A puzzling Dutch bomb

[Dreamk]

During the Chaco war the Bolivian air force was equipped mainly with Bofors bombs delivered by Finland in 1931, and some US bombs acquired from Federal laboratories Inc.

However this photograph from 1933 shows an enigma: the 3rd bomb from the left and the symetrically posted 3rd bomb from the right are definitively not Bofors bombs but strongly look as Dutch 25kg bombs.

I always thought that no Dutch bomb were ever exported to another country.

(The other bombs on this pohotograph are from Left to right: a mortar bomb transformed in aerial bomb, a 12kg Bofors, this suspected Dutch 25kg bomb - a 50kg Bofors and a 100kg Bofors - then once again 50kg Bofors, Dutch 25kg bomb, 12kg Bofors bomb, mortar bomb - Another 100kg Bofors is lying on teh ground in front of this dispkay.

Would you confirm this identification?

Does someone know more about the story behind the rpesence of such a bomb in Bolivia of the 30s ?

 

[Antoon]

I do not know if there was any export of Dutch aircraft bombs in the inter war period that were made by the ammunition factory "Artillerie Inrichtingen" in the Netherlands.

Maybe export from the former Dutch East Indies?

 

[Dreamk]

BTW the mortar bomb is quite interesting by itself - it a 105mm manufactured by the North American company "American Armament Corporation" based on the design of the 81mm Stokes-Brandt, and delivered to Bolivia in 1933 together with the adequate AAC mortars - the orders being delivered by the AAC to Chile then reshipped to Bolivia to circumvent thr US embargo . In the firing tests carried out in Yacuiba during the first quarter of 1934, they failed to reach the distances specified in their firing tables, demonstrating poor ballistic performance, and 60% of the grenades had a tendency not to explode upon reaching the target. Unsuccessful as mortar bombs, they were were reconverted into aerial grenades!
The story did not finish here as the remaining stock of these mortar bombs were sold to Spain in 1936-37, being known there under the appellation of "Bolivian grenades"

 

[MINENAZ16]

I think it's a 81mm Brandt 32, US AAC is different

 

[Dreamk]

I think it's a 81mm Brandt 32, US AAC is different

GRANADA DE MORTERO "BOLIVIANA" the debate between Brandt 32 and 105 mmAAC can be found in extenso here:

https://www.amonio.es/mortero_boliviano.htm

More details on the projectile can be found here:

Granada de Mortero Americano ACC de 105mmm - ARMAMENTO GUERRA CIVIL

Granada de Mortero Americano "ACC" de 105mm ficha técnica fabricación: AMERICANA BANDO: Republicano MEDIDAS: 423x105mm PESO SIN CARGA: 5900gr ALCANCE: 2500mt ESPOLETA: Impacto retardado COLOR ORIGINAL: Negro y amarillo UTILIZADA EN: Cataluña descripción Esta granada de mortero es conocida en...

armamentoguerracivil.com

 

[MINENAZ16]

Yes I know it, I pay for a 81mm Brandt

 

[Hoeksel]

Bombs are not my expertise (shell cases) but maybe it helps:

1) AAC is well known as a supplier for Dutch East Indies (KNIL).
2) In Dutch archives (Netherlands Military museum and National archives) information from AAC is to be found, including their bombs.
3) Although I never saw proof of Hembrug export, I do believe they did so. I know of 2 shell cases dated 1929 intended for a HIH gun intended for China that was never used by the Dutch. They could be cases from testing, but more likely they are exported to China. The shell cases had typical Dutch layout.

 

[greif]

Yes I know it, I pay for a 81mm Brandt

View attachment 195127

I agree with Minenaz16.

 

[Dreamk]

So majority of opinions is for identifying this mortar bomb as a Brandt 81mm

 

[Dreamk]

I understand that the element enabling to differenciate between these mortar shells is in the tail:
Left 81mm Brandt - Center AAC 105mm - Right Bolivian photograph enlargment


Indeed Brandt tail, not AAC.