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- Thread starter DJMyers
- Start date
U.S. M114 Biological Submunition
The items appear to be U.S. M114 Biological Submunitions. During development they were designated E 48R2.
The body is 40mm Diameter (1-5/8"), complete bomblet with fins 540mm long (21-5/16").
Central burster runs almost the full length of the round body. Body walls are only .028" thick steel. Each bomblet weights about 4.2 Lb. and carries 320 ml of liquid.
Hex shaped brass fuze designated M174-PD-air arming. Fuze arms at 200 fps. Uses M29 Burster (106 Grams-16 pellets).
These items were used with the M33 (500 Lb.) Cluster using the 500 LB. M26 Cluster adapter. Complete cluster to weigh 710 Lb. and is 15 inches in diameter by 60-3/8 inches long. The cluster was designated #96R3 during development. There should be 108 bomblets per cluster. The cluster used two M153 tail fuzes. The fuzes would initiate 38 inches of det cord to open the cluster from the tail.
These items were tested around 1956 to 1958. The Picatinny fuze is dated 1952. One test included dropping a completely filled cluster to let it impact the ground. It penetrated the ground without functioning the fuzes or bomblets.
All information UNCLASSIFIED
The items appear to be U.S. M114 Biological Submunitions. During development they were designated E 48R2.
The body is 40mm Diameter (1-5/8"), complete bomblet with fins 540mm long (21-5/16").
Central burster runs almost the full length of the round body. Body walls are only .028" thick steel. Each bomblet weights about 4.2 Lb. and carries 320 ml of liquid.
Hex shaped brass fuze designated M174-PD-air arming. Fuze arms at 200 fps. Uses M29 Burster (106 Grams-16 pellets).
These items were used with the M33 (500 Lb.) Cluster using the 500 LB. M26 Cluster adapter. Complete cluster to weigh 710 Lb. and is 15 inches in diameter by 60-3/8 inches long. The cluster was designated #96R3 during development. There should be 108 bomblets per cluster. The cluster used two M153 tail fuzes. The fuzes would initiate 38 inches of det cord to open the cluster from the tail.
These items were tested around 1956 to 1958. The Picatinny fuze is dated 1952. One test included dropping a completely filled cluster to let it impact the ground. It penetrated the ground without functioning the fuzes or bomblets.
All information UNCLASSIFIED
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Here are some close ups of the front and rear seals. It appears that your aluminum fins have corroded away. From the close-ups, it would appear that the bomblet was filled from the rear, plugged with a rubber plug compressed in place by a steel washer, followed by and then sealed with a steel plug that has a rubber 0-ring. Dual redundant seals.
What was the original color of the cluster/dispenser body?
What was the original color of the cluster/dispenser body?
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DJ,
Sorry, I don't have any info on the M26 cluster adaptor. Best of luck with your cleanup. I'm sure that there are a number of guys here that would give their eye teeth for some of those brass fuzes. Have you verified if the items were loaded with live fuzes and live bursting charges?
John
Sorry, I don't have any info on the M26 cluster adaptor. Best of luck with your cleanup. I'm sure that there are a number of guys here that would give their eye teeth for some of those brass fuzes. Have you verified if the items were loaded with live fuzes and live bursting charges?
John
Here is a quick response - M33 Cluster, held 108 subs. Sorry for the quality, someone "borrowed" my original document a few years ago, have to make do with a poorly scanned copy that someone tried to use an early OCR program on. Info is still good however... Now lets see if I can figure out how to do an attachment here -
