AN-M30 100 lb Bomb

STL’s for this lure are available for purchase from Cults3d.com

This is a desk top model of a AN-M30 100lb Bomb from WWII. It has a AN-M103 Nose Fuse and a AN-M100A2 tail fuse. These were the hardest part of the research to find pictures of, I ended up finding an old eBay auction with some great pictures. I’ve always wanted a full sized WWII bomb but I guess I’ll settle for a Desk top version.

I designed this using various sources of military manuals and images found online. I tried to be as dimensional accurate as possible using the info I could find.  It was originally designed to use a piece of 2″ PVC Pipe for the body (so it’s is about 15% larger than quarter scale) but I ended up just printing the entire thing.

The entire model is printed in 17+ pieces out of PLA and glued together.  I tried to design it with 3D printing in mind but some pieces still required supports while printing.

The only part I had trouble printing was the mounting lugs because they are tiny and the base of them follows the contour of the body.  I tried printing them laying on their side and standing up (the latter was jacked up off the build plate with supports to keep the contour.) I also had to use a brim (I think this is the only part I’ve ever printed with a brim too) the print standing up requires less clean up but the one laying on it’s side is probably stronger.

The finishing process started by coating my entire model with spot gazing putty and the sanding it using various grits of sand paper.  The main body was primed and painted with rattle cans, OD green for the main body and chrome for the the nose and tail fuses. The yellow details and lettering were airbrushed on using tape and 3D printed stencils (for the lettering).  Scraping various bits of paint off with a razor blade left the glazing putty visible which makes for some realistic wear and tear detail a lot of bombs would have from transport.

I used a piece of copper wire for the arming wire.

Close up of the AN-M103 Nose Fuse with the Navy Vane.  After printing flat… the tips were heated and then bent to from it into a propeller.

AN-M100A2 tail fuse

12oz Beer bottle for scale comparison.

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Assembly

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Here is a basic instruction diagram for assembly.  There are two versions of the tail cone… the original requires supports and V2 does not and uses a tail cone joiner piece to align the pieces during gluing.  Click link for a PDF – AN-M30 Assembly 2

This is what the finished model should look like.

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Click HERE is see a 200% version of this bomb made by Chris G.

All Information, Pictures, and Material is copyright © 2018 by Stephen Thone and may not be used for any personal or commercial purposes without the consent of the author. All rights reserved. The Author makes no guarantees or warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of, or results to be obtained from accessing and using the Information herein.