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WW2 RAF Smoke/Practise Bombs and Carriers Help

A

airman617

Member
I am looking for some information on the smoke/practise bombs used by the RAF during WW2, in particular images and construction.

I am also hoping someone can answer a question. I have details of a Lancaster carrying four of these on practise drops. However, due to modifications, only three bomb points were available in the bomb bay. Were the practise bombs (either 8.5lb, 10lb or 20lb) ever carried on 'double' carriers, that is a carrier that carried two or more bombs? I cant see any other way 4 bombs could be carried on three poins.

Thanks
 
Hi ,

The usual method for carring practice bombs(8.5lb,11lb,25lb) was on the Light Series carrier,this could hold up to 4 bombs and the carrier was attached via a 2 or 4 point mount.Could be what you are looking for?

I've got some details in a manual and have a carrier,will post pics later if needed.

cheers
Bob
 
Hello all

Thank you very much for your swift replies and also the information. Interesting book Tim. I will keep an eye on it and see if if I can find a cheaper copy possibly.

Thanks for the suggestions Spotter. I see you have added a couple of drawings of the three practise bombs on this thread http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/british-practice-bombs-t3774.html?t=3774&highlight=practice+bombs I have copied these but they are a little too small to read everything clearly. Do you by any chance have larger scans you might be able to send me? Trying to understand the workings fully.

Kahu1 - Bob, thats great, just the confirmation I was looking for. The aircraft in question only had three bomb points available, the middle (from side to side) usually used for large ordnance like the 4,000lb etc. Leaving the other two to each side, I reasoned that there must have been some sort of double carrier for four to be carried.

This does throw up another question in that the standard load for the squadron in question (on 'normal' Lancaster's) was 12 practise bombs. With 15 mounting points available in total, were most bombs mounted on a single mount or were they mounted in pairs, using half the available points? (If that makes sense!)

Yes, any further details or photos would be great. Thank you all of you for your time.

Al
 
Hi ,

2 shots from the manual,1 shows the single rail type adaptor.

Pics of a Light Series Carrier from my collection,with an 11lb practice bomb.

Cheers,
Bob
 

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Bob - that is superb! Thank you ery much, you have answered my question fully and I know can see how the PB was carried. I like to be able to fully understand the items in question and now I do. Thanks for taking the time to sort that for me.

Alex
 
Bob, another query.

I'm assuming that for night practise, there was a bomb that emmitted a flash rather than coloured (white) smoke? Would this be the same bomb but with a different filling, that produced a flash or fire instead of smoke? If not, what would have been used instead?

Thanks again

Alex
 
Hi Alex,

You are right ,the same practice bombs were used, with different fillings,Titet for smoke (day) and a gunpowder mix for flash/flame(night).

Also note these light series carriers were used from the '30s right up to the '90s ,so some had mods for different stores..

cheers
Bob
 
Hi Bob, I'm trying to solve the mystery of how an Australian CAC Wirraway aircraft could carry twenty 40lb GP bombs with only 18 bomb slips... it looks like the LSC with the adaptor for fitting to a Universal Carrier might solve the problem. I saw in your manual pages that there were adaptors for carrying 40lb GP bombs with the LSC... are there any extra details about this adaptor (Attachment no. 7)?

Regards,
Derek
 
Derek, I have the exact same illustrations in an original book 'Standard Technical Training notes Fitters Armourer & Armourers' 1942

There is only the one brief mention of this Attatchment NO 7 (as you see in the photo posted by Bob) no other information about it. Though this manual is a basic manual, there are others dealing with things in more detail AP 1664 for instance deals with Bomb Carriers and Containers, Winches and Trollies. - this could be the publication to give more details??

hope this is of use.

regards Kev
 
Hi Kev,
thanks for the lead on AP 1664. I'll see if I can find any way to get my hands on one. Maybe at the RAF Hendon museum reading room next time I visit...

Regards,
Derek
 
Yes, there was a version where the whole body was bakelite, 8 1/2 lb 'Break Up'.If you search on here you should find some posts about it.
This was filled with titet at the arming stage and contained 1/4"lead balls to balance and break the casing on impact, and i assume(!) assisted with providing a larger spread of smoke.

Bob
 
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