay put on them could be problematic. But again, this is a representation, not a model of a real engine and the parts are modeled in several colors to make them stand out.

The newest in Osprey’s New Vanguard series is authored by Jamie E. Prenatt is a Department of Defense senior analyst, with a particular interest in weapon systems development. He has over 30 years of military and civilian intelligence experience. He holds a Masters in Government/National Security Policy from Georgetown University. He has taught military history, war-gaming, and historical miniature painting at the Smithsonian Institution for several years.

Adam Hook began working as an illustrator in 1983. He specializes in detailed historical reconstructions, and has illustrated Osprey titles on subjects as diverse as the Aztecs, the Ancient Greeks, Roman battle tactics, several 19th-century American subjects, the modern Chinese Army, and a number of books in the Fortress series.