Please help looking for info on M47 bombs

[Dragontooth]

Gentlemen,

could you please help me? Looking for pics of the US AN-M47 100 lb bombs and variants plus info on manufacturers of the casing/body.

I believe Budd Co., Philadelphia; Edison Electric, Chicago were the main ones during WW II, but Id also be interested in the time after WW II.

Anything with a lot no. would be super.

Thanks.

PS which version carried the WP/PWP?

 

[Dragontooth]

hmm. bumpy time.

the Mk 15 Mod 4 was a practice bomb, but looks so much like the AN-M47 bombs. were these used only for practice or could they also be used as a normal WP version?

confuzed now.

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/3766121

http://www.cranetechnologiesinc.com/MK15MOD4Navy100PoundBomb.html

 

[kahu1]

Hi ,

The MK15 is a practice bomb only , to be filled with sand and water mixture and fitted with a spotting charge.
Even the standard 100lb HE bomb was quite different, especially at the nose, being rounded, and being base fuzed.

cheeers
Bob

 

[Dragontooth]

nice. thanks.
hope i get some info on the combat 100 lb version soon.

 

[ramc181]

PS which version carried the WP/PWP?

The bare casings were:
Bomb, Chemical, 100lb, M47
Bomb, Chemical, 100lb, M47A1 (Interior protected with acidproof black paint)
Bomb, Chemical, 100lb, M47A2 (Interior protected with oil)

Depending on the filling, these would become:

Bomb, Smoke, Phosphorus, WP, 100lb, M47A1 (100lb charge of WP)
Bomb, Smoke, Phosphorus, WP, 100lb, M47A1 (100lb charge of WP)
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, AN-M47A1 (40lb charge of gelled gasoline IM or NP)
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, AN-M47A2 (40lb charge of gelled gasoline IM or NP)
Bomb, Gas, Persistent, H, 100lb, M47A1 (68.5lb charge of mustard gas)
Bomb, Gas, Persistent, H, 100lb, M47A2 (68.5lb charge of mustard gas)

(Above data from TM 9-1980 Bombs for Aircraft 1944. The M47A3 seems to have been introduced later the same year.)

The following are listed in the 1957 edition of TM 3-400 Chemical Bombs & Clusters.

In Service:
Bomb, Incendiary, NP, 100lb, AN-M47A3 (40lb charge of NP)
Bomb, Smoke, PWP, 100lb, AN-M47A3 (74lb charge of PWP)
Bomb, Smoke, PWP or WP, 100lb, AN-M47A4 (74lb charge of PWP or 100lb charge of WP)

Obsolete:
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, M47 (IM charge)
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, M47 (NP charge)
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, M47A1 (IM charge)
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, M47A1 (NP charge)
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, AN-M47A2 (IM charge)
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, AN-M47A2 (NP charge)
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, AN-M47A3 (IM charge)
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, AN-M47A4 (IM charge)
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, AN-M47A4 (NP charge)
Bomb, Smoke, Phosphorus, WP, 100lb, AN-M47A1
Bomb, Smoke, Phosphorus, WP, 100lb, AN-M47A2

The 1966 edition of TO 11-1-28/TM 9-1325-200 Bombs & Bomb Components lists:

In Service:
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, AN-M47A3 (40lb charge of NP)
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, AN-M47A4 (42lb charge of IM) Reintroduced since 1957
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, AN-M47A4 (42lb charge of NP) Reintroduced since 1957
Bomb, Incendiary, 100lb, AN-M47A4 (42lb charge of PT1)
Bomb, Smoke, PWP, 100lb, AN-M47A3 (74lb charge of PWP)
Bomb, Smoke, PWP or WP, 100lb, AN-M47A4 (74lb charge of PWP or 100lb charge of WP)

All the best,
PB

 

[Dragontooth]

PB I appreciate it.

Do you, or anyone have ideas about which US companies made the casings? Were these WWII casings or were they made afterwards too? Pics with markings anybody?

Best,
D.

 

[ramc181]

Here's an M47A2 with NP (napalm) charge filled by the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in December 1943:

The US Chemical Warfare Service history of WWII indicates that, in the case of the M47 series, the empty casings were procured by the Ordnance Department and were then supplied to the CWS for filling at the Edgewood, Rocky Mountain and Pine Bluff Arsenals, or shipped with bulk charge seperately for CWS filling in theater.

Gasoline thickening agent identifiers:
IM = Isobutyl Methacrylate Polymer thickening agent
NP = Du Pont Naphthenic & Palmitic Acid thickening agent, hence Napalm

Gasoline thickening agent suppliers to the CWS:
Nuodex Products Co.
Imperial Paper and Color Corp.
Ferro Enamel Corp.
McGean Chemical Corp.
California Ink Co.
Oronite Chemical Co.
The United Wall Paper Co.
Eastman Kodak Co.
Ferro Drier and Chemical Co.
Harshaw Chemical Co.
Shell Development Co.
Standard Oil Development Co.

White Phosphorous suppliers to the CWS:
Victor Chemical Works, Mt Pleasant, TN (prior to 1941)
Tennessee Valley Authority, Wilson Dam, AL (primary WWII supplier)
Monsanto Chemical Co., Columbia, TN (1943-46)
Ferro Enamel Co., Cleveland, OH (case filling contractor, supplied by Montanto)

Sorry I haven't found a list of casing manufacturers yet, but I'll keep looking.

All the best,
PB

 

[Dragontooth]

beautiful PB.
anybody else have pics maybe post WWII?