Butterfly - American and German

[SG500]

Here's a few shots of a German one and an American one just to compare.

Dave.

 

[SG500]

More photos.
Dave.

 

[SG500]

INERT of course.
Dave.

 

[satan18]

Here's a few shots of a German one and an American one just to compare.

Dave.

Nice addition there Dave always good to have all representation of these
AP bombs.:tinysmile_fatgrin_t

Best phil

 

[waffenamt]

Excellent thread,one that should have been sorted a long while ago.
Well done Dave.

cheers

waff

 

[SG500]

Thanks guys, its easy to see where the Americans got the idea from!!
Dave.

 

[Fuzeman]

Hi Dave
Very interesting to see the difference , between the German and American bombs
Steve

 

[BOMBSaway1980]

Rick, The M83 was America's first HE cluster bomb munition, We needed a good idea fast during the war so why not copy a proven munition. The german Butterfly was a easy munition to reverse engineer

 

[waffenamt]

I notice the US version seems to have a rougher casting for the body.

cheers


waff

 

[BOMBSaway1980]

the german's were always into presion, The US just cast the munition because they knew they would never see them again.

 

[waffenamt]

Good theory,i like!

cheers

waff

 

[SG500]

the german's were always into presion, The US just cast the munition because they knew they would never see them again.

Its very true, why make it look nice when its just going to go bang. Its not like it needed to be aerodynamic.

Dave.

 

[BMG50]

Looking at the butterfly pressed steel parts, they look almost identical, just wondered if if the Americans used captured machinery and tooling to make them.

 

[waffenamt]

Hi Chris,good theory too mate. What a cracking night of threads we've had!
Only Monday as well!

best

waff

 

[dano1917]

2koolstuff

To Dave, This is no where near my alley of collecting, but I must say some of the nicest stuff i've seen that I don't collect. Might not have to twist my arm too damn hard to get interested! The eye appeal of these beautys must have more than a bit of the prices these jewells fetch. I had no idea that the U.S. made these until I joined BOCN. Keep 'em coming.... Smashing display...Always..Dano

 

[butterfly]

Here are some photos of a US M83 in my collection, together with a incomplete set of wings. The complete one is a dummy and has only a very crude immitation of a fuze, presumably the M129 as it has a screw representing the setting plug. The incomplete one has remnants of original paint - olive green with yellow stripe across the wings (I removed a rather nasty coat of paint which covered them when I got them) You will notice that the bar to which the wings are attatched is of stamped steel on both examples, also on the complete one that the end arming discs are totally different. Not sure if this indicates later manufacture?
Please note that all items are empty and inert. Butterfly bombs are not to be messed with.
Hope you enjoy looking at the photos, will get better as this is the first time I've done this, its all new to me!!
Butterfly

 

[TimG]

Dave,

Have you a close up image of the join line and possibly an oblique internal view. For a casting that size it looks far too big. Image 4, it looks almost like a weld line.

Regards

Tim

 

[HAZORD]

Yes, it is very easy to see in Dave's photo, the U.S. body is made from two halves welded together, whereas the German body is a one-piece design. It makes the parts much easier to manufacture, but requires the welding operation. The German body requires a sand plug (that makes up the cavity) which has to be in the mold when the molten steel is poured, and requires all the labor to make the plugs and put the plugs into the mold and then remove the sand once the body has cooled. The U.S. method could actually be faster to manufacture.

 

[US-Subs]

Digging through my photos from home, I've got at least one late war piece which I seem to recall is an SD-2 which was very roughly welded from two halves. Maybe late in the war they were putting quantity over quality? Also, I've seen and photographed US M83s dated as early as 1943, which would make it unlikely that the US used captured materials or equipment for their manufacture.

The first two photos are filed as from my SD-2s, the second two photos are of one of my M83s. I'm not at home right now and cannot confirm, but I'm pretty sure the second photo is an SD-2.

I'm missing a cable for the first SD-2 shown, so if anyone has one for sale or trade.....

 

[SG500]

Hi Dave
Very interesting to see the difference , between the German and American bombs
Steve

Thanks Steve.
Dave.