Identification of unknown part
- Thread starter Kurtl
- Start date
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FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
It's part of a Type B7 Bomb Shackle
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
I think it was used on all US bombers and was able to support 100 - 1100 pound bombs
A4K
Colonel
Good man Joe!
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Thanx
- Thread starter
- #7
A4K
Colonel
I think Paul (Micdrow) might be your man there, unless Joe has more info where that came from.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
I'll dig arounf for info. One of the sites I used to identify it gave me the information about the 100 - 1100 pound capacity.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
They were mounted horizontally on the vertical beams in the bomb bays of B17s, B24s, B25s etc. The shackle 'jaws' at each end locked around rings on the bomb, and were 'tripped' electronically. The two lever in the centre were the locking latches, which closed the 'jaws' around the bomb suspension lugs.
Until modifications to the system, in late 1943, it was quite common for a bomb, sometimes more than one, to 'hang up' on the shackle. This meant that the Engineer/top turret gunner, had to walk out onto the bomb bay catwalk (without a parachute, as there wasn't room!), and try to trip the jaws with a screwdriver. This was absolutely necessary, as trying to land with a bomb hung-up, apart from being forbidden, was extremely dangerous !
Until modifications to the system, in late 1943, it was quite common for a bomb, sometimes more than one, to 'hang up' on the shackle. This meant that the Engineer/top turret gunner, had to walk out onto the bomb bay catwalk (without a parachute, as there wasn't room!), and try to trip the jaws with a screwdriver. This was absolutely necessary, as trying to land with a bomb hung-up, apart from being forbidden, was extremely dangerous !
A4K
Colonel
Great info Terry!
- Thread starter
- #12
So maybe you could use the bigger hole (with the trigger if it is one) to unlock the "jaws" and set the bomb free?
I found the shackle with open "jaws". So I wonder if that means that the bomb was released before the plane crashed or is it possible that the "jaws" even opens by itself easily as soon as the shackle is seperated of the electric system of the aircraft.
As I am sure that the crashed plane was of the type B-24 I wonder how the bomb bay looks like. Did not the B-24 have four doors for two horizontal like bomb bays instead of one vertical bay like the B-17? Are there any pictures or drawings of the B-24 bomb bay on the net. Just to make sure I figure it out the right way.
I found the shackle with open "jaws". So I wonder if that means that the bomb was released before the plane crashed or is it possible that the "jaws" even opens by itself easily as soon as the shackle is seperated of the electric system of the aircraft.
As I am sure that the crashed plane was of the type B-24 I wonder how the bomb bay looks like. Did not the B-24 have four doors for two horizontal like bomb bays instead of one vertical bay like the B-17? Are there any pictures or drawings of the B-24 bomb bay on the net. Just to make sure I figure it out the right way.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Great pics Joe, better than the ones I was going to post.
Kurtl, unlike most WW2 bombers, the B-24 had 'roller shutter' doors on each side of the bomb bay. Instead of opening into the slipstream as 'solid' doors, they rolled up on tracks, up each fuselage side 'wall'.
I haven't been able to verify it, but I think that you are right, and the larger 'hole' in the shackle assembly is where the jaws would be tripped manually. I believe that, once tripped, the jaws remained open until locked back in place, around the lugs of a new bomb, on the ground. The system was electro-mechanical, with a servo which basically 'pushed' the jaws open. The system is still in use today on 'modern' shackles, little changed from WW2, apart from probably being a lot more reliable.
Kurtl, unlike most WW2 bombers, the B-24 had 'roller shutter' doors on each side of the bomb bay. Instead of opening into the slipstream as 'solid' doors, they rolled up on tracks, up each fuselage side 'wall'.
I haven't been able to verify it, but I think that you are right, and the larger 'hole' in the shackle assembly is where the jaws would be tripped manually. I believe that, once tripped, the jaws remained open until locked back in place, around the lugs of a new bomb, on the ground. The system was electro-mechanical, with a servo which basically 'pushed' the jaws open. The system is still in use today on 'modern' shackles, little changed from WW2, apart from probably being a lot more reliable.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Gents, that was impressive!
- Thread starter
- #16
Thanks alot Gentlemen. Now it gets clear what we are talking about. I did not know that the B-24 as well had a vertical bomb bay like the B-17. Do you think that still there is somewhere a manual that says how a bomb shackle should work in detail? I'm just nosy for what all these hooks, sticks and wholes are. All the best! - Kurtl
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
There might be a description in the relevant Erection Maintenance manual, which one of our American friends can possibly advise on. However, they work basically as I described earlier. Look at the pictures Joe posted of the B-24 bomb bay, and you will see the vertically-mounted beams.The shackles were mounted on these, horizontally, one above the other, with the relevant spaces for the bombs being loaded.
