AN-M57 250 lb WORLD WAR II GP BOMB

••• IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A REPLICA FROM NOW THROUGH APRIL, PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL. •••
[email protected] (909) 803-4013

MOLDED FROM AN ACTUAL WORLD WAR II 250 LB. BOMB

Sold complete or Unpainted (stencil is provided)

AN-M57 REPLICA DESCRIPTION
All Replica bombs are build from light weight composite materials and steel components. The fins are constructed from steel and spot welded together. The suspension lug straps are steel and bolted the bomb casing. All threads are identical and interchangeable with the genuine article. Metal fins are powder coated. Composite parts are coated with gelcoat which is more durable then paint. The gel coat used is UV stabilized and can handle prolonged exposure to harsh weather and from people poking and prodding. This replica can be suspended from its lugs for static display. NOT for flying aircraft. Contact us for those. Replica fuses and arming wires are sold separately.

REPLICA WEIGHT…….…APPROX. 15 LBS.
OVERALL LENGTH….…………..….45.4 IN.
DIAMETER OF BODY.…..…….……10.9 IN.
SUSPENSION LUG SPACING.….….….14 in.

Replicas are built with a Standard construction or Museum Quality construction and each sold with these stenciling options:
• TNT (1 Yellow band)
• COMPOSITION B (2 Yellow bands)
• TRITONAL (3 Yellow bands)

THIS REPLICA IS FOR DISPLAY ONLY

MUSEUM QUALITY VS. STANDARD
Museum quality construction fins attach to the bomb body same as the original. Four fins are riveted or spot welded together then attached to a round fin caller. The fin assembly is fastened to the bomb body with a large fin nut. The replica fin nut has the same basic design and thread pitch as the original. The fins and fin nut is interchangeable with the genuine article. This version is our most realistic version.

Standard Construction - The fin caller and fin nut are part of the bomb body. They are molded as one fiberglass piece. The fins are not removable. The lack of these machined parts brings the cost down. The detail of the fin attach point is still good but not as realistic as the Museum quality.
Both versions have fuse wells to accept real or replica plugs or fuses.

FUN FACTS
PRINCIPAL OF OPERATION: During bomb’s release from the aircraft, the propeller (vane) rotates, allowing an impeller to spin. After a certain number of revolutions, the fuze becomes armed, allowing it to function. When the bomb impacts the target, the firing pin punches the detonator causing it to detonate, activating the booster charge, which causes the main charge to function. Type: Designed for anti-personnel or to destroy infrastructure both on the ground and underground by penetration.

COMPONENTS: Body, Tail fins, and Fuzes (normally mounted with 2 fuzes). Total weight: 255-260 lbs.

DESCRIPTION. The GP and M series bombs of 250-pound weight have the same dimensions. The GP is distinguishable from the M-series by the fact that it has a base plug in the tail and a single suspension lug in addition to two Army lugs. The old GP bombs are a relatively thin-cased bomb with an ogival nose, parallel sidewalls, and a tapered aft section. It uses both the box type and conical type fin assembly. The box-type fin assembly is secured to the aft end of the bomb with a fin locknut, while the conical-type fin assembly is secured to the bomb body by means of a support tube. The two Army lugs are 14 inches apart, each 7 inches from the center of gravity. The single suspension lug is on the center of gravity 14 inches behind the nose. Recent production eliminates the 1/4-inch band, since the center of gravity is located accurately enough by the single suspension lug.
The weight of the case is 130 pounds. The filler is 50/50 amatol, Composition B, TNT, or Tritonal. Percentage of filler is approximately 49 percent. The AN-M57 Bomb is fuzed in the nose with the AN-M103 Fuze and in the tail with the AN-M123 Fuze. Alternate nose fuzes that may be used as substitutes or for special purposes are the M135, M136, M140, M149, M163, M164, M165, K239, MK243, MK244, M148. Alternate tail fuses are: AN-M100, M160. To make Army and Navy bombs interchangeable, a 500 and 1000 pound demolition bombs were standardized, as well as a 250 pound bomb for British interchangeability. The new nomenclature utilized for this series of bombs designates “AN” as Army or Navy use. The “GP” (general purpose) were added in place of demolition to conform to British nomenclature. These bombs were being manufactured with a single suspension lug at the center of gravity to allow for the use in British single suspension racks and several of the Navy planes which carried single suspension racks.