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Portuguese explosive bombs 1960-1975

Dreamk

Well-Known Member
Typical Bombs' armament of T6 Harvard/Texans in the conflicts in "Ultramar" (the Portuguese African territories of present day Guinea-Bissau, Angola and Mozambique) 1960s/1970s:
72405_165447523483377_100000543911701_450201_5817565_n b.jpg tt6c.jpg
The small bombs are 15kg bombs developed on the basis of an artillery shell (I could t find further details)
Um T6 em terra com andorinhas e bomba.jpg 15kg bombs built from artillery shells 3 Screenshot 2022-02-20 085450.jpg 15kg bombs built from artillery shells 4 Screenshot 2022-02-20 093632.jpg
as can be seen on the following photograph, the Portuguese further used training bombs as a basis for developing small bombs (frag?) to be also used by these planes.
15kg bombs built from artillery shells 2 Screenshot 2022-02-20 085734.jpg
The 100lbs bomb of US design was typically equipped with an airburst fuze for better efficiency against rebel positions in jungle/savanna environment.
T6 armado b.jpg 100lb Time fuze 2 Screenshot 2022-01-27 134453.jpg 100lb Time fuze 1 Screenshot 2022-01-27 132949.jpg

The other planes involved (mostly Fiat G91) used a mixture of US and British bombs from the 1950s.
Fiat G91 R4 com bombas Bissau 1969.jpg FAP_001_br.jpg G.91R3, armado com quatro bombas de 250lb.jpg

There were also local modifications such as this AN-M30 with a modified tail cone that looks quite reminiscent of ww2 Italian bombs:
AN-M30 modified.jpg AN-M30 modified 2.jpg

Previously in the 1940-1950s the Portuguese Air Force had used a mix of Italian, German, US and British bombs - some of them locally produced
British bombs:
Portuguese Naval bombs 1936.jpg GB GP250lbs Screenshot 2022-03-01 222531.jpg GB GP500lbs Screenshot 2022-03-01 222607.jpg
A clone of the Italian 12kg frag locally produced in Portugal
Screenshot 2022-02-20 093723.jpg Screenshot 2022-03-01 222430.jpg

The MI-41 modified 1962, a ww2 local design inspired by the German SC50 with notable modifications, still in service in the 1960s

German models Screenshot 2022-03-01 222241.jpg German Model Screenshot 2022-03-01 222206.jpg

US AN-M series

US Screenshot 2022-03-01 222929.jpg

As always, more info would be welcome :tinysmile_twink_t:
 
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