Sorting through some photos, I came across these which I thought I would share, a couple of variations of US Skymarker bombs from WWII.
Skymarkers were used by lead bombers to mark targets for following aircraft. As I understand it, typically 50-75 might be dropped by a single aircraft.
For later versions it is referenced that FM (titanium tetrachloride/liquid smoke) was used. The versions shown below incorporated smoke grenades, and can be found in the storage area of the US Chemical Museum at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri.
The first bomb (photos 1&2) is marked as "M87 - Skymarker". It used a combination of materials, with smoke grenades in a central tube. The second (last 4 photos) is marked as "Bomb, Colored Smoke, Red, Skymarker, E18R2. It is filled with smoke grenades and had a weighted nose.
Interesting about the second bomb is the grenade fuze initiators located in the tail of the bomb.
Skymarkers were used by lead bombers to mark targets for following aircraft. As I understand it, typically 50-75 might be dropped by a single aircraft.
For later versions it is referenced that FM (titanium tetrachloride/liquid smoke) was used. The versions shown below incorporated smoke grenades, and can be found in the storage area of the US Chemical Museum at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri.
The first bomb (photos 1&2) is marked as "M87 - Skymarker". It used a combination of materials, with smoke grenades in a central tube. The second (last 4 photos) is marked as "Bomb, Colored Smoke, Red, Skymarker, E18R2. It is filled with smoke grenades and had a weighted nose.
Interesting about the second bomb is the grenade fuze initiators located in the tail of the bomb.