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New unknown 1,000 pound casing with interesting fin assembly. *USA*

D

DEADLINE222

Well-Known Member
Found on an antiques site and purchased from a junkyard owner in Mississippi, U.S.A.

You can see where it his been punched through by a charge or whatever means EODs would use in this case.

I am wondering what the nomenclature is on this piece? It is very rusty, yet without comparing the two, it seems to show differences from my ANM-65A1.

It was made in August of 1944, but I cannot tell what modification it is, other than "BOMB 1000 LB ANM***. What really catches my eye is the construction of the box fin assembly. From what I can see, there are no welds of any type to be found. The sheet steel is doubled up in the joining lacations and held together with flat head screws and nuts, so I am thinking that the fin is an older type. Upon examiniation, you will see there are what I assume to be stamped reinforcing braces bolted on the rear of each fin.

As I already have a ANM-65A1 in my collection, I am hoping it is a ANM-65, or possibly an M-44. It has the single lug on the bottom, and I estimate it’s weight to be 575 +/- pounds. It could be less because I am not certain of the pallet’s weight it was shipped on, or if there is any inert material inside the casing other than a few drops of dirt and leaves I have removed.

Any information on the nomenclature of the casing or especially the box fin would be much appreciated.

ANM.jpg
 
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A little more information would be helpful.

There are a couple of key areas for identification of US bombs. One is the construction of the base/baseplate of the bomb, under the cup of the tail assembly. Some bombs (i.e. incendiary, chemical, etc) have very different bases, and viewing this can be key to identification.

Another is that most US bombs had stamped identification markings. Normally these markings would along the top centerline, either between the lifting lugs or just above the baseplate. A good wire-brushing or even use of a file will sometimes help to bring out these markings
 
I reluctantly removed the fin with the plasma cutter because the rust holding the fin retaining nut looks impenetrable, and I could not fit the big pipe wrench inside the fin openings.

As I have many casings, I am well aware of the stamped areas rear of the top, rear suspension lug. On my first post, I was describing what I can read on the casing that is not consumed with heavy pitting.

I will take a picture soon, but I did this drawing based on what I see looking at the rear of the casing.

There looks to be some type of heavy valve stem, so tell me I have the last surviving chemical type bomb of it’s type left in the world, or a just a plain old AN-M65.

ANM234.jpg
 
Your diagram looks about 95% similar to the chemical base, but also quite close to the incendiary base. A photo would be of assistance. If its the CW base you have most likely the M79, though there was a variant called the T2 which is difficult to find solid references on.

There are not many of the M79s left, most are buried in museums. The best I've been able to do is the 500lb version, the M78. Send a photo when you get a chance, and I'll try to dig out some pubs tonight.
 
Got your picture by PM, its definitely the M79 chemical bomb. A WWII bomb, the standard fill was Hydrogen Cyanide or Phosgene. Nice find.
 
Hey guys,

We found an interesting bomb 2 years ago, in the same circomstance... in a scrap yard that is!?! We could not beleive it and did not find out how it got there either... was an AN series, M79 1000lbs Chemical bomb. ID was quite easy as stamp was still visible on it. Although, the person who made those mark kinda miss his shot and double it on the zero's so we did not know if it was authentic. We asume that it was, what it is... as the difference with the M65 GP bomb got trunions on each side of it. This one has not. But it is definatly an AN series (Army-Navy) bomb.

Here some pict. We still have it at work.

Cheers.
FCAT.
IMG_0585.JPGIMG_0586.jpgIMG_0587.JPGIMG_0588.jpgIMG_0589.jpgIMG_0590.JPGIMG_0591.jpgIMG_0592.JPG

Got few more pict to come in a minute.
 

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Here's some more pict from find above... and drawing/difference between model 79 and 65.

And I hope I was of any help.
Cheers,
FCAT.

IMG_0594.jpgIMG_0595.jpgIMG_0596.jpgIMG_0597.jpgU.S. BOMB, 1,000-LB, CHEMICAL, AN-M79.jpgU.S. BOMB, 1,000-LB, CHEMICAL, AN-M79-1.jpg1000 lb, demo HE, AN M44, M65, M65A1.jpg1000 lb, demo HE, AN M44, M65, M65A1-1.jpg1000 lb, demo HE, AN M44, M65, M65A1-2.jpg
 
I guess that means there are two M-79s left in the world.

Very nice.

I would still like to know what the differences are in the chemical and and incendiary casing?
 
