Butterfly bomb help required

Read the forum code of contact

Member for

18 years 7 months

Posts: 155

Having spent the day sorting through some long forgotton artifacts belonging to the museum at Middle Wallop we came across an item that beat our group knowledge to identify.
I've more or less convinced myself that it is part of the outer casing of a German SD2 butterfly bomb container. If it is the whole would be roughly cruciform in section. The part has a elongated ring for suspension and then an electrically operated switch arrangement to release it. Before anyone asks, I can see no markings of any sort on it.
So to put my mind at rest has anyone got a picture of the beast (not the bomb but the container - presumably also bomb shaped) or at least can someone point me in the direction of one.

Original post

Member for

16 years 11 months

Posts: 113

Butterfly Bomb containers.

When Grimsby was showered with these bombs in 1942 I was only twelve, but I remember seeing containers littered around the town and they seemed to be cylindrical, five feet long and about three feet in diameter. They appeared to be spring loaded to open on leaving the aircraft scattering the bombs willy nilly.

Ken

Member for

18 years 7 months

Posts: 155

[ATTACH]151757[/ATTACH]

This is the item I need to identify. Its only a thought that it might be a butterfly bomb container, but whatever it is it screams air dropped dispensing container, but what and whose is it?

Attachments

Member for

18 years 7 months

Posts: 155

Here is another whatisit from the bowles of the Museum at Middle Wallop.
Is ir a spinner, It can't be a radome as its all aluminium, this time there is a serial number 559 41 1d 139B and then something that looks like an angel or a stylised eagle. [ATTACH]151773[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]151774[/ATTACH]

Attachments

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 651

Not a SD 2 container but possibility part of a 1kg incendiary container. Looks very similar to the AB36 container the Luftwaffe used for carrying 36 1kg or 24 2kg incendiaries. The only thing is that it looks like it’s made of aluminium while the info I've got (a 1944 US Navy Bomb Disposal Manual) says the AB36 should be steel and the illustrations doesn't show any fins.

Anne

Member for

16 years 11 months

Posts: 113

Butterfly bombs

They could not be defused because on the way down after being ejected from the container, the outer casing formed a fan which rotated and unscrewed the fuse. Depending on how far the fuse was unscrewed was the sensitivty. Theonly way of disposing of them was to cover them gently with sandbags, drop in (carefully) a wad of gun cotton with a 30 second fuse) light blue touch paper and retire imediately!!!

Member for

19 years 7 months

Posts: 1,260

They could not be defused because on the way down after being ejected from the container, the outer casing formed a fan which rotated and unscrewed the fuse. Depending on how far the fuse was unscrewed was the sensitivty. Theonly way of disposing of them was to cover them gently with sandbags, drop in (carefully) a wad of gun cotton with a 30 second fuse) light blue touch paper and retire imediately!!!

So if someone had one in their collection, it should be considered "live"?

http://www.millsgrenades.co.uk/images/german%20bombs/sd2a.JPG

Member for

20 years

Posts: 1,496

Prince Charles had one on his mantlepiece at Highgrove House years ago. That too was live and had to be 'rendered safe by detonation'. I am also under the impression that there was no way to safely defuse the sods.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 609

Prince Charles had one on his mantlepiece at Highgrove House years ago. That too was live and had to be 'rendered safe by detonation'. I am also under the impression that there was no way to safely defuse the sods.

I used to have a "mint" example given me by an ex-bomb disposal man and I know of several other inert examples in private hands. I think the EOD policy is to assume they are live and blow them up whatever the circumstances! Andy Saunders

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 609

Here is another whatisit from the bowles of the Museum at Middle Wallop.
Is ir a spinner, It can't be a radome as its all aluminium, this time there is a serial number 559 41 1d 139B and then something that looks like an angel or a stylised eagle. [ATTACH]151773[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]151774[/ATTACH]

These quite often turn up and are mistaken for some kind of prop spinner cone. In fact, the parachute housing dome of a Luftwaffe "Luftmine" or parachute mine - probably a LMA or LMB rather than the "Monika" sea mine or BM1000. This one was manufactured in 1941 and was probably one of many dropped in the Blitz. Andy Saunders

Member for

17 years 11 months

Posts: 2,605

Bomb defusing..

A large hammer usually works first time...:diablo:

Member for

18 years 7 months

Posts: 155

Tangmere, thanks for that, I'm sure the currator at Middle Wallop will be delighted when I tell her. I did have a suspicion that it was an aerodynamic nose for something as blunt nosed as a mine but needed someone who knew to confirm it.

Member for

13 years 6 months

Posts: 722

[ATTACH]151757[/ATTACH]

This is the item I need to identify. Its only a thought that it might be a butterfly bomb container, but whatever it is it screams air dropped dispensing container, but what and whose is it?

I have manual for SD-2 (B-bomb) dispensers, and that does not look like it.

Member for

17 years 5 months

Posts: 8,980

A large hammer usually works first time...:diablo:

But don't forget to close your eyes and put your spare finger in one of your ears, they can be noisy blighters:D

these were the modern Ruskie version we played with in the 80's

http://i.imgur.com/Gkbyml.jpg

Member for

16 years 1 month

Posts: 818

This is a Abwurfbehalter AB-36 which contained 36 1kg Incendiary bombs. Looks like only half of it??

Member for

12 years 9 months

Posts: 331

these were the modern Ruskie version we played with in the 80's

http://i.imgur.com/Gkbyml.jpg[/QUOTE]

Ah the notorious "Green Parrot" much beloved of Taceval organisers.

Member for

10 years 1 month

Posts: 71

One of the several types of container produced to hold German B1 incendiary bombs.

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/attachments/A2049UB7.jpg

Member for

17 years 5 months

Posts: 8,980

Ah the notorious "Green Parrot" much beloved of Taceval organisers.

What was it? Took 10 mins to arm? So when a injection was put out saying dropped in front of HAS, Distaff were stunned to see a guy on the little road sweeper we had sweep the apron and taxiway then dump it on the grass all with the ten mins period :)