Description
The body is constructed in three pieces, the flat nose and tail piece being welded onto the sheet-steel center tube. The suspension lugs are reinforced with a strip of sheet steel.
Horizontal suspension is provided by the usual two suspension lugs, with threader holes on each side 90° removed to receive the trunnion lugs for suspension from dive bombers.
Nose Fuze AN-Mk 219 will not arm if dropped from under 2,500 feet. An Adapter Mk 219 and an additional Auxiliary Booster Mk 1 must be used with this fuze.
Mk 221 arms with difficulty, and should not be used because of delay.
An extender is supplied with each bomb to permit installation of the Hydrostatic Fuze AN-Mk 224 or AN-Mk 231 in the longer athwartship tube.
Nose Fuzes AN-M103 and AN-M103A1 must have special flat-nose depth-bomb vane.
Because of numerous instances in water crash landings where depth bombs fuzed with the Athwartship Fuze AN-Mk 224 or AN-Mk 234 exploded, these two fuzes have been suspended from use. As a consequence, the 650-pound Depth Bombs Mk 38 and Mk 49 may be used only if a nose impact is installed.
Hazardous Components
The Mk 38 contains TNT (425 lb, 193.2 kg).
The Mk 49 contains Torpex (472 lb, 214.5 kg).
See Also
Booster, Auxiliary, Mk 1 Mod 0
Tail, Hydrostatic, Mk 229 Mod 3
Tail, Hydrostatic, AN-Mk 230 Mod 3 - 6
Source(s)
OP 1664, Volume 2 - US Explosive Ordnance (1947)
USNBD - Bombs and Fuzes, Pyrotechnics (1945)
