Trying to ID two German WW II bomb fins

[FRQ]

I was hoping someone might be able to tell me a bit more about two identical WW II German bomb fins I have on my property. I live next to a former Luftwaffe airstrip, my house was used as officers' quarters and as far as I know they've always been here, used as a set of planters.

They are 110cm high, the top diameter is 47cm and the finned base is about 60cm. They are both marked "SCHN". Based on the absence of corrosion and the particular pitting on the inside, I think they are aluminium.

It would be nice to know what they are exactly, how rare they are and if they have any historical value. I have to admit I haven't given them much thought during the years I've lived here, perhaps I should find a better use for them, at least strip off the old non original layers of paint and repaint them in their original color perhaps.

Some pictures:

[FRQ]

I dove into a bit of a Google rabbithole last night and managed to turn up this:



Based on this chart, a fitting option is the 500kg SC looking at diameter, but the fin design doesn't match and judging by the total bomb length, the fins are too short.

When simply eyeballing fin design and overall scale, the 1000kg SC or 1700kg SD seem likely candidates. Due to the taper of those bombs, it's hard to extrapolate the fin diameters. Of course I have no idea how accurate the drawings are and if it lists all different types. I hope someone more knowledgeable will chime in.

[The Devil's Bank]

Maybe this can help?

WW2 German bomb tail fins

[FRQ]

Thanks for the link, the models pictured seem to be smaller than mine, but it does confirm what I've read elsewhere, the magnesium and aluminium alloy versions were mainly used on SD type bombs, so that narrows it down. Nothing conclusive so far though.

With regards to original colors, the above link seems to contradict other information i've found. I might try to carefully sand down the layers of paint and see what I find.

[vegetius]

FRQ,

Sorry to contradict, but the material used for the tails was not SC or SD specific, certainly not by 1943. It is the same with fillings, fuzes and even boosters and exploders. The book will tell you what is supposed to be in there but that bares no resemblance to reality more often or not.

For German AC Bomb Fins, the give away is always do they fit the profile of the bomb? If yes then that is it, if more than one then the best you can say is either!

I have just spent the last 6 months at work reading every period document on them and the one consistent thing is their are no consistent things.

Oh, and that period diagram is not bad, we actually issued that to our Operators as as it is a reasonably good a quick look recognition guide.

R