OVERALL LENGTH

MAX. BODY DIAMETER

FUZING

WEIGHT

FILLING

COLOR

GENERAL:

This bomb is an adaption of a U.S. Army M26 Flare. The purpose of the bomb is to scatter large quantities of propagnad leafleats over enemy occupied territory.

DESCRIPTION:

The bomb consists of a light sheet steel body, closed at the front end by a plastic transit plug, and at the after end by a light sheet steel lid. When the bomb is filled and ready for use this lid is held in place by four soft steel tabs, which are welded at one end to the bomb body and have their free ends bent over the lid. Four tail fins are se-cured to the after end of the bomb casing.

Inside the body is a wooden frame consisting of a block, which fits snugly in the nose of the bomb but does not completey fill it, and three equi-spaced battens, each of which is secured at one end to the block. These battens extend the full length of the bomb body between the block and the lid. The leaflets are contained in the wooden frame between the batterns.

The outer end of the block is recessed to locate an ejection charge containing 400 grains of G.12 gunpowder held in a muslin bag.

Since the bomb is an American weapon, it must be somewhat modified for British use. A special brass adapter is threaded into the nose fuze pocket. The adapter is in-ternally threaded to receive the larger No. 860 Mk II fuze. In the base of the adapter is located a charge of G.12 gunpowder, sealed at either end by a waterproof disc.

SUSPENSION:

The Mk I bomb is designed only for aircraft having American type bomb stowage. It is fitted with two American type lugs attached to suspension bands around the bomb body. The Mk II bomb is designed for suspension only in a Universal type bomb carrier. The bomb is fitted with both British and American type suspension lugs, but the Ameri-can lugs have been moved out of position for American suspension. Instead, they have been positioned to fite beneath the standard crutching forks of the Universal type carrier and act as strengthening bands for the light gauge steel body.

FUNCTIONING:

When the fuzed bomb is released from the plane, it falls freely until the fuze funct-ions, and the gunpowder in the adapter is initiated. The flash from the gunpowder igni-tes the ejection charge, and the pressure from the explosion of the ejection charge forces the wooden frame containing the leaflets out of the after end of the bomb body. The lid is thrown clear and the contens ejected from the tail. After ejection, the wood-en frame falls end over, and the leaflets fall out of the frame and scatter over the tar-get.