German Explosive Ordnance - Incendiary, Smoke, and Practice Bombs (Part 4)

German Explosives

ZC 10kg Concrete Practice Bomb

Overall Length: 23 inches

Body Length: 12 and 3/4 inches

Body Diameter: 3 and 1/4 inches
Wall Thickness: 0.5 side to 0.86 inches tail
Tall Length: 8 and 3/8 inches
Tail Width: 4 and 5/8 inches


Color and Markings: Body unpainted with 2-inch white band at the nose.  Tail vanes aluminum color; nose, black.  LFB 110 stenciled on body.



Construction: The bomb has a concrete body of the same dimensions as the SC10.  A conical dummy fuze head of block bakelite is fitted to the nose end of the bomb.  This fuze head is secured by four evenly spaced wires embedded in cement extending through the bomb.  The wires pass through four housings in the bakelite fuze head, and are secured in position at the nose by turning over the protruding ends.  The other ends of the four wires are secured by passing each wire through separate eye holes provided at the base of the sheet metal fins and turning over the ends.

A central cavity 11 inches in length is formed within the body to accept a paper cartridge.  The cartridge is separated at the nose end from the dummy fuze head by a 1/8-inch thick felt washer.

The paper cartridge contains a glass ampoule, surrounded by a filling of chalk, the ampoule contains either chlorosulphonic acid or fuming hydrochloric acid.  On impact, the glass ampoule breaks to release its contents from which smoke emits to mark the point of impact.

The four tail fins, comprising two sheets of metal which are slotted and interlocked together, are partly moulded into the concrete at the tail end and are secured by two additional lengths of wire which run laterally through the eye holes and are fastened by twisting the ends of the wire together.

ZC 50 Concrete Practice Bomb Types I and II

Overall Length: 43 and 1/2 inches

Body Length: 27 inches

Body Diameter: 7 and 3/4 inches
Tall Length: 16 inches
Total Weight: 50kg (approx.)


Color: Sand color overall.  Stenciled on body:
-Type I "ehk elo3"
-Type II "ehk all3"


Construction: In Type I the nose, body, and tail cone are formed of fine concrete all in one piece.  The four tail fins of sheet metal are filled to the tail cone when concrete is poured.  On either side of the bomb are two cavities, which are covered by wooden slats.  Cavities contain paper cartridges holding chalk and an ampoule of chlorosulphonic acid or fuming hydrochloric acid.

The Type II is very similar, the differences merely being to allow for the insertion of a tracer candle, in the tail and a charging head for its initiation.

Two steel wires lead from the fuze into the central stiffening tube and thence to a pair of terminal sockets in the tail cone.  The tracer is fired by the terminal sockets on release from the plane and burns for approximately 55 seconds.



Suspension: Vertical or horizontal








PC 1000 RS EX Practice Bomb

Overall Length: 7 feet 2 and 3/4 inches

Body Length: 3 feet 9 inches

Body Diameter: 1 foot 3 and 1/2 inches
Total Weight: 993 kilograms



Color and Markings: Bomb body: reddish brown.  Space, rocket container and tail: mustard.

Markings die stamped:
403
unt 18, 7, 43
403
hh9
43CP03

Stenciled:
scharf
unt 18, 2, 43
499410
PC 1000 RS
EX


Construction: The body of the PC 1000 RS EX is identical in construction to the PC 1000 RS.  In place of the normal explosive charge, the cavity contains sand or some comparable material as a substitute.  The fuzing system consists of the 49 BI EX charging head and the 49 BII EX pyrotechnic fuze for igniting the rocket motor.

There are 19 rockets in the rocket motor.  Six are 22 and 1/2 inches long and have 2 and 15/16 inches diameter; 12 are 20 and 7/8 inches long with a diameter of 2 and 15/16 inches; and 1 is 11 and 1/4 inches long with a diameter of 2 and 15/16 inches.  Total weight of the rocket unit is 263 kilograms.

The tail is 2 feet 4 inches in large diameter and 1 foot 10 inches in small diameter.



Suspension: Horizontal by means of a H-type lug secured to a suspension band.






ZC 250kg Concrete, Practice, Smoke Bomb

Overall Length: 65 inches

Body Length: 49.5 inches

Body Diameter: 14.5 inches
Tall Length: 25 inches
Tail Width: 20 inches
Total Weight: 250 kilograms

Color: Bright green overall



Construction: The body of the bomb is concrete reinforced steel.  Evenly spaced about the body, though staggered, are six cavities, each 13 inches long and 2 and 1/2 inches wide, housing glass ampoules 10 and 1/2 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.  They are enclosed is a protective wrapping of 1/4 inch thick impure chalk retained in a gummed paper wrapping.  The ampoules are retained within their cavities by 1/8 inch thick wood covers, each secured flush with the surface of the bomb body by two screws; the wood protective cover in each case is weakened centrally by a 1/16 inch deep saw-cut.  Each glass ampoule is stated to contain 142 grams of chlorosulphonic acid, containing probably as impurities, small quantities of sulphur and ferrous sulphate; fuming hydrochloric acid is said to be an alternative.  On impact the glass ampoules break to release their contents and smoke arises.  The sheet steel tail has four fins.



Suspension: Horizontal by means of an "eye" bolt.

Next Time: Pyrotechnics (Part 1)

Source: German Explosive Ordnance Vol. 1: Bombs, Rockets, Grenades, Mines, Fuzes & Igniters