Each bomb was winched into position, and the bomb crew would use the two levers ('sticks' in the centre of each shackle arm, to close the jaws ('hooks') over the suspension lugs welded to the bomb casing. The arming wires were connected, from the aircraft's electrical circuit, to the bomb fuse train, and safety pins inserted, to prevent the impellors (small, propellor-like vanes) from turning.
Before the run-in to the target, the Engineer would go out onto the bomb bay catwalk and remove the pins from each bomb, thus 'arming' them. When the bombardier selected each rack, or perhaps the 'salvo' circuit, and pressed the bomb release, an electrical circuit would cause the sevrvo on each shackle to push against a detent, which opened the jaws, releasing the bomb(s).
As the bombs fell clear, the wires to the fuse chains, firmly attached to the vertical beams, pulled out of the fuses, which allowd the impellor to start spinning in the slipstream as the bomb fell, arming the fuse, which could be an impact fuse, timed fuse for air burst, or a delay fuse, the latter detonating the bomb minutes, hours or even days after it struck.
A fairly basic explanation, but hopefully it helps.
Each bomb was winched into position, and the bomb crew would use the two levers ('sticks' in the centre of each shackle arm, to close the jaws ('hooks') over the suspension lugs welded to the bomb casing. The arming wires were connected, from the aircraft's electrical circuit, to the bomb fuse train, and safety pins inserted, to prevent the impellors (small, propellor-like vanes) from turning.
Before the run-in to the target, the Engineer would go out onto the bomb bay catwalk and remove the pins from each bomb, thus 'arming' them. When the bombardier selected each rack, or perhaps the 'salvo' circuit, and pressed the bomb release, an electrical circuit would cause the sevrvo on each shackle to push against a detent, which opened the jaws, releasing the bomb(s).
As the bombs fell clear, the wires to the fuse chains, firmly attached to the vertical beams, pulled out of the fuses, which allowd the impellor to start spinning in the slipstream as the bomb fell, arming the fuse, which could be an impact fuse, timed fuse for air burst, or a delay fuse, the latter detonating the bomb minutes, hours or even days after it struck.
A fairly basic explanation, but hopefully it helps.
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 38,040
- Mar 26, 2007
perhaps this will help
- Thread starter
- #19
Hello from germany,
sorry for reply to an old thread and sorry for my bad english.
In our forum we have a thread called UFO we post pictures and ask what it is, just for fun, mostly we know what it is.
This is http://www.co2air.de/wbb3/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=78331&pageNo=52 were I asked the same question with almost the same picture. My bomb shakle is in working order. I would like to tell you how it works, because (sorry) you are a little bit wrong.
The "FRONT" arm opens front AND back jaws.
The "BACK" arm operates a third jaw. This jaw closes the tiny little breach or slit that you see close to the big hole.
This it how it works: Swing the "BACK" arm in back direction. Then put a finger in the hole and pull the "trigger" in BACK direction. Leave your finger there, it is spring loaded and has no rest. Now the slit is open. Insert the ring or sling of the cable that leads to the bomb fuse. Realese the "trigger", the slit is now closed. This connection is not very strong. If you would release the bomb now, the fuse would not beeing pulled out, the bomb is still save. When the servo (I have one, also working) opens the main jaws, he also swings the third jaw in closed position. And this connection is strong enough to pull the bomb fuse out.
sorry for reply to an old thread and sorry for my bad english.
In our forum we have a thread called UFO we post pictures and ask what it is, just for fun, mostly we know what it is.
This is http://www.co2air.de/wbb3/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=78331&pageNo=52 were I asked the same question with almost the same picture. My bomb shakle is in working order. I would like to tell you how it works, because (sorry) you are a little bit wrong.
The "FRONT" arm opens front AND back jaws.
The "BACK" arm operates a third jaw. This jaw closes the tiny little breach or slit that you see close to the big hole.
This it how it works: Swing the "BACK" arm in back direction. Then put a finger in the hole and pull the "trigger" in BACK direction. Leave your finger there, it is spring loaded and has no rest. Now the slit is open. Insert the ring or sling of the cable that leads to the bomb fuse. Realese the "trigger", the slit is now closed. This connection is not very strong. If you would release the bomb now, the fuse would not beeing pulled out, the bomb is still save. When the servo (I have one, also working) opens the main jaws, he also swings the third jaw in closed position. And this connection is strong enough to pull the bomb fuse out.
