Fuzes: A-2 (a) (fitted with a magazine).

Over-all length: 25 1/2 inches.

Length of body:14 1/2 inches.

Diameter of body: 4 inches.

Thickness of wall: 3/16 inch.

Material of wall: Steel.

Type of suspension: Horizontal.

Suspension lug: Normal Army suspension lug on barrel, plus an improvised suspension de-vice described below.

Color and markings: Black over-all with a 3/16 inch white stripe just forward of the sus-pension lug.

Length of tail: 11 inches.

Width of tail: 5 7/16 inches.

Width of tail fins: 2 3/16 inches.

Dimensions of tail struts: Length, 3 7/8 inches; width, 3/8 inch; thickness, 1/16 inch.

Material of tail: 1/16 inch rolled steel.

Type of filling: Three thermite-filled magnesium fire pots. Two black powder charges.

Weight of filling: Fire pots, 10 pounds; black powder charges, 11 ounces.

Total weight of bomb: 26 pounds.

Charge/Weight ratio: 38 percent.

Construction of body: A cast-steel nosepiece is screwed into a tubular-steel body. A normal hinged Army suspension lug and an additional suspension device are fitted to the body. The suspension device consists of two steel bands 11/16 inch wide, each secured around the body by a bolt and nut. The bands are joined by a steel strip 1/2 inch wide which is welded to them. A 1/4 inch steel rod formed into a suspension yoke is welded to the steel strip. A tail cone is welded to a collar which fits into the after end of the body and is held in place by four rivets.

Construction of tail: Four steel fins are welded to the tail cone and are braced by a single row of box-type struts.

Operation: The fuze is armed in flight and on impact the magazine is fired which in turn ignites the black powder charge. The flash from this charge travels down a central flash channel ingniting the incendiary composition in the fire pots and firing the black powder charge in the tail. The explosive force of the two black powder charges is sufficient to shear the four rivets at the after end of the bomb body and thus expel the fire pots.

Remarks: The suspension yoke will be found on this bomb only when it is suspended from a ballon.

Figure 13 - Type 97 12-kg. Thermite Incendiary Bomb.