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81 mm smoke WP bomb M57, M57A1
Region
United States
Category
Ammunition, Missiles and precision weapons
Armament US M1, M29 , M29A1 and other medium-pressure 81 mm mortars. Development By the US Ordnance Department after Brandt originals. Description This bomb also dates from the introduction of the M1 mortar in 1936 and has seen little change since that time. It has a cylindrical steel body with tailcone, tailboom and fin assembly, the nose curved into an ogive into which is screwed an adaptor. This carries a central burster tube and is threaded to receive the fuze. The burster is filled with 36 g of Tetryl and the
remainder of the body cavity with 1.84 kg of White Phosphorus (WP). A propulsion cartridge is fitted into the tailboom and up to four increments are attached to the tailboom in front of the fins by means of spring clips. On impact, the fuze detonates the Tetryl burster; this breaks open the bomb and releases the WP, this inflames spontaneously on contact with the air, generating dense smoke. Although obsolescent in US service, this bomb may still be encountered in other countries. Manufacturer US government contractors.