Italian Explosive Ordnance - Bombs (Part 2)

Italian Explosive Ordnance

  

  

40kg GP H.E. Bomb

 

Overall length: 32.3 inches
Body length: 19.7 inches
Body diameter: 9 inches
Tail length: 16.1 inches
Tail width: 9 inches

Type of filling: TNT

Weight of filling: unknown
Total weight: 40 kilograms

Fuzing: Tail only - Type N-3

  

Color and markings: Overall grey; red nose

Description:  The bomb has a steel body and nose in one piece.  The tail is of sheet-metal construction with a strengthening band at the end.  The tail unit is bolted to four square lugs on the body.

 

Remarks: This bomb is very similar to 40kg gas bomb, except for filling.

50kg GP H.E. Bomb

Overall length: 40.5 inches
Body length: 21.7 inches
Body diameter: 9.9 inches
Wall thickness: 0.25 inch
Tail length: 18.4 inches
Tail width: 9.9 inches

Type of filling: Amatol

Weight of filling: 29.2 kilograms
Total weight: 59.31 kilograms

Fuzing: Tail only - Type C or Y
   

Color and markings: Overall dull blue.
  

Description: The bomb body consists of a base section and a nose section, both steel.  Screwed into the nose is a pointed steel block, pierced to take a suspension link.  The tail is secured to the base plate, which is attached to the casing with one row of screws.  The tail assembly consists of four vanes, tail cone, and corrugated strengthening ring, all sheet metal.  The bomb can also be suspended horizontally.

100kg GP H.E. Bomb

Overall length: 51.3 inches
Body length: 32.5 inches
Body diameter: 10.7 inches
Tail length: 22 inches
Tail width: 10.7 inches

Type of filling: TNT

Weight of filling: 50.6 kilograms
Total weight: 100 kilograms (approx.)

Type of filling: Amatol

Weight of filling: 49.5 kilograms
Total weight: 100 kilograms (approx.)

Fuzing: Tail only - Type C-1 or Y-1

  

Color and markings:
-TNT filled: Overall grey; red nose
-Amatol filled: Overall dull blue; red nose

  

Description:  The bomb body is a drawn-steel tube to which is riveted a cast-steel nose pierced to take a suspension link.  The base plate is attached to casing with two rows of screws.  The tail assembly is sheet metal consisting of four vanes, cone, and corrugated reinforcing ring, all attached to the bomb base.  The bomb can be suspended vertically or horizontally.

250kg GP H.E. Bomb

Overall length: 73.8 inches
Body length: 35.4 inches
Body diameter: 17.6 inches
Tail length: 39.4 inches
Tail width: 17.6 inches

Type of filling: TNT

Weight of filling: 125.7 kilograms
Total weight: 259.1 kilograms

Fuzing:
-Nose: Type A
-Tail: Type O

  

Color and markings: Overall grey; red nose

Description: The bomb casing is a drawn-steel tube with a cast-steel nose riveted to it.  The base plate has a double flange and is attached to the casing with a double row of screws.  A cast-alloy tail is attached to the upper flange of the base plate with screws.  A lug is secured to the body near the center of gravity for horizontal suspension.

500kg and 800kg GP H.E. Bombs

500kg

Overall length: 96.6 inches
Body length: 52 inches
Body diameter: 18 inches
Tail length: 35.7 inches
Tail width: 18 inches
Type of filling: TNT

Weight of filling: 216 kilograms
Total weight: 508 kilograms

800kg

Overall length: 127.8 inches
Body length: 77.1 inches
Body diameter: 18 inches
Tail length: 52.8 inches
Tail width: 18 inches
Type of filling: TNT

Weight of filling: 357 kilograms
Total weight: 821.6 kilograms

Fuzing:
-Nose: Type A
-Tail: Type O

  

Color and markings: Overall grey; red nose

Description: The bombs have a steel body and nose cast in one piece, with double-flanged base plate attached by double rows of screws.  The cast alloy tail is attached to the upper flange.  The 500kg and 800kg vary only in length and weight.
  

Remarks: A 630kg time bomb has been made from the 800kg by reducing the thickness of walls so as to use a greater explosive charge.



1000kg G.P. Bomb
  

Overall length: 140 inches
Body length: 94.5 inches
Body diameter: 20.5 inches
Wall thickness: 0.29 inch
Tail length: 45.5 inches
Tail width: 28 inches

Type of filling: TNT

Weight of filling: Unknown
Total weight: 1000 kilograms (approx.)

Fuzing: Nose fuze only - Unknown

Color and markings: Overall grey; Nose: red

Description: The bomb casing is made up of four pieces welded together: (1) the nose; (2) a cylindrical part; (3) a truncated cone; and (4) the conical part to which the tail fins are attached.  At about 30 inches from the rear, a steel diaphragm is welded inside the casing to contain the main filling before this point.

A steel nose plug carries a steel fuze adapter, and both these have serrated flanges to form seals against rubber packings which are counter-sunk into the relative surfaces on the bomb nose plug, respectively. A steel booster tube, about 1 and 1/4 inches in diameter, runs the length of the bomb; it is inserted from the tail end, where it is screwed into the tail cone, and at the nose end it is located by a sleeve which forms an extension to the fuze adapter.

A plug which is drilled to take the detonator, is screwed into the forward end of the booster tube; there is a felt washer beneath this plug.  An internal plug, which is located by grub screws, seals the booster charge at the rear.  A steel plug closes the booster tube at the tail end.  The booster tube contains penthrite.  Around the booster tube and forming a core to the main filling is a tube, 3 inches in external diameter, with a bore 2 inches in diameter; this is composed of annular rings of compressed TNT about 2 and 1/4 inches long.


Remarks: A glider attachment was used with this bomb.  The controls for the glider contain a gyro unit for azimuth and an airspeed unit to control the dive angle.




500kg GP H.E. Time Bomb
  

Overall length: 93.7 inches
Body length: 50.9 inches
Body diameter: 18.1 inches
Wall thickness: 0.25 inch
Tail length: 43.3 inches
Tail width: 18.1 inches

Type of filling: TNT

Weight of filling: 247 kilograms

Fuzing: Tail - Type N

Color and markings: Overall grey; red nose

Description: Main body and nose are cast in one piece.  In the nose is a centrally-located clockwork fuze and provision for four additional impact fuzes.  If a time fuze is used, impact fuzes can be made inoperative.  The cast aluminum-alloy tail is attached to the bomb by screws.

Remarks: A similar bomb weighing between 800 and 1000 kilograms is thought to have been used by the Italians.

Next Time: Italian Semi-Armor Piercing and Incendiary Bombs