factory new 2in bomb

[kiwieod]

got this absolutely mint condition never loaded 2in mortar bomb recently.
stamped on body is 2'' MOR I SB 12 43
who is the maker of the tail NZJ ?
for trade if anyone wants it

 

[BMG50]

Mint body what a beaut. What was you after to trade.

 

[kiwieod]

any kind of boobytrap switch/mechanism would be good

 

[BMG50]

I will have a look and PM you.

 

[Infanteer]

How can you tell that this was never loaded? Was it normal to apply all of the markings before filling?

 

[kiwieod]

the inside is absolutely brand new and shiny and still has the lacquer coating.this has clearly never been loaded,maybe it was a factory dummy,display piece which was made but never loaded.
maybe these bombs were loaded after marking them,it makes more sense to mark a bomb first then fill it as the final stage rather than send a filled bomb through the marking,painting process
does anyone know the load sequence for these bombs

 

[kahu1]

Don't know who the 'NZJ' manufacturer is, likely a local NZ diecasting contractor,in the production of the (by 1944) 30,000 per month, empty 2"mortar rounds.
Most of the NZ local production was actually destined for supply to the Commonwealth forces in the Indian theatre.

 

[kiwieod]

so we made the rounds here,or just the tails, and they were shipped somewhere to be filled?
I wasn't aware of any ordnance production in new Zealand except mills grenades
did we have explosive filling plants and where were they?

 

[kahu1]

Complete 2" and 3" Mortar (bodies,tails,fuzes) were produced locally during WW2.
The Ford motor co., in Petone was the major filling plant,also some of the production was for unfilled bodies,some being filled in Australian plants.
All part of a big sort of lend/lease set up through the British war office to supply ordnance to the relevant war fronts.