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25lb AS TYPE A MKI

MINENAZ16

Well-Known Member
Ordnance approved
Hello,

Does anyone could share datas of British Anti submarine bomb 25lb ?
I've never seen anything on this bomb.

Regards

875 FUZE 25LB AS.jpg
 
The smallest AS bomb I found is the 35lb.
Nowhere in my doc is it spoken of a AS 25lb.
In Deminest, H.B. speak about the fuze No 875 but used with the AS 250 lb ! Should it be a manking 0 in your doc ?


Yoda
 
It could be a mistake as description used to be in the order of growth, 100lb, 250lb, etc...

895 875.jpg

But different documentations mention same 25lb bomb


875 & 895 (from British Bombs and Fuzes (Nov 1944))_Page_2.jpg
 
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For me it looks strange. Described fuze is hydrostatic type, set for detonation on certain deep underwater, namely 22 ft (7 m). It's not a contact fuze, in fact it is carefully designed to avoid detonation on impact.

From what distance a 25 lb (11 kg) bomb could be effective against the submarine hull? I think even in case of direct hit it not guarantee to destroying it. And with stand-off detonation caused by hydrostatic fuze the chance of success is smaller.

According to British calculations Mk.VII (Heavy) Depth Charge from 1940 - a 420 lb (190 kg) bomb with 290 lb (130 kg) TNT load - guarantee to destroy submarine with 7/8 in (22 mm) steel hull from distance of 20 ft (6 m) and to damage forced submarine to surfaced from distance about 40 ft (12 m).
 
I think you should probably be looking at the Hedgehog anti submarine mortar system.
This seems to be about the right size, looking at Section 7, page 170 of Inter-Service Ammunition and Ammunition Markings system 1948 (in downloads).
Read about USN England, a British Hedgehog fitted warship, which destroyed 6 Japanese submarines in 12 days.
 
I think you should probably be looking at the Hedgehog anti submarine mortar system.
.

Hedgehog was bigger: total round weight 65 lb (30 kg) and explosive weight 30-35 lb (13,5-16 kg). And it was armed with contact fuze.

Still I think a 25 lb depth charge would be useless as a weapon (but maybe for acoustic signalling, communication etc.?)
 
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