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Composition B
Composition B (Comp B), also known as Hexotol and Hexolite (among others), is a high explosive consisting of castable mixtures of RDX and TNT. It is used as the main explosive filling in artillery projectiles, rockets, land mines, hand grenades, and various other munitions. It was also used for the explosive lenses in the first implosion-type nuclear weapons developed by the United Kingdom and United States.''Atom Bombs: The Top Secret Inside Story of Little Boy and Fat Man'', John Coster-Mullen, 2003Nuclear Weapons FAQ section 8.1.1: The Design of Gadget, Fat Man, and "Joe 1" (RDS-1) accessed August 10, 2009 The standard proportions of ingredients (by weight) are 59.5% RDX ( |
DM41 Hand Grenade Cutaway
The HP-41C series are programmable, expandable, continuous memory handheld RPN calculators made by Hewlett-Packard from 1979 to 1990. The original model, HP-41C, was the first of its kind to offer alphanumeric display capabilities. Later came the HP-41CV and HP-41CX, offering more memory and functionality. The alphanumeric "revolution" The alphanumeric LCD screen of the HP-41C revolutionized the way a pocket calculator could be used, providing user friendliness (for its time) and expandability (keyboard-unassigned functions could be spelled out alphabetically). By using an alphanumeric display, the calculator could tell the user what was going on: it could display error messages, such as showing ("DATA ERROR") upon attempting to divide by zero instead of simply displaying a blinking zero; it could also specifically prompt the user for arguments ("ENTER RADIUS") instead of just displaying a question mark. Earlier calculators needed a key, or key combination, for every avai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Composition H6
__NOTOC__ Composition H-6 is a melt-cast military aluminized high explosive. H-6 was developed in the United States. The chemical composition of H-6 is specified as follows: * 45.1 ± 0.3% RDX ; * 29.2 ± 3.0% TNT; * 21.0 ± 3.0% powdered aluminium; * 4.7 ± 1.0% paraffin wax as a phlegmatizing agent; * 0.47 ± 0.1% calcium chloride as a desiccant to prevent moisture from reacting with Al. Comp H-6 is used in a number of military applications, specifically as an explosive main fill, in munitions including aerial bombs such as the general purpose Mark 80 bombs in use with the USMC and US Navy (while USAF Mark 80s use a tritonal main fill); and underwater munitions (e.g. naval mines, depth charges and torpedoes) where it has generally replaced torpex, being less shock-sensitive and having more stable storage characteristics. It is approximately 1.35 times more powerful than pure TNT. Properties * Density: 1.73—1.74 g/cm3 * Velocity of detonation: 7,367 m/s Manufactu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Semtex
Semtex is a general-purpose plastic explosive containing RDX and PETN. It is used in commercial blasting, demolition, and in certain military applications. Semtex was developed and manufactured in Czechoslovakia, originally under the name B 1 and then under the "Semtex" designation since 1964, labeled as ''SEMTEX 1A'', since 1967 as ''SEMTEX H'', and since 1987 as ''SEMTEX 10''. Originally developed for Czechoslovak military use and export, Semtex eventually became popular with armed groups and insurgents because, prior to the 2000s, it was extremely difficult to detect, as in the case of Pan Am Flight 103. Composition The composition of the two most common variants differ according to their use. The 1A (or 10) variant is used for mining, and is based mostly on crystalline PETN. The versions 1AP and 2P are formed as hexagonal booster charges; a special assembly of PETN and wax inside the charge assures high reliability for detonating cord or detonator. The H (or SE) variant ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RE Factor
TNT equivalent is a convention for expressing energy, typically used to describe the energy released in an explosion. A ton of TNT equivalent is a unit of energy defined by convention to be (). It is the approximate energy released in the detonation of a metric ton (1,000 kilograms) of trinitrotoluene (TNT). In other words, for each gram of TNT exploded, (or 4184 joules) of energy are released. This convention intends to compare the destructiveness of an event with that of conventional explosive materials, of which TNT is a typical example, although other conventional explosives such as dynamite contain more energy. A related concept is the physical quantity TNT-equivalent mass (or mass of TNT equivalent), expressed in the ordinary units of mass and its multiples: kilogram (kg), megagram (Mg) or tonne (t), etc. Kiloton and megaton The "kiloton (of TNT equivalent)" is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 terajoules (). A kiloton of TNT can be visualized as a cube of TNT on a si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Composition C
The Composition C family is a family of related US-specified plastic explosives consisting primarily of RDX. All can be moulded by hand for use in demolition work and packed by hand into shaped-charge devices. Variants have different proportions and plasticisers and include Composition C-1, Composition C-2, Composition C-3, and Composition C-4. History The term ''Composition'' is used for any explosive material compounded from several ingredients. In particular, in the 1940s the format "Composition " was used for various compositions of the (relatively) novel explosive RDX, such as Composition B and other variants. Development The original material was developed by the British during World War II, and was used in the Gammon bomb. It was standardised as Composition C when introduced to US service. This material consisted of 88.3% RDX and a mineral oil-based plasticiser and phlegmatiser. It suffered from a relatively limited range of serviceable temperatures, and was replaced by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
High-explosive Anti-tank
High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity shaped charge jet; this is capable of penetrating armor steel to a depth of seven or more times the diameter of the charge (charge diameters, CD). The shaped charge jet armor penetration effect is purely kinetic in nature; the round has no explosive or incendiary effect on the armor. Unlike standard armor piercing shell, armor-piercing rounds, a HEAT warhead's penetration performance is unaffected by the projectile's velocity, allowing them to be fired by lower-powered weapons that generate less recoil. The performance of HEAT weapons has nothing to do with heat, thermal effects, with HEAT being simply an acronym. History HEAT warheads were developed during World War II, from extensive research and development into shaped charge warh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shaped Charge
