Michael Haselgrove Posted 9 January , 2015 Share Posted 9 January , 2015 Dear All, I thought I would share two aerial bombs in my collection. The first is a 20lb Hales bomb. It has a transfer indicating the manufacturer as H LLEWELLYN DENT LTD ENGINEER HADYN PARK Wks. SHEPHERD'S BUSH LONDON. The information on the Imperial War Museum website about the Hales 20lb bomb is as follows: "At the outbreak of the First World War, largely due to the efforts of the Naval Wing, now the RNAS, three types of bombs were available in small quantities, the Hales 20lb and the RL 100 and 112lb bombs. The Hales Bomb was manufactured by the Powder Company at Faversham, Kent, and during the early part of the War, it was used extensively by the RNAS and from 1915, by the RFC. The Bomb actually weighed 18.5lb, contained 4.5lb of amatol explosive, and was declared obsolete by 1918." For rather more information the following website is of particular interest: http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=16966.0 Anyway, I hope the following photographs of documents are legible and that the others of the Hales bomb are of interest. I will post details of the Cooper as soon as time permits. Regards, Michael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 9 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2015 More photographs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 9 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2015 And finally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 9 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2015 Continuing, here is some information about the 20lb Cooper Bomb together with photographs of the example in my collection. This bomb was manufactured by the same manufacturer as the Hales Bomb above. In addition to the two transfers this bomb has the manufacturer's initials HLD cast into the body of the bomb, the nose cover and pistol which is dated 1918.Regards,Michael. More photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 9 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2015 More photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 9 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2015 And finally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calibre792x57.y Posted 11 January , 2015 Share Posted 11 January , 2015 Two very nice pieces and rare in this sort of condition. I see you managed to remove the gaines on both bombs which is very reassuring for one's peace of mind! - SW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new3.2 Posted 14 January , 2015 Share Posted 14 January , 2015 Nice photos. Have seen Cooper bombs in several colors. Is there a correct one? Ken B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calibre792x57.y Posted 14 January , 2015 Share Posted 14 January , 2015 Ken B - I had a Cooper with all it's original markings. The Buff colour shown in Michael's post is correct. Lot numbers and dates were stencilled in flat black. Usual 'Filled' band in red. - SW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 14 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 14 January , 2015 Hi Ken, The information I provided above states: " Dark green overall: Half inch red band & one inch light green band around nose. (Originally yellow overall)". The bombs in my collection have no filling marks so presumably were never filled. As far as I am aware the nose cover and pistol were always painted black. However, you are right that other bombs are painted in different colours. From memory I have read somewhere that those made in the U.S.A were painted grey (?) but I will have to check that. I have also seen one painted black, but that may not have been original paint. Regards, Michael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogilwy Posted 15 January , 2015 Share Posted 15 January , 2015 Michael, The OBC should be yellow for the WW1 dated 20Lb Cooper Bomb. The book you are quoting is a late 1930's - 40's Air Publication by which time we (the British Military) had changed the Body colour policy. The OBC of Green was for later use and the bands were a Role Band and Climatic Use Band. Although it states Obsolete in the AP it was obsolescent for a number of years and remained in use as a training bomb. Somewhere here at work I have the Ordnance Board Specification (OB Spec) dictating the new colours. I would copy it for you but as we have several thousand of these (well every one that exists anyway) and the indexing is rubbish, looking for the date of change from the 30's involves reading each one from the period and my life is too short for that, sorry! I will however photograph the original pattern bomb that we have in our collection when I get a chance. Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 15 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 15 January , 2015 Hi Rod, Thanks very much for the information you have provided. Unfortunately, I don't have the whole book - just a photocopy of the two pages I provided. I was hoping when I started this topic that my posts would generate more posts providing information about these bombs and their use; what I have is somewhat lacking in detail to say the least. Anyway, thanks again. Regards, Michael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogilwy Posted 15 January , 2015 Share Posted 15 January , 2015 Michael, I'll see what is readily available. I have the period Tech Spec somewhere but a re-org here has put it out of immediate reach. I should have something better than the AP which is renowned as being sketchy in it's detail at best! Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new3.2 Posted 28 January , 2015 Share Posted 28 January , 2015 Thanks for the replies on color. Mine in the US is bright blue, have seen two others the same color, also have another "fuse-cover" that is black, neither have the HLD cast into them. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 28 January , 2015 Share Posted 28 January , 2015 Wow! Very very nice examples, I'm extremely jealous. Is that a transit case for the Cooper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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