4-pound Incendiary AN-M50 Series

Over-all length, inches

Body length, inches

Body diameter, inches

Tail length, inches

Tail width, inches

Filling

Weight of filling, pounds

Total weight, pounds

Charge/weight ratio

17%

Construction: The hexagonal body of magnesium alloy, weighing 1.25 pounds, has an iron nose plug. There are three vent holes belowe the primer cap assembly, to assist in initial burning. The hexagonal sheet-metal tail is secured to the body with three screws.

Operation: 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, which breaks free on impact and ignites the primer. The thermate burns, igniting the magnesium alloy case. The total burning time is 9.5 to 10.5 minutes.

Suspension

AN-M6

M5

100#

28 AN-M50A2

6 AN-M50XA3

E31

M5

100#

34 AN-M50TA2

M7

M6

500#

102 AN-M50A2

26 AN-M50XA3

AN-M14

M10A1

500#

104 AN-M50TA2

Aimable

6 AN-M50XA3

AN-M14A1

M10A1

Aimable

22 AN-M50TXA3

88 AN-M50TA2

M17

M10

500#

88 AN-M50A2

Aimable

22 AN-M50XA3

AN-M17A1

M10A1

500#

88 AN-M50A2

Aimable

22 AN-M50XA3

Remarks: AN-M50XA1, (Army: limited standard; Navy: obsolescent) contains 170 grains of black powder in a steel capsule at the nose, replacing a portion of the termate. The bomb burns approximately 1.5 minutes, until the black powder explodes, scattering burning magnesium over a wide radius.

AN-M50A2, similar to AN-M50A1, is waterproofed around the primer cap and first fire charge.

AN-M50XA2, similar to AN-M50XA1, has an explosive head consisting of a steel nose cap which houses three tetryl pellets, a detonator, and a delay fuse. The delay fuse is ignited and sets off the detonator, explosing the tetryl pellets and projecting fragments of steel and burning magnesium.

AN-M50XA3 is identical to AN-M50XA2, except that the assembly around the primer cap and first fire charge is waterproofed.

Type A and Type B - AN-M50XA2 and AN-M50XA3 each have a Type A and Type B. Type A indicates that the delay from impact to explosion is two to four minutes; Type B indicates that the delay from impact to explosion is sixty to seventy seconds.

AN-M50TA2 is identical to AN-M50A2, except that it contains a secret toxic agent, which does not affect the burning properties of the incendiary. Clusters carrying these bombs will have green and a purple band painted around them.

AN-M50TXA3 combines the toxic feature of the AN-M50TA2 with the H.E. feature of the AN-M50XA3. It is identical to the AN-M50TA2 as to appearance, except for a new longer, double-morised steel nose, hollowed out to contain the explosive charge. Be-cause of the extra length of the nose, the column of therm-64C is 1 1/8 inches shorter.

The M50TXA3 is produced according to only one design or type, which gives delay on the explosion of the H.E. charge of from 1½ to 6 minutes. A heat-sensitive detonator 2.556 inches long, which ignites at 300° C. is housed in a hole drilled centrally through the upper part of the steel nose. A 1/16-inch steel disk is placed in the bottom of the filling cavity of the bomb body, thus covering the top of the hole in the nose and insulat-ing the detonator from the heat of the burning bomb. The H.E. charge consists of tetryl pellets.

Figure 304. 4-pound Incendiary Bomb AN-M50A2