What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

The Bombatorium

We ruled out Russian pretty quickly. The profile is very similar, but the Russian bomb fins are bulkier and are almost always welded directly to the bomb body. We finally found a match with the Spanish BNI series of bombs, which also ties into the origins of much of the material from Iraq. Many of the BNI series were observed there during the Gulf War, though I never saw anything of this size. We believe that it is the BNI 1500, but are still struggling with locating a reference.

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/104513-Unidentified-Bomb-Fins?highlight=spanish
 
Picked up some ordnance this past weekend. Little this, little that, but with one unusual item that I couldn't resist, mostly because while it seemed familiar, I have no idea what it is. Cylindrical, with a heavy plastic body and slightly domed steel ends. Rough measurements are 400mm long by about 130mm in diameter. No stamped markings, no emission holes, etc. Anyone recognize it?

unk 1.jpgunk 2.jpgunk 3.jpgunk 4.jpg


Also picked this up, an 81mm stamped M374A1. The painted markings are a little unusual, yellow on blue, with the nomenclature printed as M37412. My best guess as to the unusual painted markings are looking at the LOT number, KIMOO. S. Korean? I've seen earlier Korean marked items, but they were normally KM numbers (KM 43 mortar, etc).

mortar.jpg
 
Hmm. going by its convex ends and dimensions, possibly a dummy round for the XM274 75 mm ARES CTA (Case Telescoped Ammunition) gun.
 
That would be a nice surprise. It is shaped very similar to smaller ones that I have
 
I'm going to second what Eggburt said. ARES gun, but this is the first cycling dummy I've seen. Usually milky white or black body.
 
Thanks, it appears to be confirmed. I'll have to set it out for X-Ray the next time a team is in for training. Not likely to have anything inside, but hey, I'm on a roll...

Ares.jpeg
 
I made the mistake of posting this 81mm (above) at the same time as the ARES and it didn't receive the attention that I hoped for. A bit unusual with HE style markings on a blue body, further complicated by a mistake on the nomenclature (M37412 vs M374A2). I do not recognize the printed LOT code of KIM00, and I'm wondering if some of the off issues could be due to usage by another country, possibly S. Korea. Stamped markings are more conventional, M374A1 1973 with an RVP LOT code. Anyone?
 
i agree the yellow on blue markings are unusual and would be dangerous if used in a country not familiar with them.
here are some brochures from a korean company probably from the 1980s(i think they became PSD,also PMC ammunition)
dont know what they are called now
 

Attachments

  • P1040600.jpg
    P1040600.jpg
    306.4 KB · Views: 28
  • P1040601.jpg
    P1040601.jpg
    291.4 KB · Views: 39
  • P1040602.jpg
    P1040602.jpg
    295.1 KB · Views: 36
  • P1040603.jpg
    P1040603.jpg
    294.1 KB · Views: 26
I wouldn't necessarily consider them dangerous, but as they are on a US manufactured munition I wonder about their purpose. While rarely encountered outside of a test environment, yellow markings on blue were occasionally used by the US back in the 70s-80s to indicate explosive components, normally in the fuze. I only have a few examples in the collection, mostly as submunitions. The last item clearly is not US, but was used in a series of tests at a US range. I don't know if this is/was a common practice for the UK.

Sorry about the photo orientation, but Photoshop is down on my work computer and this is how they are loading off my phone.


6.jpg5.jpg4.jpg3.jpg2.jpg1.jpg
 
I have an Australian 4.5" Navy Practice Flash projectile for Mk3-5 guns that is painted blue for practice and a yellow band for the TNT ? pellet under the fuze.
It is inert filled and the explosive part removed. I have not seen an 81mm mortar with these colours until now.
Great displays and items shown by US-Subs. Many thanks.
 
The St. Louis International Cartridge Show was last week, and speaking for myself, it was an excellent show. I went there prepared to come home broke, and was not disappointed. Added about 75 new items to the collection, some of which will need some assistance in identification, particularly Chinese rockets and rifle grenades. Here are some group shots of some of the new acquisitions.

SLICS 23  1.jpgSLICS 23  2.jpgSLICS 23  3.jpg
 
Some of these will need some explanations starting with the rockets with buttons ! :tinysmile_twink_t2:
 
Believed to be some sort of trainers, but at the moment I'm claiming heat seekers. Sounds cooler, and I've already gotten 4-5 people to believe it.
 
A couple more.

SLICS 23 4.jpgSLICS 23 5.jpgSLICS 23 4.jpgSLICS 23 7.jpgSLICS 23 8.jpgSLICS 23 9.jpgSLICS 23 10.jpg

Not quite everything, but I'm supposed to be working...
 
Top