Description
Black overall with red band around the nose.
The bomb assembly consists of a small bomb and fuze, a reel of steel cable, and two parachutes packed in a split can with a hinged bottom and a screw top. The bomb proper is a steel cylinder closed at both ends. The walls and base are made in one piece with a smaller extension drawn out from the base to take the base onto the walls. A protruding threaded collar is welded onto the disk. The cable attachment is threaded to a base plug which screws into the base of the bomb and is held there by a locking nut.
A-7 (a) is an all-ways action fuze screwed into the nose collar of the bomb.
The parachute assembly consists of the main parachute, attached to the auxiliary parachute, which is attached to the reel containing 164 feet of 1/16 inch diameter steel wire, which is connected to the cable attachment on top of the bomb.
The small auxiliary parachute is 13 1/2 inches in diameter unfilled, and is attached to the top of the reel by nine 15 inch silk shrouds. The main parachute is 36 1/2 inches in diameter unfilled. Thirteen silk shrouds, 37 1/2 inches long, are attached to a cord leading out of the top of the auxiliary parachute by 8 1/2 inches of double bungee cord.
Since the fuze is designed not to fire when the bomb strikes on its nose, the bombs may not explode on impact with the ground (if it misses a plane). Since the spring is quite weak, a highly sensitive and dangerous UXB may be expected.
Hazardous Components
Filler - TNT, 60 percent; RDX, 40 percent (8 oz, 224 g)
See Also
General Information, Japanese Army Bombs
Source(s)