A shaped charge, commonly also hollow charge if shaped with a cavity, is an explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Different types of shaped charges are used for various purposes such as cutting and forming metal, initiating nuclear weapons, penetrating armor, or perforating wells in the oil and gas industry. A typical modern shaped charge, with a metal liner on the charge cavity, can penetrate armor steel to a depth of seven or more times the diameter of the charge (charge diameters, CD), though depths of 10 CD and above have been achieved. Contrary to a misconception, possibly resulting from the acronym ''HEAT'' (high-explosive anti-tank), the shaped charge does not depend in any way on heating or melting for its effectiveness; that is, the jet from a shaped charge does not melt its way through armor, as its effect is purely kinetic in nature—however the process creates significant heat and often has a significant secondary incendiary ef ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fuze
In military munitions, a fuze (sometimes fuse) is the part of the device that initiates its function. In some applications, such as torpedoes, a fuze may be identified by function as the exploder. The relative complexity of even the earliest fuze designs can be seen in cutaway diagrams. A fuze is a device that detonates a munition's explosive material under specified conditions. In addition, a fuze will have safety and arming mechanisms that protect users from premature or accidental detonation. For example, an artillery fuze's battery is activated by the high acceleration of cannon launch, and the fuze must be spinning rapidly before it will function. "Complete bore safety" can be achieved with mechanical shutters that isolate the detonator from the main charge until the shell is fired. A fuze may contain only the electronic or mechanical elements necessary to signal or actuate the detonator, but some fuzes contain a small amount of primary explosive to initiate the deton ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
M107 Projectile
The M107 is a 155 mm high explosive projectile used by many countries. It is a bursting round with fragmentation and blast effects. It used to be the standard 155 mm high explosive projectile for howitzers of the US Army and US Marine Corps, but is being superseded in the US military by the M795. Development The M107 is a development of the M102 155 mm shell that was developed in the 1930s from the French Schneider 155 mm projectile for the Model 1917 Howitzer. Description The body consists of a hollow steel shell containing high explosive (either TNT or Composition B) painted olive drab with yellow markings. A fuze adapter is screwed into the body and brazed in place. An eyebolt lifting plug is screwed into the fuze well to assist in transportation. The plug is removed and replaced with a fuze for firing. The complete projectile weighs , is long and contains 15.8% explosive by weight. It is a separate-loading projectile—propellant bags or modular arti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
M26 Grenade
The M26 is a fragmentation hand grenade developed by the United States military. It entered service in 1952 and was first used in combat during the Korean War, replacing the Mk 2 of World War II. The M26 series was the primary fragmentation grenade used by American forces in the Vietnam War. It was replaced by the M33 series grenade. Its distinct lemon shape led it to being nicknamed the "lemon grenade" (compare the Russian F1 and American Mk 2 "pineapple" grenades). History The M26 series was created after World War II to meet criticisms of the Mk 2. Rather than relying on a cast body to produce fragments like the Mk 2 the M26 had a thin sheet-metal body and the fragments were instead created by a notched wire coiled up inside which produced smaller fragments but a greater number traveling at a higher velocity and distributed them more evenly than the Mk 2, giving it a larger effective casualty producing radius. The fragments were also more consistently sized posing less o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
IMX-101
IMX-101 is a high-performance insensitive high explosive composite mixture developed by BAE Systems and the United States Army to replace TNT in artillery shells. IMX stands for "Insensitive Munitions eXplosives", which refers to the purpose of IMX-101: to provide explosive force equivalent to TNT without its sensitivity to shocks such as gunfire, explosions from improvised explosive devices, fire, and shrapnel. For example, it is believed that a training incident in Nevada which killed seven Marines would not have occurred with the new explosive. On March 23, 2013, the United States Army ordered $780 million worth of the explosive, with a production of millions of pounds annually, to be produced by BAE at Holston Army Ammunition Plant in Tennessee. The new explosive will cost $8 per pound, compared to $6 per pound for TNT. As of 2023, IMX-101 filled shells are being used in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. ''Time Magazine'' called IMX-101 one of the "50 best inventions ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyclotol
Cyclotol is an explosive consisting of castable mixtures of RDX and TNT. It is related to the more common Composition B, which is roughly 60% RDX and 40% TNT; various compositions of Cyclotol contain from 65% to 80% RDX. Typical ranges are from 60/40 to 80/20 RDX/TNT, with the most common being 70/30, while the military mostly uses 77/23 optimized in warheads. Properties Use Cyclotol is not commonly used, but was reportedly the main explosive used in at least some models of US nuclear weapons A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either nuclear fission, fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and nuclear fusion, fusion reactions (thermonuclear weap .... Sublette lists Cyclotol as the explosive in the US B28 nuclear bomb and possibly related weapons that used the common Python primary - W34, W28, W40, and W49. It was used in the B53 nuclear bomb and associated W53 warhead. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
