H.C. 8,000-lb., Sectional, Mks I and II (Obsolescent)

Fuzing

Color markings

Tail No.

Over-all length

Body length

Body diameter

Wall thickness

Tail length

Tail width

Total weight

Charge/weight ratio

Body Construction: The bomb consists of two cylindrical sections, each approxima-tely 4 ft. long and 3 ft. 2 in. in diameter, connected together by bolts. The front section has a domed nose plate welded to the body, and houses three exploder containers. A flat closing plate at the rear is bolted to an end ring, which is fitted with assembly bolts for connecting the two sections. An additional exploder container is fitted into a central bush in the rear closing plate. The rear section is closed at each end by plates. The for-ward plate is welded to a channel ring having holes circumferentially loacted to receive the assembly bolts of the forward section. The exploder container fits into the forward closing plate of the rear section. Central exploder tubes extends through both sections. Joining rings are cast in the Mk I and fabricated by welding in the Bomb Mk II.

Tail Construction: The Tail No. 33 Mk I consists of a hollow steel-plate cylinder open at the after end, with an angle ring welded or riveted in its forward end. The angle ring is drilled to take the assembly bolts of the rear body section for attaching the tail. Hand clearance holes give access to the assembly bolts during assembling of the tail to the bomb.

The Tail No. 52 Mk I has a cone with hand holes for access to the securing bolts, and a cylindrical strut attached to the cone by six fins which are welded to both the strut and the cone.

Suspension: The bomb is suspended by a single suspension lug, secured by four bolts to steel block pads on the channel ring and immediately abaft the ring on the rear body section, 50 in. from the bomb nose. This point represents the center of gravity.

Explosive Components

Detonator – (See Part 2, chap. 4, Detonators.)

Exploders – All exploder containers and exploders in the central tube of both sections are filled with C.E. pellets.

Filling – 5,361 lb. Amatex 9; or 5,850 lb. Torpex 2.

Remarks: This bomb can be fitted with a cylindrical nose attachment, placed around the nose of the forward section and protruding around the domed nose, to retard bomb in flight. This bomb is not composed of two regular 4,000 lb. H.C. boms, but of sections weighing approximately 4,000 lb., designed especially for it.

Figure 22 – H.C. 8,000-lb. Bomb Mk II

Figure 23 – 8,000- and 12,000-lb. Bomb sections