Introduction

Incendiary bombs of many various types, ranging in weight from 4 to 250 lb., are at present in service use for operations against different types of targets. The construction and filling of these bombs differ with the individual types, and no general description can be given here to cover the complete range.

Some bombs, such as the 4-lb. series, have bodies composed mainly of incendiary material, such as magnesium alloy, and are filled with solid incendiary compositions. Other bombs, such as the 30-lb. I.B., have steel tubular bodies and are liquid filled with a rub-ber/benzole solution, or may be partially filled with cast white phosphorus. Liquid-filled bombs are provided with an ejection charge. The obsolete 25-lb. bomb has a faired steel tubular body containing incendiary firepots which are ejected successively by small gun-powder charges.

A small percentage of 4-lb. incendiary bombs contain an explosive charge, the object of which is to render dangerous approach to the burning bombs, because of the risk of flying splinters. Attempts to extinguish these and standard non-explosive bombs, which are dropped simultaneously, are thereby discouraged. If the explosive charge is gunpow-der, the bomb is distinguished by the letter "E". A tetryl (C.E.) explosive charge is indica-ted by the letter "X".

These bombs are either painted a dull red over-all, or have the nose end painted red for several inches. Most of them have two black bands separated by a bright red band around the nose end. Though formerly carried in the 250-lb. Small Bomb Container. Clus-ter Projectiles (aimable clusters) are replacing the S.B.C. as the favored method of car-rying.