Identify WW2 Bomb!

[Jack Cook]

One source pm'd saying he's 90 percent sure it is a USN depth bomb

Dang is he psychic Mines and depth charges have very thin skin because
they destroy by concussion.
Jack the Aviation Ordnanceman

[Django]

Looks to me like the data plate reads ACME. Maybe you can get their GENIUS to run the serial number?

[airnutz]

John, have you done the math to see what the internal volume of the bomb is? Just curious..
It's odd that it's got built-up 3D fins. I'm thinking napalm or chemical weapon given the apparent
thin casing skin.

I apologize for my ignorance!!

One source pm'd saying he's 90 percent sure it is a USN depth bomb. There is no adaptation for a depth fuse and the large locking lug jeep type looking gas cap housing throws me off.

Thanks John. The volume question pertained to the mention, in a few sources concerning napalm canisters, are listed
in gallons of "juice" they contain. Just running out a curiosity....

Googling around, I did see a small photo of a MK17 depth bomb in N.J.M. Campbell's book, Naval Weapons of WW2,
but the image was difficult to make out any detail. Googling the Mk17, Wiki had a larger example of the same photo.
Some similarities to yours...appears to be the nose is rounded, tho difficult to tell from this angle and note the three
lugs along "bottom". Does yours have 2 or 3 fins? The fin ring looks smaller on this photo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Depth-bomb.jpg

I didn't get around these things much in the Navy. Only messed with the Mk57 sub-launched mine for one exercise..long enough
for our boat to pass qualifications currency and then never again. The Mk57 had a fiberglass case on it.

[John Lane]

This bomb has four fins with the round flat shroud joining them together. Thank you for your further interest. I'll look up MK-17 and see if it appears to be somewhat the same as you have found!

[the330thbg]

Maybe it's a mock-up.., from either Hollywood or worse!

[airnutz]

Maybe it's a mock-up.., from either Hollywood or worse!

Yeah..the little man is in the back of the room screaming, "Practice Bomb!" Even tho it's not blue. The filler
oriface just looks wrong...as John alluded to. Better for filling with sand...or napalm..but we'll see. Where are the
experts when you need 'em?

[RAMC181]

Ordata throws up three candidates:

U.S. BOMB, 500-LB, PRACTICE, MK 5


U.S. BOMB, 500-LB, PRACTICE, MK 11


U.S. BOMB, 500-LB, PRACTICE, MK 21


Hope that's got it.

TTFN,
PB

[airnutz]

Lookee there..and the man even brought dimensions to the discussion!

[John Lane]

Ordata throws up three candidates:

U.S. BOMB, 500-LB, PRACTICE, MK 5


U.S. BOMB, 500-LB, PRACTICE, MK 11


U.S. BOMB, 500-LB, PRACTICE, MK 21


Hope that's got it.

TTFN,
PB

OK, Its practice bomb! We are very close, every thing looks exactly the same as the drawings except for the dimensions! The overall length is about 79.5" long, the girth is about 19" and the body minus the tail fins is about 48" long!

What about a 1000 lb. Practice Bomb, MK-?

Thanks!

[RAMC181]

Those dimensions are spot on for the two 1000lb practice bombs, but I'd ignored those earlier as the illustrations showed square not circular fins:

U.S. BOMB, 1,000-LB, PRACTICE, MK 7


U.S. BOMB, 1,000-LB, PRACTICE, MK 22


All the best,
PB

[F3A-1]

John,

I don't have a clue what the bomb is, but I sure like its RACK!


Pirate Lex
http://www.BrewsterCorsair.com

[John Lane]

Those dimensions are spot on for the two 1000lb practice bombs, but I'd ignored those earlier as the illustrations showed square not circular fins:

U.S. BOMB, 1,000-LB, PRACTICE, MK 7


U.S. BOMB, 1,000-LB, PRACTICE, MK 22


All the best,
PB

Paul,
BINGO!!

You the man, mystery solved!!

What I'm wondering is if the Navy had the ring fin and AAF used the box type?

[airnutz]

A coupla photo's to gnaw on, John. Tiny, but showing a Catalina with the fin ring from VPB-71..
www.vpnavy.com/pby/vp71pby_28oct99.jpg

And a Royal Navy Catalina being armed with depth charges...
www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/album/black26 ... arges.html

One article mentions a USN 650 pound DC which was introduced in late 1942, the Mk 29, but I haven't
been able to find a photo of it yet.

[Second Air Force]

John,

I don't have a clue what the bomb is, but I sure like its RACK!


Pirate Lex
http://www.BrewsterCorsair.com

Lex,

I was amazed that no comments were uttered about the rack.......folks must be getting soft on the forum!!!!

Scott

[John Lane]

Scott,

I don't think many folks recognize what it is and how rare! Now that we're mounting it under a flying Corsair is another thing!!