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On January 2nd 1942 Malta was bombed using the PC 18000RS Panther, a rocket assisted bomb.
RE BOMB DISPOSAL SQUAD FACES UNKNOWN BOMB
The small slip of paper delivered to Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal early this morning was covered in hastily scribbled notes. It was also marked ‘Priority’ – requiring immediate action. The UXB Report suggested unusual traces of one or possibly two unexploded bombs in one position, possibly connected to the ‘fireball’ seen skimming over the roof of the NCOs’ Mess last night.
The Bomb Disposal Officer was puzzled by what he found at the site. Two holes were so close together it seemed a bomb had entered one hole and passed out through the other. From their size, the bomb was at least a 500kg. It could explode at any moment; he had to find it.
The Bomb Disposal squad started digging gently into the ground, so as not to disturb the bomb and detonate it as they worked. Gradually an array of debris emerged: strips of tail fin in a strange blue alloy, sections of piping and metal plating unlike any part of a bomb they had seen before. Then an NCO sent to search the area reported a 500kg bomb on the surface nearby: it looked unusual.
The Bomb Disposal Officer was facing the first known example of a new and highly-developed type of bomb, seemingly rocket-propelled. The War Office needed full details. A controlled explosion was not an option. Somehow he must make it safe and transport it intact back to the workshop, Full story in UXB Malta, S A M Hudson, History Press 2010. Ref https://maltagc70.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/2-january-1942-first-ever-rocket-bombs-used-on-malta/
Introduction to PC-RS Bomb Series
DESCRIPTION: This series of rocket assisted armour piercing bombs consists of the following missles; PC 500 Rs, PC 1000 Rs, and the PC 1800 Rs. In general the three types are of similar three piece construction; the warhead, the distance piece, and the tail section. The tail section contains the rocket motor.
Each series is fitted for horizontal suspension by means of a single "eye" or H-type suspension lug. In addition to the suspension lug, there is a set of trunnions fitted to the bomb. They are located 90 degrees around from the lug and approximately 2 inches further aft. The trunnions are used for suspension only under dive-bombing conditions.
WARHEAD: The warhead is identical to the normal armour-piercing (PC) bombs of the respective size except for the fuze pocket arrangement. In the PC-Rs series the transverse fuze pocket has been omitted. The impact fuze is part of the 49 series and is found screwed into the base of the warhead. The warhead is filled through the base and the explosive cavity is then closed by means of a male type base plate.
DISTANCE PIECE: The distance piece is a steel cylinder internally threaded at both ends. Its main purpose is to connect the warhread to the tail section. The charging head for the fuzing system is threaded into the after end of the distance piece just forward of the tail piece junction. The electical leads from the charging head pass through this cylinder; one to the impact fuze and the other to the pyrotechnic rocket igniter.
TAIL SECTION: The tail section is another steel cylinder with twelve stabilizing fins at the after end. This total of 12 fins is made up of 4 large fins and 8 small fins. The end of the tail unit is closed by means of a fixing plate. The fixing plate has six circular openings positioned so as to take the end of the venturi tubes from the rocket motor. The large opening in the center of the fixing plate will allow any gas emitted from the pressure release valve in the rocket motor to escape.
ROCKET MOTOR: The rocket motor is housed within the tail section. It consists of the following parts: main pressure chamber, six propulsion venturi, six metal spacers at each end of the pressure chamber to hold and properly space the propellant sticks, an igniter pad of black powder, and a spring loade pressure release valve used as a safety messure.
There are 19 sticks of rocket powder in each motor, dimensions of which can be found in the specific entries. The latest type of rocket powder used in these missiles was dinitrodiglycol.
FUZING SYSTEM: The 49 fuze has been developed in three series: A, B, C and they are used in the PC 500, 1000, 1800 Rs bombs respectively. Each series consists of three parts; the charging head, the pyrotechnic fuze for igniting the rocket motor, and the electrical impact fuze for detonating the warhead when the missile strikes a target. Wiring diagrams and complete operation of the system can be found in the bomb fuze section.
OPERATION: When the missile is released from the mother aircraft, electrical charge is imparted to the charging head. This charge is passed on to both the pyrotechnic fuze and the electrical impact fuze. The pyrotechnic delay is ignited immediately. After 3 or 4 seconds it burns through to the black powder igniter. The black powder then ignites and starts the propellant powder in the motor burning.
The electrical charge which is passed on to the impact fuze loads the condensers and arms the fuze. On impact one or all of the trembler switches close. This action completes the firing circuit and sets off the electrical detonator which in turns sets off the gaine and finally the main charge.
