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| U.S. EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE |
| PART 6 - BOMBS AND BOMB FUZES |
| Chapter 18 - CHEMICAL, INCENDIARY, AND SMOKE BOMBS |
| Section 4 - "AN" Series |
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2-pound Incendiary (Obsolete) AN-M52, AN-M52A1, and AN-M52XA1 |
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Over-all length, inches |
14.22 | |
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Body length, inches |
9.13 | |
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Body diameter, inches |
1.68 | |
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Wall thickness, inch |
0.35 | |
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Tail length, inches |
5.79 | |
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Tail width, inches |
1.68 | |
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Filling |
Thermate | |
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Weight of filling, pounds |
0.4 | |
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Total weight, pounds |
2.0 | |
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Charge/weight ratio |
20% |
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Construction: The hexagonal cast-magensium alloy body weighs 1.13 pounds. The bore is one inch shorter than the body length, thus making a solid nose. There are three vent holes below the primer cap assembly, to assist in initial burning. The hexagonal sheel-metal tail is secured to the body with three screws. |
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Suspension |
| Cluster | Adapter | Size | Bombs |
| M10 | M5 |
100# |
42 AN-M52A1 |
| 9 AN-M52XA1 | |||
| M11 | M8 |
500# |
153 AN-M52A1 |
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39 AN-M52XA1 |
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Filling: Thermate is a composition of 80% Thermite and 20% first fire charge: |
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Thermite |
First Fire Chg. |
(a) |
(b) |
| Iron oxide 76% | Sodium nitrate | 50% | |
| Aluminum pow- | Aluminium | ||
|
der 24% |
powder |
45% | 75% |
| Sulphur | 4% | ||
| Boiled linseed oil | 1% | ||
| Black powder | 25% |
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Action: The spring-loaded safety plunger is depressed by the adjacent bomb; upon release from the cluster, it jumps out, leaving a thin brass cross holding the striker. On impact, the striker breaks free from the cross, igniting the primer, the first fire charge, and the thermate. The thermate burns, igniting the magnesium alloy case. The total burning time is eight minutes. |
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Remarks: In the Incendiary Bomb AN-M52A1, a primer of heavier metal is used, and the composition of the first fire charge is altered. The AN-M52XA1 incorporates an ex-plosive charge; otherwise it duplicates the AN-M52A1. |
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Figure 303. 2-pound Incendiary Bomb AN-M52 |
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