Anilite bomb

Anilite bomb
Anilite bomb
Type	Aerial bomb
Place of origin	France
Service history
In service	World War I
Used by	Allied Forces
Production history
Designed	1915–16
Specifications
Mass	10 kg (22 lb); 25 kg (55 lb); 50 kg (110 lb);
Diameter	120 mm (4.72 in); 155 mm (6.10 in); 200 mm (7.87 in);
Filling	Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Gasoline
Filling weight	6 kg (13 lb); 12 kg (26 lb); 25 kg (55 lb);
Detonation; mechanism	contact detonator

Anilite bombs, also known as Gros Andreau bombs, were introduced early in the First World War for dropping from aircraft.

Description

The Anilite bomb consisted of two compartments; one filled with gaseous Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) and another filled with Gasoline or any other suitable / available hydrocarbon to proportions of 80% NO₂ and 20% hydrocarbon as oxidiser and fuel respectively.^[1]

Once released the two components mixed inside the casing becoming explosive after mixing. This gave the advantage of relatively safe handling with low risk of premature detonation, even with rough handling. If the bomb components did not mix or the gas leaked, the bomb became an incendiary device. Disadvantages included the toxicity of the NO₂ if leakage occurred, with several instances of crews being poisoned and incapacitated by leaking bombs and the relative fragile nature of the casing which meant that the bombs had none or little penetration on impact, limiting their effectiveness.^[1]

The Gros Andreau bombs were produced in three calibres:

120 mm (4.72 in): weighing 10 kg (22 lb), containing 6 kg (13 lb) of explosive.^[1]
155 mm (6.10 in): weighing 25 kg (55 lb), containing 12 kg (26 lb) of explosive.^[1]
200 mm (7.87 in): weighing 50 kg (110 lb), containing 25 kg (55 lb) of explosive.^[1]

Operational history

Gros Andreau bombs proved effective and relatively safe to use and were first dropped on Karlsruhe on 22 June 1916, being withdrawn from use in 1918 and replaced with bombs filled with Melinite (picric acid and guncotton) and Mononitronaphthalene known as MMN bombs.^[1]^[2]^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Martel, René (2007). Suddaby, Allen; Gordon, Martin (eds.). French Strategic and Tactical Bombardment Forces of World War I. Lanham (Md.): The Scarecrow Press. pp. 103–105. ISBN 978-0-8108-5662-2.
^ Sanford, P. Gerald (1906). Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise:Concerning the Properties, Manufacture, and Analysis of Nitrated Substances, Including the Fulminates, Smokeless Powders, and Celluloid. London. Retrieved 3 August 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ "Save3DZoom 1-Nitronaphthalene". Retrieved 3 August 2015.

[Martel-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Martel, René (2007). Suddaby, Allen; Gordon, Martin (eds.). French Strategic and Tactical Bombardment Forces of World War I. Lanham (Md.): The Scarecrow Press. pp. 103–105. ISBN 978-0-8108-5662-2.

[Sanford-2] Sanford, P. Gerald (1906). Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise:Concerning the Properties, Manufacture, and Analysis of Nitrated Substances, Including the Fulminates, Smokeless Powders, and Celluloid. London. Retrieved 3 August 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[nitronaphthalene-3] "Save3DZoom 1-Nitronaphthalene". Retrieved 3 August 2015.

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