10-pound Incendiary M74

Overall length, inches

Body length, inches

Body diameter, inches

Tail length, inches

Tail width, inches

Filling

Fuzing

M142, M142A1, M3

Construction: This bomb has the same type of construction as the 6-pound Oil In-cendiary Bomb AN-M69, with a sheet-steel leak-proof casing and a nose cup housing the fuze. A small chemical container, located immediately behind the dome of the nose cup, is filled with white phosphorus, to aid ignition of the incendiary composition and produce smoke. In bombs with NP, the filling is enclosed in a cheesecloth sock; if PT 1 is used, it is loaded directly into the bomb. The Incendiary Bomb M74 has a telescope-type tail which fits inside the tail cup and is ejected under spring pressure when the bomb is re-leased from the cluster. A well inside the tail cup holds the tail sleeve when the assemb-ly is compressed in the cup

Suspension

500#

500#

500#

Operation: The striker of the Fuze M142 or M142A1 ignites the primer, which sets off the booster and main ejection charge. This activates the auxiliary ejection-ignition char-ge. Expanding gases rupture the dome-shaped ejection diaphragm, which forces the WP-filled cup, incendiary filling, tail cup, and tail assembly out of the bomb casing.

Remarks: Do not reinsert arming pin after it has been ejected, as it may cause the fuze to function.

The experimental bombs of this type with other fillings are designated the E5 series. The experimental bomb with a white phosphorus filling has been rejected; however, the one with the mustard filling, E5R8, is still under development. This bomb will be carried in the Cluster E61 holding 38 bombs (Cluster Adapter M23).

Figure 297. 10-pound Incendiary Bomb M74