Dropped Bombs

Question 1

What is the fall back for dropped bombs is it can’t be identified?

Answer 1

General purpose (GP)

Question 2

What are the different types of dropped bombs?

Answer 2

general purpose (GP)
general purpose old series (GPOS)
general purpose new series (GPNS)
general purpose low drag (GPLD)
penetrator
guided bomb
destructor (air laid mine)
incendiary
chemical

Question 3

How can you ID general purpose old series (GPOS) bombs?

Answer 3

• body is one piece steel construction
• welded on lifting lugs: two on one side, one on the opposite side
• fixed stabilizers, usually welded
• 2” fuse well, nose and tail
• GP bombs 50% of bombs weight is explosive material

Question 4

What are the general purpose old series (GPOS) bomb fuses?

Answer 4

• VT
• impact
• impact inertia
• ET
• CW
• MT

Question 5

What are the general purpose old series (GPOS) bomb fuse safeties?

Answer 5

HE, frag, move, + fuse safeties

Question 6

How can you ID general purpose new series (GPNS) bombs?

Answer 6

• ogive starts about halfway between first suspension lug and the nose
• body is one piece steel construction, large diameter with tapered nose
• screwed on suspension lugs, with a charging well between the suspension lugs
• 3” fuse well nose and tail

Question 7

What are the general purpose new series (GPNS) bomb fuses?

Answer 7

• VT
• impact
• impact inertia
• ET
• CW
• MT

Question 8

What are the general purpose new series (GPNS) bomb safeties?

Answer 8

HE, frag, move, + fuse safeties

Question 9

How can you ID general purpose low drag (GPLD) bombs?

Answer 9

• tapering starts right in front of first suspension lug
• body is one piece steel construction
• screwed on suspension lugs, with charging well between the two
• bolted on stabilizers
• 3” fuse well nose and tail
• cigar shape designed to produce less drag

Question 10

What are the general purpose low drag (GPLD) bomb fuses?

Answer 10

• VT
• impact
• impact inertia
• ET
• CW
• MT

Question 11

What are the general purpose low drag (GPLD) bomb safeties?

Answer 11

HE, frag, move, + fuse safeties

Question 12

How can you ID general purpose (GP) bombs?

Answer 12

any bomb that does not follow the ID features of GPOS, GPNS, GPLD are considered general purpose (GP) bombs

Question 13

What are general purpose (GP) bomb fuses?

Answer 13

-VT
-impact
-impact inertia
-ET
-CW
MT

Question 14

What are general purpose (GP) bomb safeties?

Answer 14

HE, frag, move, + fuse safeties

Question 15

How can you ID penetration bombs?

Answer 15

• have between 25-30% explosive filler
• casings are designed to penetrate through hardened bunkers and buildings
• one piece steel construction body. 2/3 to 3/4 weight of bomb is the casing
• will have tail fuse only
• US penetrator bombs normally flair out in the rear

Question 16

What are penetrator bomb fuses?

Answer 16

impact inertia

Question 17

what are penetrator bomb safeties?

Answer 17

HE, frag, move

Question 18

How can you ID guided bombs?

Answer 18

• are maneuverable, free-fall weapons requiring no electronic interconnect to aircraft
• internal semi-active guidance system that detects laser energy and guides the weapon to a target illuminated by an external laser source
• designator can be located in the delivery aircraft, another aircraft, or a ground source
• body is standard GP bomb (GPLD or GPNS)
• will consist of a computer-control group (CCG), guidance canards (control surfaces) and fins attached to the front of the warhead to provide steering commands
• wing assembly attached to the aft end to provide lift

Question 19

What are guided bomb fuses?

Answer 19

impact (electrically armed)

Question 20

What are guided bomb safeties?

Answer 20

HE, frag, move, EMR, static, ejection, 24hr WT

Question 21

How can you ID destructor bombs?

Answer 21

• the aircraft laid mine is a GP bomb, which incorporates a fuzing system that turns it into a mine
• can be used on land or in the sea. All mines have the capability of making arming-delay, sterilization, self-destruct, and other operational settings
• uses a GPLD bomb body
• must have some kind of retardation, parachute, or snake eye fins
• key ID features are a golden plate in the rear charging well and sometimes a white band around the body

Question 22

What are destructor bomb fuses?

Answer 22

electronic (not ET)

Question 23

What are destructor bomb safeties?

Answer 23

He, frag, move, magnetic, EMR, static, WT, seismic

Question 24

How can you ID incendiary bombs?

Answer 24

• thin metal construction
• bomb will not be aerodynamic
• no fin assemblies/stabilizers
• filler plug by ogive

Question 25

What are incendiary bomb fuses?

Answer 25

all way acting (WP or sodium igniter)

Question 26

What are incendiary bomb safeties?

Answer 26

HE, frag, move, WP, fire

Question 27

How can you ID chemical bombs?

Answer 27

- an HE bomb that has a filler plug in the body (i.e. GP, GPOS, GPNS, GPLD) - designed for use against personnel, installations and area denial - they contain either persistent or non-chemical agents - may look like and HE bomb, use color codes to help ID

Question 28

What are chemical bomb fuses?

Answer 28

- impact - impact inertia - VT - MT - ET

Question 29

What are chemical bomb safeties?

Answer 29

HE, frag, move, chem