Imperial Japanese Army Explosives
Container for 30 x Type 2 1/3kg Bombs
Fuzes: None
Overall length: 43 inches
Length of body: 37 inches (including nosepiece)
Diameter of body:
-Maximum: 7 and 1/8 inches
-Minimum: 4 and 11/16 inches
Thickness of wall: 1/14 inch
Material of wall: Corrugated sheet steel
Type of suspension: Horizontal
Suspension lug: Normal Army type suspension lug
Color and markings: Black overall
Length of tail: 6 inches
Width of tail: 7 and 1/8 inches
Width of tail fins: None
Dimensions of tail struts: None
Material of tail: Sheet steel
Type of filling: 30 x Type 2 40mm 1/3kg bombs
Weight of filling: 22 pounds
Total weight of bomb: 39 pounds
Charge/weight ratio: 56%
Construction: The container is formed by three interlocking lengths of corrugated sheet steel. Each end is closed by a hollow cone made of sheet steel. The three interlocking lengths are held in position by two sheet steel bands and buckles. The buckles are prevented from opening by two arming wires.
Attached to the tail piece are three manila cords 13 inches long. To each of these is attached a steel hook which fits into a hole in each of the three body sections.
One of the three interlocking corrugated lengths serves as the top of the bomb. Spot welded to this is a smooth semicircular sheet steel piece 25 and 1/2 inches long. The Army type suspension lug is attached to this piece. Eyebolts are welded on either side of the lug to serve as guides for the arming wires.
Operation: When the container is released from the plane, the arming wire is withdrawn. The buckles open and the steel bands fall away. The three sections of the body separate allowing the bombs to fall free.
Remarks: Fitted around the container there may be a safety device consisting of a canvas strap, a black powder burster charge in a small container, and a friction igniter with a 2-second delay. The igniter cord is attached to the arming wire and as the container leaves the plane the delay train is ignited. After 2 seconds, the strap is blown apart and the sections of the container fall free.
Container for 76 x Type 2 1/3kg Bombs
Fuzes: None
Overall length: 41 and 1/2 inches
Length of body: 41 and 1/2 inches
Diameter of body: 8 inches
Thickness of wall: 1/16 inch
Material of wall: Corrugated sheet steel
Type of suspension: Horizontal
Suspension lug: Normal Army type suspension lug
Color and markings: Black overall
Length of tail: None
Width of tail:None
Width of tail fins: None
Dimensions of tail struts: None
Material of tail:None
Type of filling: 76 x Type 2 40mm 1/3kg bombs
Weight of filling: 56 pounds (approx.)
Total weight of bomb: 77 pounds
Charge/weight ratio: 72%
Construction:
The container is formed by three interlocking lengths of corrugated
sheet steel, closed at each end by hexagonal sheet steel plates. The three interlocking lengths are held in position by four encircling sheet steel bands and buckles. The buckles are prevented from opening by two arming wires. To a hub on the exterior of the after end plate are attached three bungee cords 7 and 1/2 inches long, to each of which is attached a steel hook. Each hook fits into a hole in the side of each section of the container.
One of the three interlocking corrugated lengths serves as the upper portion of the horizontally suspended container. To this upper portion is spot welded a smooth semicircular sheet steel piece 31 and 1/2 inches long, in the center of which is located the suspension lug. On each side of the lug, between it and the inboard steel bands, there is welded an eyebolt to take the arming wires.
Operation: When the container is released from the plane, the arming wire is withdrawn. The buckles open and the steel bands fall away. The three sections of the body separate, allowing the bombs to fall free.
Remarks:
Fitted around the container there may be a safety device consisting of a
canvas strap, a black powder burster charge in a small container, and a
friction igniter with a 2-second delay. The igniter cord is attached
to the arming wire and as the container leaves the plane the delay train
is ignited. After 2 seconds, the strap is blown apart and the sections
of the container fall free.
Container for 63 x Type 3 1/2kg Bombs
Fuzes: None
Overall length: 42 and 1/2 inches
Length of body: 42 and 1/2 inches
Diameter of body: 8 inches
Thickness of wall: 1/16 inch
Material of wall: Corrugated sheet steel
Type of suspension: Horizontal
Suspension lug: Normal Army type suspension lug
Color and markings: Black overall
Length of tail: None
Width of tail: None
Width of tail fins: None
Dimensions of tail struts: None
Material of tail: None
Type of filling: 63 x Type 3 1/2kg bombs
Weight of filling: 69 pounds
Total weight of bomb: 92 pounds
Charge/weight ratio: 75%
Description: The container is formed by three interlocking sheets of corrugated steel closed at each end by hexagonal steel plates. The three side pieces are held in position by four encircling steel retaining bands and buckles. Two steel arming wires run longitudinally along the exterior of the container and pass through these buckles holding them closed. In addition two wires fit around the container. Where each of these wires is secured, there is a small black powder burster charge and a pull igniter. The pull cords of the igniters are attached to a ring on the arming wire.
