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

German Explosive Ordnance - Incendiary, Smoke, and Practice Bombs (Part 3)

German Explosives

NC 50 Smoke Bomb

Overall Length: 26.75 inches

Body Length: 10.75 inches

Body Diameter: 7.75 inches
Wall Thickness: 0.16 to 0.24 inches
Tall Length: 16 inches
Tail Width: 11 inches

Filling: Light grey smoke-producing powder, smelling strongly of camphor.

Total Weight: 109 pounds



Construction: The body is a normal 50-kg bomb seamless steel tube with a cast steel nose welded to it.  The circular hole in the wall of the bomb which normally gives access to the fuze pocket is covered over by a steel disk welded flush with the bomb wall.  The base plug is secured to the bomb body by eight screws and is pierced by hole by four brackets welded to the fuze and the base plug.  Beneath the plug and covering the filling is a thin metal plate also pierced by five holes; 4.5 inches from the tip; from there, four one-inch white bands run back to the shoulder.

"N.C.50" is stenciled on the body and is believed to be an abbreviation for "Nebel Cylindrisch 50kg" (Smoke Cylinder 50kg)

NC 50 WC NC D/SEE - Smoke Marker Bomb

Overall Length: 3 feet 7 inches

Body Diameter: 7.75 inches
Tail Width: 11 inches

Filling: Smoke producing composition


Color: Bomb casing is painted aluminum; the tail is olive green; the protruding portion of the central cylinder is yellow.  "NC 50 WC" is stenciled transversely across the body just forward of the shoulder. "Nich fur Senkrecht-Aufhangun" stenciled longitudinally from nose after to the other marking.


Construction: The bomb consists of four main parts: the outer casing, tail cone, nose and a central cylinder which protrudes from the nose and extends after to the forward part of the tail cone where it is terminated by a fuze housing crimped to it.  This fuze housing extends the full length of the tail cone.  The outer casing is empty except for metal ribs and braces which locate and support the central tube.  The four tail fins are tack welded to this cone.

The central cylinder contains the smoke producing agent.  It is held in the outer casing by six bolts at the nose; a rubber washer waterproofs this joint.  The igniter is contained in a pocket at the rear end of the central tube immediately below the fuze.  The fuze housing is located by four set screws to insure that the correct distance is maintained between the flash cap and the igniter.

The fuze has a spring loaded strike held away from the flash cap by retaining ball.  They are held in place by a release rod passing down through the center of the striker.  At the tail end, this rod passes through a circular plate and is held by a split pin.  The circular plate is fastened by three screws to a drogue plate which is lipped over the tail fins.  It is fastened to the tail by four projections from the fins which pass through the slots and are then bent over.  Waterproofing at the tail is provided by a rubber seal.  On impact with the water, the tail drogue is wrenched off and carries the fuze release rod with it.  The fuze fires and the smoke producing agent is ignited.  When the bomb floats to the surface, heat destroys the rubber seal and smoke is emitted.



Suspension: Vertical or horizontal



Similar Bombs:
-NC D/See: This bomb, a floating 50kg smoke bomb, is constructed similarly to the NC 50 WC.  It gives off a white fog or smoke.  The overall weight is approximately 22kg.  It is fitted with the AZ (46) fuze.  As the fuze is installed when the bomb is shipped, the safety precautions must be highly respected.








NC 250 S Smoke Bomb

Overall Length: 5 feet 3 inches

Body Diameter: 14 and 1/2 inches

Wall Thickness: 1/16 inches
Tall Length: 25 inches
Tail Width: 20 inches

Filling: Mixture of chlorosulphonic acid (40%) and sulphur trioxide (60%)


Color: The body is silver, the tail olive drab.  The forward part of the nose, a 3/4-inch stripe part-way back on the nose, and a 1-inch stripe just aft of the suspension lug are painted white.  "NC 250 S" is stenciled aft of the second band.


Construction: The NC 250 S is similar in size and construction to the German C 250 (Flam) bomb.  The central tube contains a wooden block 20 and 1/2 inches long and 4 and 1/4 inches in diameter, cardboard disks, and a circular block of TNT 9 inches long and 4 and 1/4 inches in diameter.  The bomb is fuzed with a ElAZ (26) which has a normal gaine and one picric acid pellet.  The fuze operates directly on impact detonating the burster charge of TNT in the central tube.  The main filling is scattered to give a large concentration of smoke.



Suspension: Horizontal.



Remarks: The filling is a corrosive mixture which, when in contact with the air, emits white smoke.






SD 1 Type Practice Bomb

Color: The specimen examined was unpainted and devoid of markings.



