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British MC 1000 Mk13 post WWII...question

al'saad

Well-Known Member
Ordnance approved
Question-British MC 1000 Mk13 post WWII

Found MC 1000 Mk 13 bomb. Item is found in the area which was heavily bombed during 1995. by NATO forces. The bomb is found in the minefield so I did not have really good opportunity to inspect it as I had much more important job by clearing the path to the item.

By what I have seen shape and dimensions correspond to WW2 MC1000 series, but markings do not, and also lugs are of newer construction identical to US Mk6Mod1 or MS3314 lugs. Bomb is RDX filled.

Need info on British MC 1000 bombs used post WWII as I have no info on those I would also appreciated info on fuzes used.
 

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This is what I have on this bomb - I hope it will help
The 1000 lb MC was initially developed from 1942 to replace the existing 1000 lb GP (General Purpose) bomb. Initially using most of the components of the 1000 lb GP it was decide to give it a new tail and was built with a half-inch thick wall.
Fillings could be Amatex, Amatol, Minol, RDX and others. Actual weight was around 1020 lb (464 kg).[1]
It was introduced to service in 1943 and about a quarter of a million produced by the end of the war.

The current British 1000lb bomb was designed in the 1947-8 time period.
Length 2.28m - 2.48m
Diameter 0.42m
Weight 505kg (1112lbs)
It was initially designed for single point suspension and internal carriage.
Over the years it has been modified to twin suspension and is able to be carried externally, but no new ones have been manufactured for many years, and stocks are probably getting low.
The overall length of the 1000lbsr depends on which role it is in - ballistic or retarded - i.e. which type of tail unit is fitted, but in approximate terms, both are 90 inches long (2.28m).
In the Falklands conflict UK 1000lb bombs used type 114 'Slick' tails and Type 117 parachute 'retarded' tails, and were fused with either a fuse/pistol in the rear or front or both or used the 960 Airburst fuses (The 960 replaced the 951/952/947 fuzes).
The UK 1,000 lb bombs were the Mk 10, 13, 18, 20 & 22. The Mk13 and 18 were the original versions used in UK Paveway II, now the Mk 20 and 22 are used.
The British MoD lists 4 types of 1000lb freefall ordnance in inventory: These are the Mk10, Mk13, Mk15 and Mk20.
Mk 10 is standard freefall
Mk 18 is retard version
Mk 20 has airburst fuzing - possibly retard version
Mk 13 is probably low drag with airburst
The Mk.22 is the nomenclature of the 1000lb concrete filled Practice bomb.
The earlier practice bomb (Mk 15) was filled with an inert explosive substitute that was solidified with a small amount of added concrete (probably where the myth came from!) it used a standard bomb casing.
The current PB (Mk 22) is actually designed as a PB (Practice bomb) and thick walled for strength and actually hollow, allowing it to be recovered from the range, refurbished, and used multiple times.

The 1000Lb bombs in use have fuse pockets at both ends (ie nose and tail).
The different tails units fuze the bombs differently.
Pre 1985 they used a couple of different types of pistols & fuses but they were replaced by the "Fuze No 960 Mk 2 MFBF" which is a multi mode fuse. The 960 fuze airburst sensors on the nose of the bomb made them more pointy. The 960 fuze could also be used in the tail.
The 960 Fuze was intended to be programmable and would dictate the mode of the weapon.
If it was used in airburst mode, the tail would not operate allowing the weapon to fall ballistically. the PSU (Proximity Sensor Unit) in the nose would initiate the fuze at 50 feet above ground level.
It it was used in ballistic mode, again the tail would not operate. The weapon would strike the ground and detonate, either on impact or with a post impact delay.
If it was used in retard mode, the tail would operate allowing the weapon to be delivered at low level. The weapon would detonate on impact or with a PID.
However the PSU was found to have serious defects and could allow the weapon to detonate immediately on release from the aircraft. Because of this, the AUR (1000lbs All Up Round). complete with prox sensor as seen with 117 tail was, and is still officially used operationally, just with the retarder system is wire locked to make it inoperative, converting it to a low drag tail.
The current Mk 960 Mk2 Multi Function Bomb Fuze has four mode,Impact,Air Burst,Delayed & Timed.These can be programmed by us Armourers on loading or by the Navigator in flight. The is also an automatic delay if the weapon is dropped too low,allowing the aircraft to escape the blast.
It is however normal nowadays to use the 114 tail instead as the focus of ops has moved away from low level to medium level releases and of course the 114 is much cheaper to buy than a 117.
The 960 replaced the 951/952 proximity/947 fuzes.
The 952 and 947 fuzes were last used in the first gulf war in 1991. They are apparently no longer in the inventory.
Before this they used a variety of types like the radar type which had vanes like a cybermans head. These were linked to an explosive train in the rear fuze pocket.
Presently, the Mk 901 Multi Mode programmable fuse replaces all the other fuses in the RAF Inventory,It came into service mid 1985
The Mk930 fuzing unit needs an extended nose for the laser guided 1000lbs.
This configuration was introduced for Tornado in 1980s was a Tail mounted No 960 fuze complete with a Proximity sensor assembly on its nose.

It is very hard to distinguish between the Marks of British bombs as they all share the same outer case, the differences in Mark No's being in the method of suspension and the type of explosive filling. in fact some later marks of bombs in service are reconditioned older cases with the explosive fills removed and replaced with more modern explosive types, and re- engineered with NATO standard Lug systems. The bombs originally had single point suspension (The British standard at that time ) when designed early postwar - Mk 6-9 all had single point suspension (all long obsolete) all marks after twin lugs.
The Mk 17 was of forged construction (as opposed to cast) and had a heat shield between the casing and the filling making it suitable for use on board carriers. It was "replaced" by the Mk 20 and Mk 22 which had lug pockets which were stressed for use with the MACE lug used on Tornados. However, in RAF use, the Mk 17 soldiered on, being used for aircraft which used the No 43 bale lugs (Jaguars and Harriers). The Mk 17 could be used on Tornados, but it had to be withdrawn after one flight.

Classical markings of these bombs:
Painted dark green with 2" yellow hand to nose,
bomb casing stencils:
(yellow): "M.C 1000LB"; "HE MK 13";
(red): "INERT",
(yellow): "45606-68"; "12A/9631127",
(white) "HES"

On the 'Kidney' plate on the rear face of the bomb is indicated the type of filling: RDX/TNT or High explosive substitute (eg concrete). Concrete may be used operationally for targets located in populated areas.

original.jpg1000lb iron bomb.jpg1000lb'er with a retarded tail unit 11701.JPG1000lbs with .Mk 930 fuzing unit LaserGuidedBombs.jpgResizedImage600599-20-Victor-Bomb-Loading-Tengah-IWM.jpg
Tail 107
BRITISH 1000LB BOMB TAIL FIN No 107 MK5 L 39 in Diameter including tail sections 24 in weight 50.jpgBRITISH 1000LB BOMB TAIL FIN No 107 MK5british-1000lb-bomb-tail-fin-107-mk5_360_864fdf5f204a63e8.jpg
Tail 117 (drag, chute between the "petals)
t117finopen.jpgtype117fin1.jpg

Fuze 960
960 Mk1 Mums 93 rd 023.jpg960 Mk 1 Mums 93 rd 022.jpg960 Mk 1 Mums 93 rd 024.jpg

Nose fuze 907
907 Mk1iv Extra high 009.jpg
 
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Job done...thanks all for help!
 

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