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8.5lb practice bomb

lookfar

New Member
G'day All,
I recently acquired one of these 8.5lb practice bombs that has been chromed and made into a lamp.

one of the markings has me a bit confused as to it's meaning.
The markings on the tail are;

8 1/2lb
IM
MF
1939.

Dunno what the "IM" is.

TIA
Stu
 

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I also have two 8 1/2lb practice bombs painted white. My markings are on the unscrewed tail base where the primer fits.
I have OO with a line between the O's so maybe PP back-to-front? 41.
The other is MHK joined with a c above the H bar and & below it /4. Also stamped on the head.
I have no idea on the IM and MF on yours. Does not seem MF factory that made small arms ammo. I await the experts too. Ron.
 
I have lots of MF made artillery cases but have no records of them making bombs. Please advise if MF did make bombs.
 
MHK - McKenzie & Holland (Australia) Pty., Ltd., 41-59 Stephenson Street and 9-9A Sutton Street, South Kingsville, Hobsons Bay City, Melbourne also Brisbane

Manufacturers of railway signal equipment. Eventually became part of Westinghouse Brake (Australia) Pty Ltd.

TimG
 
The local Railway workshops made practice bombs in NZ during the war, so a railway signal manufacturer would likely have been utilised for similar, with foundry, machining and sheet fabrication workshops.

A lot of the local (NZ)production was actually for a sort of lend/lease pool of ordnance arranged by the British, some of the local production was earmarked for the India/Burma theatre.
 
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