Brazil Bombs 1932

[Dreamk]

Though when hearing the name Brazil one instinctively thinks of the Rio Carnaval, the Samba and the favellas, Brazil has also an interesting military history.
During the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 (The "Paulista war") in Brazil, the engineers from the Escola Politecnica in Sao Paulo designed and produced aircraft bombs ranging from 12 to 60kg that equipped the air force of the Paulistas.

Some remaining bombs can be found today in Sao Paulo museums.


This one is part of the Military Police collection is Sao Paulo http://museupoliciamilitar.com.br/acervo-revolucao-32/



I have no further details (dimensions, fuze, explosive) but maybe some other member of this forum can add to this post.

 

[AKON_]

Source : http://mmdcjundiai.blogspot.com/2016/05/artefatos-militares-aereos-usados-na.html

 

[Dreamk]

To place these bombs in context, this is a photograph of the 125lbs bomb designed and produced during the early 1930s by the Arsenal de Guerra do Rio de Janeiro - This bomb evidences a strong "family resemblance" with the Paulistas bombs:


This was not the first bomb produced in Brazil. For instance, this hand-dropped bomb (Weight 5kg, Length 520mm, Diameter 60mm) was used against the rebels in Capocabana in 1922:



In the early 1930s the Arsenal de Guerra do Rio de Janeiro (AGRJ) produced also 10kg and 15kg bombs (I have no other details)

Generally speaking Brazil used mainly French produced bombs (there is definite information for the presence of French 10kg, 50kg DT, 500kg No 1 and No 2 ), due to the presence of a very active French Military Mission in Brazil - the blunder of this Mission who erroneously understood the events in 1932 as an "independentist" movement instead as a constitutional revolution, and therefore did not refrain from passing weaponry sales contracts with the Paulistas, brought an end to this "French Era" and opened the path to the United States becoming their main armament supplier - though their was a brief flirtation with Nazi Germany that found its translation in the acquisitions of German planes (FW 58) and bombs in 1938.

 

[MINENAZ16]

another picture

 

[Dreamk]

A few more Brazilian bombs from the national Brazilian Air Museum (click to enlarge):
1) Early 1930s:


2) mid 1930s-1940s


3) Incendiaries 1950-1960s


Details would be welcome...:tinysmile_shy_t:

 

[Dreamk]

This is apparently the "tear-drop" or "water-drop" shaped bomb manufactured in 1933 at the Arsenal de Guerra do Rio de Janeiro, with an approximate weight of 1,000lb. It appears to have been made of cast steel. Though the nose type painted in red may appear as a plug instead of a nose fuze, a written source mentions that it has provision for tail fuze only.

In practice, though small numbers of local designed bombs were produced in Brazil at various dates they were produced in small numbers - for instance. in 1924, the Arsenal de Guerra do Rio de Janeiro (AGRJ) designed and produced 24 cast iron Aviation bombs weighing 120lb.
The identification problem of the old bombs is hampered by the lack of drawings in the AGRJ and by the differences in their actual weight with their reference to the manufacture in that Arsenal.
Most bombs were imported from France before 1932. Thus there are records of the presence in Brazil of French 500kg No1 and 500kg No2, 50kg DT, and 10kg (P or PA).
After the Paulist Revolution of 1932, the USA replaced France as Brazil's supplier of weapons and ammunition.
Worthy to note that in 1938 there was a tentative of Nazi Germany to displace the USA influence in Brazil, that found its translation in the sale of FW58 light bombers to Brazil, and bombs (apparently SC10, SC50 and SC250) which delivery that became the focus of a huge diplomatic activity between the USA, the UK and Brazil.