German Explosives
250kg Flam C250A, Flam C250B, and Flam C250C Incendiary Bomb
Overall Length: 64 inches
Body Length: 46.75 inches
Body Diameter: 14 inchesTall Length: 24.75 inches
Tail Width: 20 inches
Filling: Oil incendiary mixture and TNT bursting charge.
Color: These bombs are painted dark green overall, with two 5/8-inch red stripes, one around the nose and one around the middle of the body. "Flam C 250 A (B or C)", and all four fins are similarly stamped. The secondary markings depend upon type of filling used in the respective bombs.
Construction: The bomb, containing an oil mixture, consists of a steel body made of two longitudinal halves welded and crimped together. The three bombs are almost identical, differing only in minor constructional details. The tail assembly differs considerably from normal German construction. The four fins are riveted directly to the after coned portion of the bomb body and are secured to each other by 5/8-inch tubular struts.
250kg KC 250 Flam Incendiary Bomb
Overall Length: 63 inches
Body Length: 40 inches
Body Diameter: 14.5 inchesWall Thickness: 1/16 inches
Tall Length: 25 inches
Tail Width: 21 inches
Filling: Oil incendiary mixture and TNT bursting charge.
Weight of filling: 50 kilograms
Total weight: 110 kilograms
Charge/Weight ratio: 45.5%
Color: The body and tail assemblies are painted dark grey overall.
Construction: The bomb body consists of a steel cylinder to which is welded an ogival nose section of light sheet steel. A cast steel nose piece is welded to the sheet steel nose section. A truncated cone of sheet steel is welded to the base of the body cylinder and is fitted to the after portion of the central exploder tube. A steel tube runs from the nose of the bomb to a point on the fuze pocket just above the bottom of the fuze. An anti-break-up rod is placed in this tube and serves to activate the fuze if the regular trembler switches fail to function.
The tail assembly consists of a cone to which four fins are welded. The cone is riveted to the after end of the body cylinder. Bar-type struts reinforce the four tail fins.
Operation: On impact, the fuze functions and fires the 1.25kg TNT charge. This explosion not only breaks open the case but it ignites the petroleum filling and allows the charcoal and magnesium filled tubes to mix with the petroleum. This mixture creates an extremely hot fire and a very difficult fire to control.
Suspension: This bomb may be suspended either horizontally or vertically by a single suspension eyebolt.
500kg Flam C500 Incendiary Bomb
Overall Length: 65.5 inches
Body Length: 62 inches
Body Diameter: 18 inchesWall Thickness: 1/16 inches
Tall Length: 21.5 inches
Tail Width: 24 inches
Filling: Oil incendiary mixture 30% benzine, 70% petroleum, with TNT bursting charge.
Total weight: 250 kilograms (approx.)
Color: The bomb and tail assembly are painted dark grey overall. Two 7/8-inch red bands are painted around the body 9.5 and 33 inches from the nose.
Construction: This bomb consists of a cylindrical body to which are added a rounded nose section and a pointed tail section, all of sheet steel construction. A single fuze pocket is located forward in the side of the bomb body. A central exploder tube runs the length of the bomb case. Two baffle plates are welded to the bomb body where the sections are welded together.
The four sheet steel tail fins are secured directly to the after cone of the body. The fins are braced with bar-type struts.
Suspension: Horizontal by means of an "eye" type suspension lug.
Remarks: This bomb, when stenciled "ABB 500" in black letters, is used as a container for 1-kg incendiary bombs.
50kg Brand C50A Incendiary Bomb
Overall Length: 43.2 inches
Body Length: 30 inches
Body Diameter: 8 inchesWall Thickness: 1/8 inches
Tall Length: 16 inches
Tail Width: 7.8 inches
Filling: Benzine 86%; phosphorus 4%; pure rubber 10%
Weight of filling: 30 pounds (approx.)
Total weight: 90 pounds (approx.)
Color: The bomb body is painted dark grey or green overall, with the rear of the bomb painted red and a red band around the center of the bomb body. The tail assembly may be painted dark grey or grey-green with longitudinal yellow stripes on the tail cone.
On those bombs in which the filling is enclosed in glass, a drawing of a glass container is stenciled in red on the bomb body between the fuze and the nose, on the side remote from the fuze.