Hi again Deadline,

Don't want to give your hopes up, but I do believe the bombs are pretty well made the same as for thickness of the body. (then again, I could be wrong. But I'm prety certain...). As incendiary does enter in the chemical category by definition.
Chemical Bomb: A chemical bomb is a missile which contains a chemical filling and is designed to be dropped from an aircraft. The chemical filling may be toxic gas, screening smoke, or incendiary.
That being said, according to my research, I did not find any incendiary 1000lb version in the AN series. Only 500 lb, AN-M76 for the incendiary and an AN-M78 for smaller chemical.
All of their body are made of steel and are operate the same, they are crack open with a buster. But the busters differs in model and in the incendiary bomb, there is a WP igniter accompanying the buster.
The bodies of smaller bombs are round or hexagonal in cross section. Some small incendiary bombs have bodies made of magnesium alloy, the body itself constituting the main charge of the bomb like the AN-M50, 4 lb bomb. Other small incendiary bombs have steel bodies which contain an incendiary filling. Like the M74, 10 lb bomb.
The body of larger bombs are cylindrical in cross section and have rounded or ogival noses and tapered rear sections. Large bombs bodies which must withstand high internal pressure are forged or cast from steel like the AN-M76, M78, M79; when internal pressure are not high, the bodies are made of thin sheet metal or aluminum like the M116’s.
Incendiary filling used in chemical bombs are thickened fuel and metallic filling. A third type of incendiary material, not properly classified as a filling is the magnesium from which the bodies of some incendiary bomb are made.
1. Thickened fuels are composed of flammable liquids, such as gasoline, thickened to a jellylike consistency.(why the need of WP for help? because it's not liquid)
2. The basic ingredient in metallic incendiary filling is thermite which is a mixture of different powder and is ignited by an igniter such as black powder.
3. Magnesium is a soft metal which, when heated to approx. 1100 degrees F, in the presence of air, ignites and burn vigorously at a temperature of about 3600 degrees F.


Hopping this is good info.
Cheers.
FCAT.

USA 10 lb, Incendiary, PT1, M74.jpgUSA, 500 lb, Chemical, AN-M78.jpgUSA, 500 lb, Chemical, AN-M78-1.jpgUSA, 500 lb, Incendiary, AN-M76.jpgUSA, 500 lb, Incendiary, AN-M76-1.jpgUSA, 750 lb, Fire, M116.jpgUSA, 750 lb, Fire, M116A1 - A2.jpg
 
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Nice informaiton.

In the first part of your reply, I gather that you are stating that chemical and chemical and and incendiary casings in the 1,000 pound size are the same?

Correct, or no so much?

Also, in terms of painting the casing grey and the filler stripes and nomenclature green; are there specific colors or paint part numbers the military would have used?
 
Sorry bud, my bad... and I corrected it. There was missing a word in the sentence, "According to my research, I did not find any INCENDIARY 1000 lb bomb version in the AN series..." I only found info on the 500 lb, both incendiary and chemical. And YES...THOSE seem to be Identical, accept for filling of course. As for the marking and paint, refer to attach doc's below. Those are the reference that I used to tell you all about it. Only attached pages that are relevant to what we were discussing. It should be ok to post, as the Pub is more then 53 years old. Right???

And to be quite honest... if I knew that I could attach so much document in last post... I would have saved a lot of writing... lmao. :tongue:

And I learn few things about how to work my PC today... All good...

Page 1.jpgPage 4.jpgPage 5.jpgPage 6.jpgPage 7.jpgPage 8.jpgPage 9.jpgPage 10.jpgPage 17.jpgPage 18.jpg

Few more page to follow...
Cheers.
FCAT.
 
As I recall there was an incendiary for the 1000lb, but I'll need to find a reference. I'll hunt for some photos or a diagram of the incendiary in a day or two. My library is still buried from my move, so it is hard to find any info quickly or easily. Essentially, the section that protrudes from the base on the M79 (your diagram, containing the valve) is still there for the incendiary, but it has a different shape. More oval without the angled section where the valve is located. Make sense?

French Canadian, the US, UK and Canada shared several test areas during WWII and even up to the 1960s for CW. The largest of was in western Canada, this would seem the most likely origin for your discovery. German stuff could be found as well.
 
Hey US Sub,

You are probably referring to CFB Suffield area, located in Alberta, Canada. This is still very much active today by the way. It was back in the days a British/Canadian test site in the beginning of the 40's. June 1941 to be more specific. A lot of Bio and Chemical test has been done during WWII over there.
And you could be right, maybe our bomb could have come from there but then again... who knows?? It is just odd that something of that size happen to be found in a scrap yard at the other end of the country... (We found it near Mtl area). You would be surprise on what finding we do sometime... I know I am. Two month ago, some archeologist called us to pick-up a 125 lb Canon ball that they dig out from some site. Should post some pict. of that one.
Anyway, British army still train some of their troops in present days at that base, as the two main lodger unit of that base is; DRDC Suffield (one of Canada R&D div.) and BATUS which stand for British Army Training Unit Suffield. It no big secret, just Google CFB Suffield and you might be surprise on search result. There will be a few cool fire power demos that took place over there linked to YouTube...

'till next time.
Cheers.
FCAT.
 
Here's a few pictures of some US bomb bases i took this morning.

P7298563.jpg - Chemical

P7298565.jpg - HE

P7298569.jpg - HE with tail fin
 
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