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Help Needed US Bomb Tail Fins?

doppz92

doppz92

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Hi, I don't remember where I brought this from, I think it was from a trip to the States a quarter of a century ago (but I still feel very young :bigsmile:) and I would like some proper ID. There 's no other mark than that shown on the photo. Fins measure roughly 147mm diameter x 147 (side) and 235 in length. Thanks.
 

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They would have to be for one of the smaller size bombs in the 100 Lb. range.
 
It's for the M82 90-lb fragmentation bomb. As far as I know, this fin was used only with that bomb.
 
ordnance said:
It's for the M82 90-lb fragmentation bomb. As far as I know, this fin was used only with that bomb.
Click to expand...

Close, the fins were also turned around backwards and used with one of the ADSID series ground sensors.
 
Maybe more than one. That place looks familiar......


DSCN4088.jpgDSCN2484.jpg
 
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Yes, forgot about those. Have you ever seen any actual documentation for the use on ADSIDs? That's about the hokiest installation I've ever seen and wonder if it was some sort of expedient substitution created by a lack of the original fin types and a surplus of M82 fins.
 
Not yet. While rooting through the archives at Wright Patt I found the best document yet on the program, some great diagrams, more systems shown than anything I've seen yet. The bulk of the 1972 document with the really cool stuff was referred to, but was missing however. I spoke with the archivist, they told me that they could request the remainder of the document. The got back in touch with me some weeks later and said that they had been refused the remainder, on the basis that it had not been declassified and was not one that could be simply reviewed and dropped. I don't know if this is due to just normal BS bureaucracy, or continuation of the ADSID program that was related to this document. At one time I located a reference that identified that the great-grandson of the standard ADSID (mod 12?) was used during the Gulf War. I keep a listing of every sensor designation that I run across, information available or not. This includes hand placed, air dropped, everything. Last time I checked it was in the high 90's. I've got hard information on maybe 10.
 
I thought the reversed fins looked hokie too but thinking about it.

They are cheap and can be balanced to put center of mass ahead of center of force.

Reversing fins keeps from blocking antenna and may limit ground penetration. Cone at back would add to drag coef and limit terminal velocity.

Maybe the napkin it was designed on will show up in your search.
 
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