British 250 lb Bombs Sought

[Dave Homewood]

A friend is looking for a couple of British style WWII 250 lb bombs to hang off his warbird. He is after the shape of this one at Wigram. He'd like to find either replicas or a mould for replicas, or a genuine one that could be moulded, or someone who can make them. And options considered. Any suggestions?

[l29]

Wigram has the moulds for a multitude of bombs.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks. We shall investigate.

[l29]

As I am local I would be happy to collect the mould and make some for him if it all works out.

[kiwi285]

May 3, 2022 20:48:47 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Thanks. We shall investigate.

Dave would you let me know what you can find out as we need to manufacture about 5 or 6 500 lb bombs for the B-17 and the Avenger

I have just about finished a master but haven't created the mould for fibreglass replicas as yet.

[Dave Homewood]

You would be looking at the US style bombs Mike,rather than the British type that my contact is after.

[tbf2504]

Should be plenty of dud ones in the ground all over western Europe. Just need a metal detector, shovel and a lot of luck!!

[ErrolC]

NZ7003 can bring them back! Because the paperwork to get them on a commercial flight would be horrendous!

[shorty]

Given the title of this thread I feel you will be getting an audience with the S.I.S !

[Mustang51]

To do it all justice you need to also obtain the total nose and tail fuses and have them manufactured as well then add the final touch like the arming wires etc. Sure that there would be a market out there for a number of these for extant and future warbirds....Is there a document that details the manner of the colours and locations for the types of ordinance and any other markings/wording? The clips that affix the tails to the bomb casing are also something that needs to be reproduced authentically. Carbon fibre reproductions.....hmmm ...wonder how two would go on the Dog...?

[McFly]

These guys have some available - www.bombsaway.us/m57gp250.html

As do these as well - warrelicreplicas.storenvy.com/collections/293395-bomb-replicas

[Dave Homewood]

They are US bombs in the photos. Not British, as is desired.

[scrooge]

But may be useful for the people in Tauranga

[Mustang51]

Think I may have about 4 tail fins (original) for US 500lb bombs in the garage somewhere

[colford]

May 4, 2022 19:06:55 GMT 12 Mustang51 said:

To do it all justice you need to also obtain the total nose and tail fuses and have them manufactured as well then add the final touch like the arming wires etc. Sure that there would be a market out there for a number of these for extant and future warbirds....Is there a document that details the manner of the colours and locations for the types of ordinance and any other markings/wording? The clips that affix the tails to the bomb casing are also something that needs to be reproduced authentically. Carbon fibre reproductions.....hmmm ...wonder how two would go on the Dog...?

There is an Air Ministry AP, amended over various dates, that covers aircraft armament across its various parts. Working from memory but it works along the line of AP****-A covers machine guns and cannon, AP*****-B covers turrets, AP****-C covers gun sights, then ones covering bombs, rockets, depth charges, stores containers, etc. I have somewhere in the TBs of research data on my PCs and Hard drives copies of a couple of these AM APs, particularly those covering the Hispano 20mm cannon, and the 3inch RPs as used on RAF aircraft, and am sure I possibly have a copy of the part that covers the colours and types of RAF bombs dating from about 1942. (Note to self, must develop a better index of where I've got these stored.) There has been discussion on the colours and markings of RAF WW2 bombs and rockets, etc repeatedly on BritModeller and also the ww2aircraft.net forums which has included links to pdf copies of those documents hosted online.

But, I would expect RNZAF Museum and RAAF Museum should have copies of the relevant APs in their archives as they would have had to refer to them when restoring some of their collections and preparing items for display in their collections.

And for the Dog, would't you be looking for replicas of the WP marker rockets?

[ErrolC]

May 5, 2022 13:33:51 GMT 12 colford said:

May 4, 2022 19:06:55 GMT 12 Mustang51 said:

...

And for the Dog, would't you be looking for replicas of the WP marker rockets?

Indeed

Turning in by Errol Cavit, on Flickr

[womble47]

I think the Dominion Museum has one .As a young bloke in Wellington I recall seeing on display

[Dave Homewood]

I thought the Dominion Museum closed down years ago? Replaced by Te Papa.

[colford]

Went digging through my files, and best references are:

Air Ministry Armament Publications AP2264A (Air Ministry 1942)
Bombs Ch 5 Bombs, HE, Aircraft GP 250lb Mk IV AP 1661B Vol I Sec 1 (Air Ministry 1942)

Associated with those are the following which focus on the various mounts and carriers including configurations for carrying 250lb bomb - first one would be most appropriate source for bomb as carried on most RAF aircraft up until late 1943.
Bomb Carriers: Preliminary issue Ch 3 250 lb Container for Small Bombs AP 1664 Vol I (Air Ministry 1939)
Bomb Carriers: AL 43 issue Ch 3 250 lb Container for Small Bombs AP 1664 Vol I (Air Ministry 1944)

Would be a starting point to inquire with RNZAF Museum.

[Dave Homewood]

From Ando. “I have 8 of these beauties, (real ones), for the Dog”