The nose plate is held in position by metal tabs, bent 90 degrees on the forward edges of the sidepieces. The nosepiece has fittings to hold the fuzes of the seven forward bombs and prevent the vanes from rotating. The other bombs are kept unarmed in the conainer by placing the nose of each in the tail of the one preceding.
One of the sidepieces serves as the upper portion of the horizontally suspended container. To this section is spot welded a smooth semicircular sheet steel plate 31 inches long in the center of which is located the typical Army suspension lug. On each side of the lug between it and the inboard retaining bands, there is welded an eyebolt through which the arming wire passes.
The tail plate is held in position by three bungee cords which radiate from a central hub on the plate. Each cord terminates in a small hook which fits into a hole in each of the side pieces.
Operation: As the bomb container is released from the plane the arming wire is withdrawn. This releases the retaining band buckles and pulls the igniter cords. The retaining bands fall clear. After a 3-second delay the igniters fire the black powder charges, snapping the wires. The sidepieces of the container open at the forward end and allow the 1/2kg bombs to fall out nose first.
Type 1 1kg Aircraft Missile
Fuzes: Friction pull igniter
Overall length: 8 and 7/8 inches
Length of body: 5 and 1/2 inches (spherical)
Diameter of body: 5 and 1/2 inches (spherical)
Thickness of wall: 1/8 inch
Material of wall: Compressed paper
Type of suspension: Thrown by hand
Color and markings: Black overall (probably coated with a waterproofing liquid)
Type of filling: A central burster charge consists of granular black powder in a silk bag. Surrounding the burster charge are 32 cylindrical sheet-metal pellets containing a low explosive charge. Each pellet has a 1/2 inch safety fuse which is in contact with the silk bag containing the central burster charge.
Dimensions of pellets:
-Diameter: 1 and 1/8 inches
-Height: 13/16 inch
Composition of explosive contained in pellets:
-Potassium Nitrate: 55.7%
-Sulphur: 16.7%
-Aluminum Powder: 14.6%
-Antimony Sulphide: 13%
-Cottonseed husks are used as packing to fill up the interior of the bomb
Weight of filling:
-Burster charge: 4.5 oz
-Explosive pellets: 6.6 oz
Total weight of bomb: 36.5 oz
Construction: The missile consists of a spherical container of compressed paper from which a tubular neck of compressed cardboard projects approximately 3 inches. A wooden plug at the base of this tube houses the friction pull igniter.
Operation: The cord of the igniter is pulled and the missile is thrown from the plane. After a short delay the black powder burster charge explodes rupturing the paper body scattering the explosive pellets and simultaneously igniting the safety fuse of the pellets. After a short delay the pellets are detonated.
Remarks: This bomb has been reported to be used in air to air bombing. It has been recovered from crashed aircraft.
50kg and 100kg Pamphlet Container
Fuzes: D-1(a), D-1(b)
50kg
Overall length: 37 inches
Length of body: 19 inches
Diameter of body: 7 and 1/2 inches
Length of tail: 18 inches
Width of tail: 6 and 3/4 inches
Width of tail fins: 3 and 3/8 inches
Dimensions of tail struts:
-Forward: 6 and 1/2 x 1 and 1/2 x 3/16 inches
-Aft: 6 and 5/8 x 2 and 3/8 x 3/16 inches
100kg
Overall length: 49 inches
Length of body: 26 inches
Diameter of body: 7 and 1/2 inches
Length of tail: 23 inches
Width of tail: 13 inches
Width of tail fins: 7 and 1/2 inches
Dimensions of tail struts:
-Forward: 8 and 7/8 x 1 and 5/8 x 3/16 inches
-Aft: 9 and 1/4 x 3 and 1/4 x 5/16 inches
Thickness of wall: 3/16 inch
Material of wall: Cardboard
Material of tail: Cardboard
Type of suspension: Horizontal
Suspension lug: Normal Army type suspension lug
Color and markings: Brown overall
Type of filling: Small bursting charge and paper pamphlets
Construction:
The cardboard body contains a hemispherical split wooden nose plug to which is nailed a nose fuze housing. A burster charge also fits into the cavity of the nose plug. There are two longitudinal slits in the body which terminate 2 inches from either end of the body. A cardboard tail cone is attached to the body by four bayonet joints which engage four bolts on the exterior of the bomb boy.
Construction of tail: Four cardboard fins are taped to the tail cone and are braced by two sets of cardboard box type struts
Remarks: The bursting charge splits the bomb longitudinally along the two slits into halves allowing the pamphlets to escape.
Miscellaneous Bombs
Curiously, my technical manual has two pages of IJA bombs that they either never retrieved specimens of, or found the necessary documentation to write an entry on them.
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