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B1E Incendiary Bomb

Article about: Greetings, I picked this one up a while back, but never got around to posting it. It's an example of the B1E incendiary bomb, dropped on the UK in profusion by the Luftwaffe during the Blitz

  1. #1

    Default B1E Incendiary Bomb

    Greetings,

    I picked this one up a while back, but never got around to posting it. It's an example of the B1E incendiary bomb, dropped on the UK in profusion by the Luftwaffe during the Blitz. Dropped in their dozens, the bomb featured a magnesium alloy casing with a filling of thermite, activated by an impact fuze at the base. When the bomb struck the ground, a spring-loaded striker was driven into the detonator, igniting the thermite filling and subsequently the magnesium casing. Specialist training was given to ARP wardens and members of the Fire Guard in response to these bombs, and extinguishing them became more dangerous when the Germans began fitting them with secondary explosive charges.

    I already have one of these bombs, but it was the damage on this one that made it so appealing. Clearly, this little bomb has had a very hard landing! The nose-end is crooked, but still thankfully unscrews. It retains a portion of its silver paint, and the markings are nice and clear. The tailfin has not fared quite so well! The impact has driven the body of the bomb up into it, splitting it apart and detaching it completely. Despite the extensive damage, it retains virtually all of its paint.

    Clearly, the fuze in this bomb proved to be a dud, or it perhaps landed at too shallow an angle to drive the striker into the detonator. After failing to ignite, it would have been scooped up by a warden or a particularly foolhardy souvenir hunter who removed the thermite filling, and thus it survives for us to enjoy today.

    B1E Incendiary BombB1E Incendiary BombB1E Incendiary BombB1E Incendiary BombB1E Incendiary BombB1E Incendiary BombB1E Incendiary Bomb

    Regards, B.B.

  2. #2

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    I know this sounds pedantic but the spring is in no way "loaded". The firing Pin also does not move. The Primer assembly simply overloads a creep spring and stabs itself on the pin
    Otherwise a tidy little bomblet

  3. #3

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    Quote by Teck 147 View Post
    I know this sounds pedantic but the spring is in no way "loaded". The firing Pin also does not move. The Primer assembly simply overloads a creep spring and stabs itself on the pin
    Otherwise a tidy little bomblet
    Not pedantic at all, I’m happy to be corrected. The technical specifics of bomb fuzes aren’t really my area of expertise!

    B.B.

  4. #4

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    Very interesting ordnance. I have not seen before. Thank you for sharing.
    John

  5. #5

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    Quote by Rescue190 View Post
    Very interesting ordnance. I have not seen before. Thank you for sharing.
    John
    Thanks, John. I’ve posted another example here, in much better condition than this one: German 1kg Incendiary Bomb (B1E)

    B.B.

  6. #6

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    BB,

    Your other one cannot be classed as inert! The tail needs at a minimum an xray and the nose, (fuze section) also either an xray or other means of confirming the fuze is no longer viable.

    Sorry but these are daily work for us and I would sack one of my people for recovering that one.

    R

  7. #7

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    Quote by vegetius View Post
    BB,

    Your other one cannot be classed as inert! The tail needs at a minimum an xray and the nose, (fuze section) also either an xray or other means of confirming the fuze is no longer viable.

    Sorry but these are daily work for us and I would sack one of my people for recovering that one.

    R
    If you're going to be that correct about it.....

    From the condition here there's a good Chance that the Zerleger "Z" or "ZB" would still be visible If there's a Pellet fitted.
    That said, both Primers could also be functional if they weren't already removed. It definately doesn't look like they fired.

  8. #8

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    Quote by vegetius View Post
    BB,

    Your other one cannot be classed as inert! The tail needs at a minimum an xray and the nose, (fuze section) also either an xray or other means of confirming the fuze is no longer viable.

    Sorry but these are daily work for us and I would sack one of my people for recovering that one.

    R
    Thanks for the heads up!

    Some background information on that other B1E. The seller I bought it from had several for sale, including some ARP training versions. One other was the type fitted with the secondary explosive gaine under the fin, but he wasn't selling that one. He removed the tailfins from both to show me the difference, so I can verify that mine doesn't have one. As for the nose section, he stated that it was removable when he first got it years ago, but that over time the magnesium alloy seized up and prevented that from being the case. It may be possible to get it to move again with some penetrating oil and a bit of brute force. There is a piece of metal loose inside the cavity where the thermite would have been (looks like some kind of spring or rod) that rattles up and down when you turn it over in your hand. I'm wondering whether that's part of the fuze mechanism that's worked itself loose, or maybe something inserted after the bomb was recovered to prove it was inert.

    I obviously don't want to debate what you've said. I know these bombs can be nasty little buggers, and I'd like to know how best to proceed.

    B.B.

  9. #9

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    If you have been able to remove the find on both and see only the plug then there isn't a secondary charge in the tail, but if you have never had it apart then it can be ambiguous and that is not something you want to be around ordnance.

  10. #10

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    Quote by BlackCat1982 View Post
    If you have been able to remove the find on both and see only the plug then there isn't a secondary charge in the tail, but if you have never had it apart then it can be ambiguous and that is not something you want to be around ordnance.
    And there is also a Version where the fuze is explosive!!

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