Why coloured bombs in USAAF service in WW2?

[wixlova]

Have a look at theese and what is your thoughts?

Aiming purpose or colour coded?

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd22 ... owFins.jpg
http://s223.photobucket.com/albums/dd22 ... ODwith.jpg
http://s223.photobucket.com/albums/dd22 ... tripes.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd22 ... ritish.jpg

[Dan K]

First, the USAAF would never use a coloured bomb.

Second, isn't your last link a stick of RAF bombs? Did the US use round tailfins?

http://www.geocities.com/skidaddy20000/Bombs.html

[Matt Gunsch]

I would think they were paint for use in a lead plane. Later in the war, not all planes carried a bombadier, they had a toggler that dropped on a signal from the lead plane. a painted bomb would be easier to see. In the WWII version of Memphis Belle, it shows a train of yellow bombs with black stripes.

[Robbie Roberts]

There was a spec for color markings on bombs which designate what type explosive they contained. I do not recall what it is, but that was why they were painted.

Robbie