American Projectiles and Explosives
Explosive Bombs
Army Experimental Types
4,000-pound G.P. T8
Body diameter: 28 inches
Wall thickness: 0.875 inches
Explosive weight (TNT): 1,856.3 pounds
Explosive weight (Tritonal): 2,002.2 pounds
Total weight: 4,030 pounds
General: This is a design for a 4,000-pound G.P. bomb of the same general construction as others in this class.
Suspension: Standard lugs 30 inches apart.
Filling: Tritonal or TNT with a larger booster, the T21, which is like the M115 except for its increased size.
12,000-pound G.P. T10
Overall length: 21 feet
Body length: 10.33 feetBody diameter: 3.17 feet
Wall thickness: 1.25 inches
Tail length: 11 feet
Tail width: 3.75 feet
Tail weight: 175 pounds
Filling: Torpex
Weight of filling: 4,980 pounds
Total weight: 11,630 pounds
Charge/weight ratio: 42%
or
Filling: Tritonal
Weight of filling: 5,500 pounds
Total weight: 12,448 pounds
Weight of filling: 5,500 pounds
Total weight: 12,448 pounds
Charge/weight ratio: 44%
Body construction: The body is manufactured in two different ways. The British-produced model is of cast steel, with a solid nose plug and with three exploders fitted 120 degrees apart in the tail. The bomb bodies are issued with exploders inserted, and the exploder tubes are sealed with shipping plugs. The eventual American T10 will consist of five sections welded together. These sections are solid nose forging, two body forgings, a rolled plate body section, and a base ring forging. The base plate, which is a forging, is held to the base ring by means of 20 studs.
The tail is attached to the after end of the bomb body by 12 studs. A cylindrical metal cowling, placed between the bomb body and the tail cone, enhances the streamlining of the bomb.
Tail construction: The special Tail Unit, No 78 Mk I is constructed of light alloy and consists of a cone to which are attached four fins of streamline cross-section. The fins are set at an angle of 5 degrees to the axis of the tail cone, giving a slight right-hand spin to the bomb as it falls. The tail fits over twelve 7/16 inch studs fitted into the bomb body, and is securely fastened to the studs by Simmonds nuts. Three hand-holes in the tail cone give ready access to the three tail pistols, and an additional hole is provided for arming wires.
Suspension: The bomb is suspended int he plane by twin suspension slings.
Filling: The bomb body contains an explosive filling of Torpex with a one-inch layer of TNT topping added to the after end. Four inches of woodmeal/wax composition is then added, and the filling sealed with a 1/2-inch plyboard washer. The three exploders pass through holes in this washer and are held in place by a heavy base plate, which is secured by bolts tot he bomb body.
The American bomb will be filled with Tritonal, with an inert tail surround.
Remarks: This bomb is designed for limited operation use, and its employment will be restricted to specially adapter very heavy bombers. Although designated a G.P. bomb, the T10 is essentially a deep-penetration bomb (though not armor- or concrete-piercing) depending for its effect upon the production of heavy shock waves as a result of the explosion of its main charge deep within the earth.
The T10 is the american designation for the British 12,000 D.P. (Deep Penetration) "Tallboy" bomb. Except for size and fuze pocket arrangement, it is similar to the 22,000-pound G.P. Bomb T14.
22,000-pound G.P. T14
Overall length: 25.41 feet
Body length: 12.5 feetBody diameter: 3.83 feet
Wall thickness: 1.75 inches
Tail length: 13.33 feet
Tail width: 4.48 feet
Tail weight: 287 pounds
Filling: Torpex
Weight of filling: 9,200 pounds
Total weight: 21,875 pounds
Charge/weight ratio: 42%
or
Filling: Tritonal
Weight of filling: 9,605 pounds
Total weight: 22,155 pounds
Weight of filling: 9,605 pounds
Total weight: 22,155 pounds
Charge/weight ratio: 43%
Body construction: The body is manufactured in two different ways. The British-produced model is of cast steel, with a solid nose plug and with three exploders fitted 120 degrees apart in the tail. The bomb bodies are issued with exploders inserted, and the exploder tubes are sealed with shipping plugs. The eventual American T14 will consist of five sections welded together. These sections are solid nose forging, two body forgings, a rolled plate body section, and a base ring forging. The base plate, which is a forging, is held to the base ring by means of 20 studs.
The tail is attached to the after end of the bomb body by 12 studs. A cylindrical metal cowling, placed between the bomb body and the tail cone, enhances the streamlining of the bomb.
Tail construction: The special Tail Unit, No 82 Mk I is constructed of light alloy and consists of a cone to which are attached four fins of streamline cross-section. The fins are set at an angle of 5 degrees to the axis of the tail cone, giving a slight right-hand spin to the bomb as it falls. The tail fits over twelve 7/16 inch studs fitted into the bomb body, and is securely fastened to the studs by Simmonds nuts. Three hand-holes in the tail cone give ready access to the three tail pistols, and an additional hole is provided for arming wires.
Suspension: The bomb is suspended int he plane by twin suspension slings.
Filling: The bomb contains an explosive filling of Torpex with a one-inch layer of TNT topping added to the after end. Four inches of woodmeal/wax composition is then added, and the filling sealed with a 1/2-inch plyboard washer. The three exploders pass through holes in this washer and are held in place by a heavy base plate, which is secured by bolts tot he bomb body.
