Fuzes: A-7 (a).

Over-all length: 4 13/32 inches.

Diameter of body: 2 1/2 inches.

Thickness of wall: 3/32 inch.

Color and markings: Black over-all with red band around the nose.

Type of filling: TNT, 60 percent; RDX, 40 percent.

Weight of filling: 8 ounces.

Total weight of bomb: 14 ounces (without fuze).

Charge/weight ratio: 60.7 percent.

Description: The bomb assembly consists of a small bomb and fuze, a reel of steel cable, and two parachutes packed in a split can with a hinged bottom and a screw top. The bomb proper is a steel cylinder closed at both ends. The walls and base are made in one piece with a smaller extension drawn out from the base to take the base plug. The nose end is closed by a disk welded onto the walls. A protuding threaded collar is welded onto the disk. The cable attachment is threaded to a base plug which screws into the base of the bomb and is held there by a locking nut.

A-7 (a) is an all-ways action fuze screwed into the nose collar of the bomb.

The parachute assembly consists of the main parachute attached to the auxiliary para-chute, which is attached to the reel containing 164 feet of 1/16 inch diameter steel wire, which is connected to the cable attachment on top of the bomb.

The small auxiliary parachute is 13 1/2 inches in diameter unfilled, and is attached to the top of the reel by nine 15-inch silk shrouds. The main parachute is 36 1/2 inches in dia-meter unfilled. Thirteen silk shrouds, 37 1/2 inches long, are attached to a cord leading out of the top of auxiliary parachute by 8 1/2 inches of double bungee cord.

Operation: This bomb is designed for air to air bombing. Prior to release, the container lid is unscrewed and the safety pin removed from the arming vane. It is probable that the entire can without the lid is discharged from the airplane. Air resistance would quickly eject the contents from the container.

As soon as the bomb starts to fall through the air, the parachute opens, the cable parti-ally unwinds, and the arming vane rotates. Ten revolutions suffice to unscrew the spindle from the fuze body; the vane and spindle then fall away. The striker and primer are now free in the fuze body, held apart only by a spring.

When the plane strikes the cable, the bomb is either drawn up against the plane or whip-ped up, eventually hitting the plane. On impact with the plane, inertia causing the fuze parts to move in any direction except toward the nose of the fuze, will cause the striker and primer carrier to be driven together, firing the fuze, and detonating the bomb.

Remarks: Since the fuze is designed not to fire when the bomb strikes on its nose, the bombs may not explode on impact with the ground (if it misses a plane). Since the spring is quite weak, a highly sensitive and dangerous UXB may be expected.

Figure 27 - Type 2 1/2-kg. Bomb.