Construction: The bomb resembles the SD 1 H.E. bomb and is of approximately the same weight and size.  The body is constructed of concrete reinforced with irregularly shaped metal chippings.  A normal eight-vane type of tail unit is secured to the body by a bolt embedded int he concrete cast.

In the nose of the bomb, a length of concrete-filled metal tubing is inserted to the resemble the AZ (73) A fuze.  Lengths of iron wire soldered to the tail securing bolt and tot he metal tubing in the nose of the bomb serve to strengthen the cast concrete.







SD 2 Practice Bomb

Color: The body, metal band and drogue of the specimen examined are painted black, and are devoid of markings.



Construction: The bomb consists of a normal unfilled SD 2 bomb case and is secured by a nut and bolt.  Welded vertically to the upper surface of this band is a length of steel tubing.

Secured to the steel tubing is a short length of steel cable which is attached to the normal drogue retainer.  The drogue is formed of a curved sheet steel pressing.

Next Time: Incendiary, Smoke, and Practice Bombs (Part 4)

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

American Projectiles and Explosives - Army Practice Bombs

American Projectiles and Explosives



Practice Bombs

Army Practice Bombs

3-pound AN-Mk 5 Mod 1


See Navy Practice Bombs








20-pound M48

This is a dummy of the 20-pound Fragmentation Bomb AN-M41.  It has a two-ounce black-powder charge and uses the Fuze M110 or AN-M110A1 in the nose.  It is 21.8-inches long; weighs 19.7 pounds.  It is issued in practice bomb clusters M2 and M2A1.





23-pound M71 and M71A1


These are parachute-type practice fragmentation bombs for clustering.  They do not have a fuze or spotting charge, because of the presence of the parachute.  The parachute assembly is the M3, modified from the M4 by removal of the suspension assembly, hand assembly, and pull wire container.  M71 is 26.9 inches long; weighs 21 pounds.  M71A1 differs by the addition of the shoulder to the bomb nose.







100-pound M38A2



Overall length: 47.5 inches
Diameter: 8.13 inches
Weight (empty): 15.7 pounds
Weight (sand-loaded and spotting charge): 100 pounds


This bomb simulates a G.P. bomb of the same size.  The spotting charge is assembled in a sleeve at the base of the bomb, within the fin box.  Authorized spotting charges are M1A1, M3, and M4.






100-pound M75

Length: 47 inches
Diameter: 8 inches
Filler (hematite): 72 pounds
Total Weight: 101.3 pounds


This bomb is designed to provide a target reference for practice bombing over snow-covered ranges.  Resembling the chemical bomb of the same size, it consists of a light, sheet-metal case; a charge of red iron ore (hematite); a Burster M4; and a Fuze M108 in the nose.





100-pound M85


This model is a reinforced concrete design ordered to relieve a temporary shortage of the Practice Bomb M38A2 during the war.






Spotting Charge (Army)

M1A1

Overall length: 11.18 inches

Diameter: 3.43 inches

Weight: 4.25 pounds

Black-powder charge: 3 pounds

Bomb used in: M38A2

This type of spotting charge fits in the after end of the 100-pound Practice Bomb M38A2.  It produces a flash of flame and white smoke for observation of bombing accuracy.  When assembled in the bomb, the can of the charge protrudes two to three inches out of the bomb body.

The fuze is an integral part of the spotting charge assembly.  When the arming wire is pulled, the spring-loaded arming pin jumps out, leaving the inertia weight supported only by the combination firing pin and creep spring.  On impact, the inertia weight drives this firing pin into the shotgun-type primer, which, in turn, ignites the black powder.

M3: The Spotting charge M3 has a 2 and 1/3-pound dark smoke filling and a black-powder igniter.  It is 5/8 inches longer than the Spotting Charge M1A1, but otherwise is like it.  The M3, with its dark smoke filler, is well adapted for bombing practice over snow-covered terrain.  The black-powder igniter charge contains approximately 425 grains.  It is used in the Practice Bomb M38A2.


M5

Overall length: 7.37 inches
Diameter: 2.95 inches
Material: Glass
FS filler: 14.4 fluid ounces

The Spotting Charge M5 consists of a glass bottle filled with FS smoke mixture.  An ordinary bottle cap seals the mixture.  The bottle is held to the Practice Bomb M38A2 by a wire twisted around the neck of the bottle and attached to the tail vanes.  The charge assembly weighs 2.54 pounds.