The American bomb will be filled with Tritonal, with an inert tail surround.
Remarks: This bomb is designed for limited operation use, and its employment will be restricted to specially adapter very heavy bombers. Although designated a G.P. bomb, the T14 is essentially a deep-penetration bomb (though not armor- or concrete-piercing) depending for its effect upon the production of heavy shock waves as a result of the explosion of its main charge deep within the earth.
The general arrangement of this bomb is identical to that of the 12,000-pound Bomb T40. The two bombs are identical, except that the T14 has three in-line fuze pockets instead of pockets placed 120 degrees apart as in the T10, and the T14 is an enlarged version of the T10.
The T14 is the American designation for the British 22,000-pound D.P. "Grand Slam" bomb.
Chemical, Incendiary, and Smoke Bombs
Chemical
In general, the chemical bombs are of two types, classified according to case construction. The light-case bombs have the advantage of higher charge/weight ratio, whereas the heavy-case bombs have better stowage and handling characteristics. Both types have full-length burster charges to split the bomb case and disperse the filling over the area to be contaminated. Fuzing must always be instantaneous or aerial burst to maintain maximum dispersion of contents. Various fillings can be employed for different effects.
Incendiaries
Incendiaries in use at the present time are classified by their construction and use into two types. The intensive type burns as a unit, confining its intense heat to a relatively small area. The bombs are small in size and are always dropped in clusters to give area coverage. They are normally employed against targets having a high percentage of roof coverage, such as industrial establishments and crowded residential areas. Since the bombs have heavy nose plugs and substantial case strength, some penetration can be expected, and the high burning temperature of the filling will be effective in industrial areas.
The scatter type is usually a larger bomb which disperses small chunks of its burning material over a large area to ignite many small fires. It is normally employed against readily inflammable targets such as frame construction, material storage, and grain fields. These bombs explode on impact, to throw burning fragments of gasoline gel or other sticky emulsions against the target.
Screening Smokes
Only the screening smokes will be considered in this chapter, signalling and illuminating smokes being treated under Pyrotechnics. This division follows in large part the allocation of responsibility for smoke munitions made between the Chemical Warfare Service and the Ordnance Department of the Army. C.W.S. supervises matters relating to screening smokes, and the Ordnance Department performs the same functions for signalling and illuminating items.
Colors and Markings
Chemical bombs have different markings from other types of ordnance. The bomb body is painted light grey, and colored bands indicate the nature of the filling. The bands are located between the dual suspension lugs and before the center of gravity. One band indicates a non-persistent filler. Two bands indicate a persistent filler. Green indicates casualty agents; red, harassing agents; yellow, smoke or screening agents; purple, incendiaries.
Incendiary bombs may follow the scheme of chemical bombs, with light grey body color and a purple band. More recently, an olive drab body color with a purple band has been standardized.
All these items represent a different type of hazard from high-explosive-filled bombs. They are particularly susceptible to fire, and proper precautions should be observed. In handling several of the pyrotechnics and incendiaries, remember to avoid friction such as would be caused by rolling or dragging the missile.
Suspension
Heavy-case chemical bombs are suspended int he same manner as G.P. bombs; that is, by dual suspension lugs or by a single lug welded to the bomb case. The light-case chemical bombs are suspended by lugs welded to bands which fit around the bomb body. Incendiary bombs of the large scatter type have the same suspension as the chemical bombs. The smaller incendiary bombs are always clustered, and for maximum packing efficiency are hexagonal in shape. The clusters employed on incendiaries are of two types, the quick-opening variety and the aimable type with a cluster opening controlled by an aerial burst fuze. The quick-opening clusters come in two sizes - 100-pounds and 500-pounds. The cluster adapters for 4-pound intensive incendiaries will carry 84 bombs in the 100-pound size or 128 bombs in the 500-pound size. The adapters for 6-pound scatter incendiaries carry 14 bombs or 60 bombs. The cluster adapters consist of steel tubes supported by plates, with the bombs assembled around the tubes. The bombs are held in place by spring-steel bands secured by an arming wire running through a buckle at the end of the band. Removal of the arming wire assembly as the cluster drops releases the buckles, and the bands open to release the bombs immediately.
The aimable clusters are relatively new. They fit a 500-pound bomb station and are designed for precision bombing from high altitudes. To give the cluster the desired ballistic properties, a standard box-type tail assembly is attached by a single bolt to the after plate of the cluster adapter. A strip of primacord (PETN) running full-length along the side of the cluster serves to break the spring steel bands and allow the bombs to scatter when the aerial-burst nose fuze functions. The 500-pound Aimable Cluster AN-M17A1 is filled with 110 4-pound Incendiary Bombs AN-M50A2 and AN-M50XA3. The Cluster Adapter E6R2 (500-pound) contains Incendiary Bombs AN-M69 or M74. The Aimable Cluster Adapter M23 (500-pound) contains 38 bombs, either Incendiary Bomb AN-M69, Incendiary Bomb M74, or Smoke Bomb M77.
Jettisonalbe fuel tanks "Fire Bombs"
Fuel tanks filled with a gasoline-Napalm mixture for incendiary purposes and fitted with igniters were developed during the war. At present, however, the practice has been discontinued.