Bomb identification - Japanese?

[Darkman]

My mate Ron has this small bomb that he would like identified, as he is stumped. When he bought it he was told it was reputedly from a Japanese museum, and it does have a Japanese look about it. There are no visible markings on it anywhere.

It is about 103mm (4 & 1/16") diameter and 600mm (23 & 1/2") long overall. The casing thickness is only about 5mm.
We are not sure if the oval opening in the side has been cut to display the inside or is original, but this is the only opening in the casing. The casing is otherwise continuous with no joins or fabribation signs evident - there are no rivets (other than the tail fins).
There are also 2 thin (tin?) compartments inside such that the nose and tail spaces are completely blanked off - again we don't know if this is original or not.

It is unlikely that it was an HE bomb as there are no means of fusing or arming, but there may have been a pocket in the side at one time? Possibly a practice bomb? We would love to know more about it - nationality and type/use.

Thanks, Graeme

 

[US-Subs]

I've done a lot of research on Jap bombs, doesn't look like anything Japanese I've found or seen in any documents or archive photos.

 

[Darkman]

I've done a lot of research on Jap bombs, doesn't look like anything Japanese I've found or seen in any documents or archive photos.

Thanks. At least that eliminates Japanese then.

 

[Darkman]

Any ideas anyone?

 

[kahu1]

Just wondering about the hole, looks very tidy. Could this be some sort of 'message' bomb?

 

[Darkman]

Just wondering about the hole, looks very tidy. Could this be some sort of 'message' bomb?

Quite possibly. We are not sure if the opening is original or has been cut open to display the inside. The thought had occurred to us that this was some form of pamphlet or leaflet drop device.

 

[Yodamaster]

This cutting off let me think to a trench art. Commonly, we find this kind of cutting on 8pd projectiles to install a St Barbara's statuette inside !

It's a possibility !


Yoda

 

[Darkman]

This cutting off let me think to a trench art. Commonly, we find this kind of cutting on 8pd projectiles to install a St Barbara's statuette inside !

It's a possibility !


Yoda

Yes, also a good suggestion Yoda. It could have been trench arted. If you stood the bomb upright the 2 internal tin plate baffles would be ideal to stand an efigy/idol/religious statue in to display. The opening is painted with gold paint to make it look nice.