Construction: The bomb body consists of a single piece of steel forging, very similar to the SC 50kg Grade 1 bomb, with a single fuze pocket located forward in the side of the bomb casing.
The tail assembly consists of four sheet metal fins and a tail cone, which is attached to the collar on the base of the bomb body by screws.
Suspension: This bomb may be suspended either horizontally or vertically by means of a single eyebolt.
Remarks: Later models of this bomb have the phosphorus filling contained in a glass cylinder inside the bomb body.
50kg Brand C50B Incendiary Bomb
Overall Length: 43.5 inches (approx.)
Body Length: 30.5 inches
Body Diameter: 8 inchesWall Thickness: 1/16 to 1/8 inches
Tall Length: 17 inches
Tail Width: 7.8 inches
Filling: White phosphorus
Total weight: 77 pounds (approx.)
Color: The bomb is painted light fawn overall with a red priming coat. The following markings were found on the specimen recovered:
-On the bomb body:
"Brand C 50 B" (black).
Red band 5/8 inch wide.
"10 PQ" (red).
Bottle 3 inches long (red).
-On the bomb nose:
Red band 3/4 inch wide
"Brand C 50 B" stamped on nose plug.
Construction: This bomb consists of a rolled sheet steel cylinder, seam welded longitudinally. The base and nose portions are welded circumferentially to the bomb body. The nose portion of this bomb is much larger than that of the Brand C50A, and the base plate filling cap is of the female type with two studs projecting rearwards.
The sheet steel tail assembly is secured over and to the base of the bomb body by means of two screws which enter the vertical arms of the L-shaped brackets, welded to the shoulder formed at the base of the bomb. Four positioning plates are also welded to this shoulder and aid in positioning the tail on the bomb.
The bomb houses a single fuze pocket, located forward on the side of the bomb body. An extension tube extends from the nose of the bomb to the forward side of the fuze pocket. A wooden plug was found in the tube of the recovered specimen of this bomb.
Operation: When the impact fuze functions, the detonation of the picric ring in the fuze pocket splits open the bomb casing, ejects some or all of the incendiary filling, and breaks the bottle containing the white phosphorus, which ignites the incendiary filling.
Suspension: This bomb is fitted for horizontal suspension only.
250kg Brand C250A Type I and Type II Incendiary Bomb
Type I
Overall Length: 64 inches
Body Length: 46.7 inches
Body Diameter: 14.5 inchesWall Thickness: 0.3 inches
Tall Length: 25 inches
Tail Width: 20 inches
Type II
Overall Length: 64 inches
Body Length: 46.3 inches
Body Diameter: 14.5 inchesWall Thickness: 0.3 inches
Tall Length: 25 inches
Tail Width: 20 inches
Type of Filling:
-Petroleum 87.7%
-Polystyrene 11.7%
-Phosphorus 0.5%
Color: The body and tail are painted blue-grey overall with a 1-inch red band located just aft of the side suspension eyebolt. The after end, from shoulder to base plate, has only the usually red priming coat. Between the red band and the rear fuze pocket are the following words stenciled in red: "Achtung Vor Sonnen Strahlung Schutzen" (not to be stored in the sun). Immediately below this is "Brand C 250 A" in black letters. Further markings are found between the fuze pocket and the shoulder.
Construction:
-Type I: This bomb consists of a one-piece forging with a female-type base plate. A rubber washer is fitted under this plate, but is not visible externally.
-Type II: This bomb is of welded construction with a female-type base plate. A thick black rubber washer projects about 1/2 inch from under the edge of the plate.
The filling is contained in the bomb body in the form of a thickened liquid fuel. Supported in the filling by four metal bands fitted to a wooden framework are 16 brown glass bottles in four rows, containing a very brittle form of white phosphorus.
Operation: On impact, the fuze fires the gaine and the picric burster pellets, breaking the case and scattering the filling over a radius of about 70 yards. The filling ignites spontaneously, burning with a great deal of smoke.
Suspension: This bomb may be suspended either horizontally or vertically by an eyebolt.
Next Time: Incendiary, Smoke, and Practice Bombs (Part 3)
Source: German Explosive Ordnance Vol. 1: Bombs, Rockets, Grenades, Mines, Fuzes & Igniters
No comments:
Post a Comment