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| U.S.N.B.D. - UNITED STATES - BOMBS AND FUZES; PYROTECHNICS |
| SECTION II - INCENDIARY & CHEMICAL BOMBS |
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DATA: |
AN-M50A1 (Obsolete) |
ARMY - NAVY BOMBS |
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4 LB. INCEND. |
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OVERALL LENGTH |
21.5 in. |
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BODY LENGTH |
13.4 in. | ||
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BODY DIAMETER |
1.69 in. | ||
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WALL THICKNESS |
AN-M50A1 |
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TAIL LENGTH |
8.7 in. |
(and modifications) |
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TAIL WIDTH |
1.68 in. |
(Service) |
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TAIL WEIGHT |
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WEIGHTS: |
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Type of Filling |
Thermate | ||
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Weight of Filling |
0.63 lbs. | ||
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Total Weight |
3.6 lbs. | ||
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Chg/Wt. Ratio |
27% |
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BODY CONSTRUCTION: |
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Hexagonal cast magnesium alloy body weighing 1.25 lbs, with an iron nose plug. There are three vent holes body the primer cap assembly to a asists in initial burn-ing. |
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TAIL CONSTRUCTION: |
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Hexagonal sheet metal secured to body with three screws. |
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SUSPENSION: |
| Cluster | Cluster Adapter | Size | No. of Bombs Carried | Status | |
| AN-M5 | M5 | 100 lb. |
28 AN-M50A2 |
Service | |
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6 AN-M50XA3 |
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| E31 | M5 | 100 lb. |
34 AN-M50TA2 |
Service | |
| M7 | M6 | 500 lb. | 102 AN-M50A2 | Service | |
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26 AN-M50XA3 |
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| AN-M14 | M10A1 | 500 lb. | 104 AN-M50A2 | Service | |
| Aimable |
6 AN-M50XA3 |
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| M17 | M10 | 500 lb. |
88 AN-M50A2 |
Service | |
| Aimable |
22 AN-M50XA3 |
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| AN-M17A1 | M10A1 | 500 lb. |
88 AN-M50A2 |
Service | |
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Aimable |
22 AN-M50XA3 |
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OPERATION: |
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Spring loaded safety plunger is depressed by adjacent bomb; upon release from cluster it jumps out leaving a thin brass cross holding striker, which breaks free on impact and ignites primer. The thermate burns, igniting the magnesium alloy case. Total burning time is 9.5 to 10.5 minutes. |
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REMARKS: |
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AN-M50XA1, (Army: limited standard; Navy: obsolescent) contains 170 grains of black powder in a steel capsule at nose, replacing portion of thermate. The bomb burns approximately 1.5 minutes, black powder explodes, scattering burning mag-nesium over wide radius. |
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AN-M50A2 (similar to AN-M50A1) is waterproofed around the primer cup and first fire charge. |
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AN-M50XA2 (similar to AN-M50XA1) has an explosive head consisting of a steel nose cape which houses three tetryl pellets, a detonator and a delay fuze. The de-lay fuze is ignited and sets off the detonator, exploding tetryl pellets, projecting fragments of steel and burning magnesium. |
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AN-M50XA3 is identical to AN-M50XA2 except the assembly around primer cap and first fired charge is waterproofed. |
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AN-M50T2 is identical to AN-M50A2 except it contains a secret toxic agent, which does not effect the burning properties of the incendiary. Clusters carrying these bombs will have a green and a purple band painted around item. |
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Type A and Type B: |
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AN-M50XA2 and AN-M50XA3 each have a Type A and Type B. Type A indicates that the delay from impact to explosion is two of four minutes; Type B indicates that the delay from impact to explosion is sixty to seventy seconds. |
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