40Lb Demolition bomb question ("flying dustbin")

[MINENAZ16]

-On the internet I found two different designations for the AVRE mortar, 230mm and 290mm.
I only saw 230mm diameter bombs in collections. Two differents or a mistake with 290mm ?
The answer here : https://www.bocn.co.uk/threads/40-lb-bomb-demo.4159/#post-24546

-This one is different from the MKII petard (different longer body).
Is it MKI or something else ? (drill ? Practice ?)

 

[RichardB]

The picture above looks like a Drill version, not a MkII
As your link says, 290mm is an error. Probably confused with the weapon employing a 29mm Spigot to launch the weapon. A better designation is 40lb Bomb Demolition No.1

 

[BMG50]

I would asume that you would need a lot of practice before handling the live version inside a tank where it was loaded from, so a drill bomb would be a must, any mistake during handling would blow a tank to bits.

 

[Bombdoc]

I would asume that you would need a lot of practice before handling the live version inside a tank where it was loaded from, so a drill bomb would be a must, any mistake during handling would blow a tank to bits.

No.. this is a practice bomb, not a drill bomb!

These are for firing practice, and are probably reusable! Firing live bombs is something you probably want to avoid as the safety was fairly basic, and the results of something going wrong could be quite exciting..!

Looks like something knocked up in the REME workshop and kept well out of sight when the IOO (Inspecting Ordnance Officer - old name for an ATO) turned up..!

 

[Antoon]

I have seen a document about the "Flying Dustbin" (have to search for it) that give's the diameter of the spigot; 29.0 mm. Because the text is a little vague, I think that someone made the mistake to read it as 290 mm, and than, somebody took that over, etc., etc. Even in Tank Chats #57 at the Tank Museum about the Churchill AVRE they make this mistake .
see:

 

[BMG50]

No.. this is a practice bomb, not a drill bomb!

These are for firing practice, and are probably reusable! Firing live bombs is something you probably want to avoid as the safety was fairly basic, and the results of something going wrong could be quite exciting..!

Looks like something knocked up in the REME workshop and kept well out of sight when the IOO (Inspecting Ordnance Officer - old name for an ATO) turned up..!

Could be both practice or drill seeing as its not marked up and work shopped made with the big weld down the side. Usually tail section was a replacement item like the Spigot mortar when used in practice for the 14lb model.

 

[Bombdoc]

Could be both practice or drill seeing as its not marked up and work shopped made with the big weld down the side. Usually tail section was a replacement item like the Spigot mortar when used in practice for the 14lb model.

Well, drill bombs should be the same as the warshot and marked up as drill.. to use the same bomb for both is asking for trouble.

 

[BMG50]

drill of the time was painted white with black writing and practice was black with white writing, i think but looking at black and white photo it doesn't tell either. It would be interesting to see if there was training manual showing drill and practice and if such rounds were available ready in time for training for Normandy especially seeing workshop made ones of both types. It would be interesting to see when they discontinued using this spigot mortar or if it continued into the 1950s.