All information for this entry were acquired from Army Technical manual TM 9-1985-2/Air Force Technical Order TO 39B-1A-9 GERMAN EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE (Bombs, Fuzes, Rockets, Land Mines, Grenades & Igniters) Ref. http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/pcrsintro.htm
RE BOMB DISPOSAL SQUAD FACES UNKNOWN BOMB
The small slip of paper delivered to Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal early this morning was covered in hastily scribbled notes. It was also marked ‘Priority’ – requiring immediate action. The UXB Report suggested unusual traces of one or possibly two unexploded bombs in one position, possibly connected to the ‘fireball’ seen skimming over the roof of the NCOs’ Mess last night.
The Bomb Disposal Officer was puzzled by what he found at the site. Two holes were so close together it seemed a bomb had entered one hole and passed out through the other. From their size, the bomb was at least a 500kg. It could explode at any moment; he had to find it.
The Bomb Disposal squad started digging gently into the ground, so as not to disturb the bomb and detonate it as they worked. Gradually an array of debris emerged: strips of tail fin in a strange blue alloy, sections of piping and metal plating unlike any part of a bomb they had seen before. Then an NCO sent to search the area reported a 500kg bomb on the surface nearby: it looked unusual.
The Bomb Disposal Officer was facing the first known example of a new and highly-developed type of bomb, seemingly rocket-propelled. The War Office needed full details. A controlled explosion was not an option. Somehow he must make it safe and transport it intact back to the workshop, Full story in UXB Malta, S A M Hudson, History Press 2010. Ref https://maltagc70.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/2-january-1942-first-ever-rocket-bombs-used-on-malta/
Introduction to PC-RS Bomb Series
DESCRIPTION: This series of rocket assisted armour piercing bombs consists of the following missles; PC 500 Rs, PC 1000 Rs, and the PC 1800 Rs. In general the three types are of similar three piece construction; the warhead, the distance piece, and the tail section. The tail section contains the rocket motor.
Each series is fitted for horizontal suspension by means of a single "eye" or H-type suspension lug. In addition to the suspension lug, there is a set of trunnions fitted to the bomb. They are located 90 degrees around from the lug and approximately 2 inches further aft. The trunnions are used for suspension only under dive-bombing conditions.
WARHEAD: The warhead is identical to the normal armour-piercing (PC) bombs of the respective size except for the fuze pocket arrangement. In the PC-Rs series the transverse fuze pocket has been omitted. The impact fuze is part of the 49 series and is found screwed into the base of the warhead. The warhead is filled through the base and the explosive cavity is then closed by means of a male type base plate.
DISTANCE PIECE: The distance piece is a steel cylinder internally threaded at both ends. Its main purpose is to connect the warhread to the tail section. The charging head for the fuzing system is threaded into the after end of the distance piece just forward of the tail piece junction. The electical leads from the charging head pass through this cylinder; one to the impact fuze and the other to the pyrotechnic rocket igniter.
TAIL SECTION: The tail section is another steel cylinder with twelve stabilizing fins at the after end. This total of 12 fins is made up of 4 large fins and 8 small fins. The end of the tail unit is closed by means of a fixing plate. The fixing plate has six circular openings positioned so as to take the end of the venturi tubes from the rocket motor. The large opening in the center of the fixing plate will allow any gas emitted from the pressure release valve in the rocket motor to escape.
ROCKET MOTOR: The rocket motor is housed within the tail section. It consists of the following parts: main pressure chamber, six propulsion venturi, six metal spacers at each end of the pressure chamber to hold and properly space the propellant sticks, an igniter pad of black powder, and a spring loade pressure release valve used as a safety messure.
There are 19 sticks of rocket powder in each motor, dimensions of which can be found in the specific entries. The latest type of rocket powder used in these missiles was dinitrodiglycol.
FUZING SYSTEM: The 49 fuze has been developed in three series: A, B, C and they are used in the PC 500, 1000, 1800 Rs bombs respectively. Each series consists of three parts; the charging head, the pyrotechnic fuze for igniting the rocket motor, and the electrical impact fuze for detonating the warhead when the missile strikes a target. Wiring diagrams and complete operation of the system can be found in the bomb fuze section.
OPERATION: When the missile is released from the mother aircraft, electrical charge is imparted to the charging head. This charge is passed on to both the pyrotechnic fuze and the electrical impact fuze. The pyrotechnic delay is ignited immediately. After 3 or 4 seconds it burns through to the black powder igniter. The black powder then ignites and starts the propellant powder in the motor burning.
The electrical charge which is passed on to the impact fuze loads the condensers and arms the fuze. On impact one or all of the trembler switches close. This action completes the firing circuit and sets off the electrical detonator which in turns sets off the gaine and finally the main charge.
All information for this entry were acquired from Army Technical manual TM 9-1985-2/Air Force Technical Order TO 39B-1A-9 GERMAN EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE (Bombs, Fuzes, Rockets, Land Mines, Grenades & Igniters) Ref. http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/pcrsintro.htm
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