ID on this Bomblet please

[ken68]

Hi got this INERT bomblet it has a fragmentation pattern inside , would it have had a shaped charge to . not 100% sure what it is any help Pictured next to a 30 cal and 45 acp for scale.

Cheers Ken

 

[Slick]

Looks like an M42 body. And yes, it has a shaped charge when loaded.

 

[spotter]

Ken this is what it should look like inside,yours though is still a nice example of an unfinished body

 

[smle2009]

.........and here's a even more unfinished one:bigsmile:

 

[ken68]

Wow that's a mint looking sectioned one Allan thank you for sharing your pictures Cheers Ken

Ken this is what it should look like inside,yours though is still a nice example of an unfinished body

 

[ken68]

Thanks guys ive been doing a little research into this submunition, Now I know why they called it steel rain ! Cheers Ken.
M42, M46, and M77 submunitions are small, cylindrically shaped explosive
devices with a bell-like top. A looped ribbon is attached to each device to
provide stabilization. Army weapon systems using these submunitions
during Operation Desert Storm were the Multiple Launch Rocket System.

M42, M46, and M77 Submunitions Number and type per
Weapon system Ammunition type rocket or projectile
MLRS Rocket 644 M77 submunitions
155-mm howitzer M483Al Artillery projectile 64 M42 submunitions
24 M46 submunitions
8-inch howitzer M509Al Artillery projectile 180 M42 submunitions

 

[US-Subs]

Yours is an unfinished M77 or M42 as identified, not a 46. The M46 is not embossed (pre-fragged), to make it stronger. It sits as the bottom row in projectiles and the embossing makes it just a tiny bit weaker - some buckle when fired. Yours is unfinished in that it does not yet have the holes for the det or the two pins that hold the fuze. The M77 is from the MLRS rocket, it has a slightly wider ribbon than the one shown by Allan, due to the different release velocity (rocket vs projectile).

 

[ordnance]

As long as we've seen a couple steps in the unfinished M42 body, here's the full draw set...