Next Time: Guided Missiles - Introduction & Bureau of Ordnance Missiles

American Projectiles and Explosives - Navy Practice Bombs

American Projectiles and Explosives



Practice Bombs

Navy Practice Bombs

Miniature 3-pound Mk 3, Mk 4, AN-Mk 5, AN-Mk 23; and 4.5-pound AN-Mk 43

Overall length: 8.25 inches

Diameter: 8.1 inches

Color: Unpainted

These small, cast-alloy bombs have a tube along their longitudinal axis which houses the Signal Cartridge AN-Mk 4 or Mk 5, a pyrotechnic charge for spotting purposes.  The differences between these bombs are matters of size.  The Miniature Practice Bomb AN-Mk 43 weighs 4.5 pounds; the others of this series weigh 3 pounds.





Miniature 13-pound Mk 19 or Mk 19 Mod 1


This bomb is like the other miniatures, except that it is larger.  Its length is 13 inches, while its weight is 13 pounds.





"Old" Series Practice Bombs (Obsolete or being replaced)

No fuzes are used in these bombs, and they contain no spotting charge, being filled either with water or with wet sand.  The filling is usually stenciled on the body of the bomb.  To prevent freezing and splitting of cases at high altitudes, anti-freeze is added.  To improve spotting of hits, a spotting dye is also used.





"New" Series Practice Bombs

Mk 15 Mod 3 uses Spotting Signal Mk 7; the others use Mk 6 Mod 0.

This series bomb is a welded sheet-steel light-case design having identical dimensions to AN standard G.P. bombs, and uses AN standard G.P. bomb tails.  The bomb has, welded to its body, two suspension lugs spaced 14 inches apart.  Seven threaded recesses, located on the periphery at the approximate center of gravity, are for various hoisting conditions.  At 90 degrees, on each side of the suspension lugs and slightly before the hoisting recesses, are threaded opening to receive trunnions.

By means of a strap, the appropriate practice bomb signal, Mk 6 or Mk 7, may be attached to the tail assembly with the forward end of the signal seated in a recess in the after end of the bomb body.

A flat-nose attachment has been designed for use with the Practice Bomb Mk 15 Mod 3 for anti-submarine bombing practice.  The flat nose is installed by removing the nose-filling cap, slipping the attachment over the nose of the bomb, and then screwing the filling cap down tightly by hand to hold the attachment in place.  The flat nose will prevent ricochet at entrance angles as low as 9 degrees.

The 2,000-pound size container was designed for an incendiary or practice filler but, thus far, it is approved by the Bureau of Ordnance for practice filling, sand, only.  As designed for incendiary loads, it would take a nose fuze, the Burster Mk 1, and the Igniter Mk 40; however this is subject to change before Bureau approval of the bomb as an incendiary.  The Mk 67 has standard suspension lugs and provision for trunnions.






Practice Bomb Signals (Navy)

AN-Mk 4 and AN-Mk 5: For the miniature practice bombs, these signals allow observers to spot the impact of salvos.  The Practice Signal Cartridge AN-Mk 4 is an extra long 10-gauge shotgun shell which is inserted in the nose of the bomb.  On impact, the cartridge is fired, expelling a large puff of black smoke from the tail of the bomb.  The firing device consists of two shallow cups separated by a spacer, the firing pin extending through the bottom of one cup.  The Signal Cartridge Mk 5 is the same size but filled with fluorescein, which stains the water, giving a spot of longer duration than the AN-Mk 4.



Mk 6 Mod and Mk 7 Mod 0: These signals are essentially cans of black powder fitted with the Fuze Mk 247.  The Mk 6 is used in the Practice Bombs Mk 65 and Mk 66; the Mk 7 in the Bomb Mk 15 Mod 3.  They are attached to the rear of teh bomb by brackets or a strap arrangement.  The Signal Mk 7 is 13.08 inches long and 2 inches in diameter.  It has a total weight of 2.5 pounds.  It has a filling of one pound of black powder.  The Mk 6 is generally the same, except that the fuze is mounted off-center and the black-powder filling weighs two pounds.

The Fuze Mk 247 consists of an inertia weight held by a jump-out pin and a creep spring.  The detonator is a blank caliber .38 cartridge.  When the signal is placed in the bomb, the firing pin assembly is unscrewed and a blank caliber .38 cartridge inserted in the cartridge chamber.  The firing assembly is then re-inserted and secured by means of a lock nut.  At the time of loading the bomb into the plane, the arming wire is inserted through the jump-out pin, and the safety pin is then removed.  Upon release from the plane, the arming wire is withdrawn, allowing the jump-out pin to be thrown free, arming the signal.  Upon impact, weighted firing pin overcomes the creep spring and impinges upon the primer of the caliber .38 blank cartridge, which, in turn, ignites the main black-powder charge.

Next Time: Practice Bombs - Army