Old snaps of Jap Bomb.

[EODONE]

Hi going through an old set of my photos' and added these, Japanese bomb we dug up in 1967 all tools you seeing used are non - frerrous due to pitcric fill that was exstruding fthrough the swrew and rivet holes any one interested lots more.

REgards John:tinysmile_classes_t

 

[highlandotter]

where was this lot found? Thanks, gerald

 

[glevum]

From the image file names it looks like Kluang in Malaysia.

There was a big Japanese Airfield there.

 

[highlandotter]

thanks, gerald

 

[EOD]

Wouldn't the Pikrate having been the bigger problem which would have lead to a disposal in situ???

 

[US-Subs]

The Picric Acid has presented surprisingly few problems on Japanese ordnance. The training and "legends" (?) all indicate that the danger potential is extreme, yet on the recovery sites we worked in Japan and China there has yet to be a single explosive incident - after recovery and destruction of tens of thousands of pieces of ordnance of every possible type (some still unidentified) both conventional and chemical. Initial fears were that the accident rate would be at least one round in a thousand, but it simply hasn't occured. Makes you wonder.....

Many of the Japanese munitions were not filled with picric, but these sites have crossed the entire spectrum of ordnance over the past 15 years, making you re-think whether the hazard has been over emphasized or not.

 

[peteblight]

Agree with this. TNT was often used for the main charge. For example the 90mm Red mortar had a burster containing 605g of TNT, a booster containing 45g of Picric Acid and an DA/DC agent fill of 238g.

Pete

 

[SG500]

Wouldn't the Pikrate having been the bigger problem which would have lead to a disposal in situ???

Looks like it dissolved the guys feet in the second photo. :neutral:

Dave.

 

[Gspragge]

Picric was used as a commercial yellow dye in industry previous to it's explosive use, so if it was so prone to spontaneous or easily exploding this might not have been possible ?

 

[US-Subs]

I don't know how picric was used in industry, but in ordnance it was normally cast into munitions or cast into shapes which were separately loaded into munition bodies.

The training I was given (best that I remember) was that over time picric has a tendency to react with metal and form highly sensitive salts (crystals). This was supposed to be a particular problem where dissimilar metals met - not sure if it was a form of galvanic reaction or what. The Japanese normally used a thick black coating on the inside of their munitions to help reduce any reaction, and picric charges were also typically wrapped in a waxed paper as well.

The fears over picric have been around for decades, it has morphed into a focused fear of Japanese (plus certain WWI German & British) ordnance that verges on irrational. As I mentioned above, we had expected a significant number of incidents at the sites in China, but it has not turned out that way so far. This leads me to question the level of accuracy of the legends/training/expectations.

 

[siegfreid]

Picric was used as a commercial yellow dye in industry previous to it's explosive use, so if it was so prone to spontaneous or easily exploding this might not have been possible ?

Picric Acid [Tri Nitro Phenol] was originally a by product of the coal industry & coking process . It's a bright yellow solid & was used in the early 19th century as a dye . The problem was it was transported in cans that were lined with lead paint . There were several incidents of wagons exploding with devastating effect leaving just a large crater . It was then discovered that the Picric was reacting with the lead in the paint to form lead Picrate . Lead Picrate is an EXTREMELY sensitive explosive & caused detonation of the rest of the Picric . Simple answer when dealing with it is keep it wet & avoid any contact with lead based products ! The same problems arose when Hydrazoic acid was first synthesized . Dozens of people were killed as the salts , Azides , were also very dangerous . I believe Lead Azide used to be used as an initiator ?

 

[EODONE]

The bombs were dug up on the Island of Penang, Malaysia between 1967 & 1971 by a Bomb Disposal Team from 49 Engineer Regt ( EOD) the guy in the snap is me and the bombs were in tunnells that had been shored up using bamboo which over years had rotted and si caved in. Also removed was Sea mines Submarine net mines / Torpedos (All supplied by the Germans in exchange for tin & rubber)Bombs were all Japanese Navy mainly 63 kg & 500kg. very interesting job with a few good perks. I make a point of returning ever year because it's a great spot for hols although still a few site that never were cleared but the speed that they are building clearance or a big bank will come soon.

REgard John p.s our main problem with the picric was posioning some lads went down with it ,plus the 88 powder filled submarine net mines one of these badly burn't 2 of the team.

 

[JCB99]

awesome............wish some of those could be in my living room.

Jim
Japaneseordnance at yahoo.com