Moab

[imaokie2000]

I was in McAlester Oklahoma today and coming into town from the South on US69, the US Army has built a display using some of the munitions they build at the Army Ammunition Depot just South of McAlester. There's no place to pull off the road yet and the speed limit is 65mph and I had a large truck on my tail when I was trying to get a pic. Sorry it's so far away. The next time I go thru, I'll pull onto the shoulder and run across the highway and get some good pics.

The MOAB is built in this plant and I guess now that it has been used, they want to show it off. It's not as large as I thought it would be.

 

[kiwieod]

looks like somebody also pulled over and drove in the soft mud!

 

[US-Subs]

Hmmmmmm, I don't see any chains....

 

[HAZORD]

Maybe they are under the mistaken idea that since it is so heavy, it can't be carried off.

 

[US-Subs]

Hah!! Big mistake.

 

[HAZORD]

Where there's a will, there are some ways!

 

[imaokie2000]

This base is approximately 55 miles from my home and used to be a Naval Ammunition Depot. I think sometime in the 70s, the Army took it over. My wife and I both had family work there off and on since the 50s. My Father-In-Law assembled L/60 Bofors there and I believe the 20x110mm USN round in the late 50's, early 60s. Other family members worked in the manufacture of TNT and other explosive compounds. My youngest brother worked outside in ground keeping and fences. Because so much family worked there, I buy everything that I can trace back to that depot, as long as it's 57mm or below. I'm glad I have a limit of 57mm. I have a trailer that could haul the MOAB, but I doubt I could get it loaded before the SWAT Team arrived. Thank God there's no temptations!!!! It is one really neat looking bomb though.

About 3 or 4 times a week, they explode out of date munitions. At 55 miles away, it sounds like thunder. It sometimes rattles my house. I was in a gyms. 5 miles from the depot and every time they set of a charge, the double doors on the gym would open slightly. It's weird, even though the gym was only 6 or 7 miles from the depot, it wasn't really any louder than it is at my home 55 miles away. When they start setting off the charges, it's every 5 or 10 minutes from daylight to dark.

 

[imaokie2000]

Here is more pics of the MOAB as promised.

 

[imaokie2000]

These are pics of the other bombs on display. They are larger than 57mm, so I have no idea what they are. They do not have the plaques on the displays yet.

 

[Slick]

An awesome display.

 

[Nabob]

I wonder if the fuzing system was changed to be more effective in the recent operations.
The one in front of the armament museum at Eglin had two M904 fuzes. The pictures were taken years ago.
Looks like the fairing on the display has marked the fuze extention rod position with black paint.

Bob

 

[HAZORD]

I think the MOAB looks a lot nicer with Daisycutters and Fuzes.

 

[Speedy]

These are pics of the other bombs on display. They are larger than 57mm, so I have no idea what they are. They do not have the plaques on the displays yet.

View attachment 133246View attachment 133247View attachment 133248View attachment 133249View attachment 133250

No.1 is a bomb from Mk.8x family. Since all of them have similar shape, without dimensions I can't be 100% sure, but probably this is 2000 lb (900 kg) Mk.84.
No.2 is 750 lb (340 kg) M117 bomb with a "new" tail. I don't remember it's index, but this tail was designed for dropping from both subsonic and supersonic planes.
No.3 is also bomb from M-8x family (most probably 500 lb (227 kg) Mk.82), with Snakeye tail retarding device for low-level attack.
No.4 is also bomb from M-8x family
No.5 is BLU-109 - 2000 lb (900 kg) penetrator warhead, used in many guided bombs/missiles from Paveway, GBU-15, AGM-130, JDAM families. It could be also BLU-116 - modern, lighter penetrator, packed in the light external shape similar to BLU-109 for compatibility - or BLU-118, a version of BLU-109 filled with thermobaric explosive.

 

[US-Subs]

You can be certain of No. 3 as the 500lb by the large notches cut out on the length of the fins. That is an ID feature for the Snakeye fins for the MK 82.