Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent original U.S. Vietnam War BDU-28/B inert training bomblet, dated November 1966, and designed to replicate the BLU-3/B “Pineapple” fragmentation bomblet employed by American forces during the Vietnam War. This example retains its distinctive original red training paint, used to differentiate practice ordnance from live explosive munitions, and is clearly stamped 11/66 on the bottom. The BDU-28/B was developed for training and familiarization purposes, allowing military personnel to become acquainted with the characteristics of the live BLU-3/B without employing its explosive filling. The bomblet remains in excellent overall condition, with substantial original paint retention and the recognizable configuration of the wartime training pattern.

This is an INERT BDU-28B training cluster bomb and is in compliance per the current BATF regulations on Inert Ordnance. Not Available For Export.

Cluster bombs are designed as anti-personnel, anti-armor weapons, but the primary victims have been innocent civilians. Cluster bombs have a significant failure rate (up to 30% in Laos during the Vietnam War), which means that they often fail to explode upon hitting the ground but continue to pose a risk of detonation. In Laos, for instance, approximately 80 million of the cluster bombs dropped failed to detonate, leaving extensive contamination from unexploded ordnance (UXO). As a result, more than 98% of known cluster bomb victims are non military personnel.

Cluster bombs typically consist of a large outer canister that is designed to disperse hundreds of smaller bomblets.

The cluster bomb is dropped from a plane or launched from the ground into the air, where the casing automatically opens and releases hundreds of bomblets – the size of a soup can or orange – over wide areas, frequently missing intended military targets. Commonly used cluster bomblets are designed to explode into hundreds of pieces of razor-sharp shrapnel that rip through bodies.

Anywhere from 2% to 20% of modern cluster munitions do not detonate upon impact (this rate rises to 30% for older bombs in used Southeast Asia) leaving a deadly hazard for years to come.

The BDU-28/B dummy round was meant to mimic the BLU-3 “Pineapple” cluster bomblet for training and familiarization purposes. The BLU-3 Pineapple was a cluster bomblet, 360 were deployed from the CBU-2A cluster bomb. It was used extensively in the Vietnam War by American forces. It was named "Pineapple" because of its appearance. On some Arc Light missions, the B-52Ds carried two SUU-24 dispensers in the bomb bay, containing a total of 10,656 bomblets.

The BLU-3/B 'Pineapple' was a fragmentation bomblet for use against personnel and unarmored targets. After release from the aerial dispenser, the bomblet was stabilized by six pop-out drag vanes. It detonated on impact, and dispersed 250 high-velocity steel pellets.

This is a wonderful opportunity to add a beautiful example of the BLU-3/B training bomblet, the BDU-28/B. The condition is wonderful and it retains the red training paint. These were originally red in color to better distinguish the training bomblets from the live ones. It is stamped 11/66 on the bottom for November 1966.

The 1966-dated BDU-28/B represents an interesting example of the specialized training equipment associated with American aerial ordnance during the Vietnam War. Its distinctive red painted finish, recognizable BLU-3/B Pineapple configuration, and clearly stamped 11/66 date provide evidence of its intended training role and production period. Unlike the live fragmentation bomblets employed in Southeast Asia, this example was manufactured for familiarization and training rather than explosive use. Its excellent surviving condition and identifiable wartime markings make it particularly relevant to collections focused on U.S. Air Force equipment, Vietnam War aviation, and American military training ordnance.

Totally inert, cannot be converted to an explosive device, not available for export. This item is completely legal within the USA. International Military Antiques, Inc observes all Federal, State and Local laws. Everything for sale on ima-usa.com is completely legal to own, trade, transport and sell within the United States of America.

All deactivated ordnance sold by IMA, Inc is engineered to be inoperable according to guidelines provided by the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATF).