A.A.D. Bomb

[Antoon]

In a Dutch Air Raid Warden report of April 1942 is written that there was found a small yellow parachute of 40 cm diameter with a wooden board on it.
Connected to the parachute was a thin steel cable.
On the wooden board was glued a paper with the following text:

F.B.B. Assembly Sheet
Assembly No. 24 D 53
Bomb board No.A 4450
Bomb No. 8432
Spool No. 14997
Stabilisingparachute No. 411592
Droge Parachute No. 427382
Date of assembly L H 9/6/41
B M D no. 34234
J. Downes.

On the board was mounted in the middle a 12 cm high cartridge with 4 small cylinders around it. One of these small cylinders had a lever on it and was marked with a label with the text ”danger”. A fifth cylinder was filled with a small parachute made of white silk.

There is no drawing with the report, but I think it is a part of the “M” balloon with a A.A.D. bomb and that the yellow ”parachute” was the rain cover of the apparatus. Who can confirm this? Or who has pictures of this devise?
I have attached 3 drawings from a German Manual from 1942 and the Dutch report.

 

[Bonnex]

Free Barrage Balloon

Herewith an extract from a Navy precis on the Free Barrage Balloon version of ADD devices:

"
DESCRIPTION.
Reference should be made to the diagrams. This device consists of a large rubber balloon suspending a circular wooden board on the top side of which is a double fuze arranged around the circumference. Through these fuzes pass a number of cords. These cords have the following functions: -
(a) To release a spool full of wire.
(b) To arm the bomb (strong link S.L.)
(c) To release ballast bags.
(d) To destroy the bomb (cord S.D.)
On the underside of the board (l ft. in diameter) is a wooden block. A pillar is inserted in each corner of this block. Two of the pillars are of metal and two of wood. These pillars support a small yellow bomb.
One of the metal pillars houses a horizontal metal bar which projects over the milled rim of the bomb retaining it in its housing. The other contains a spring actuated self destruction plunger
2,000 ft. of wire is suspended from a shackle on the top of the bomb. At the bottom of the wire is attached a folded parachute."

If you PM an email address I will send you the document.

 

[Madbomber31]

Here is the bomb,

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/aad-bomb-t4301.html?t=4301

 

[Antoon]

Thank guys,

I know the bomb, that is not the problem.

But has someone pictures of the devise himself where the A.A.D. bomb was hanging in?

 

[Bonnex]

Fbb

Drawing attached.

 

[Antoon]

Bonnex, thanks for the info.

Where is DUBD standing for? I assume that the letters BD is for Bomb Disposal.

Greetings - Antoon

 

[Bonnex]

Dubd

It was a Royal Navy/Admiralty organisation - Directorate of Unexploded Bomb Disposal. The Director issued working instructions and technical intelligence briefing papers to Bomb Safety Officers who were responsible for EOD on board ships and at certain Naval establishments.

As you can see from the attachment skiving was not allowed between EOD tasks - no change there then.

 

[Peter Garwood]

Thank you Antoon,
Excellent,
The Germans were very quick on the uptake when these things came down in France and the low countries.
May I use these on our website when we do a page on FBB? Who do we credit?

 

[Peter Garwood]

Thank you for your help!

 

[Peter Garwood]

Yes the yellow "parachute" was not a parachute but as you correctly point out it was a rain cover to keep the slowburning fuze dry as well as the other bits. I can understand that from it shape it would look like a parachute of sorts or a canopy.