Help ID these 'bombettes'?

[sidney7]

Hi everyone,

I found 3 of these little solid metal 'bombettes' stashed in a 1942 iodine ampule box.

Any idea what they are please?

cheers

sid

[Mervyn Mitton]

Sid - welcome to GMIC. Interesting little items - they remind me of some of the 'cap' dropping bombs* that we had as children in WW2. Because of the interest in the War for children - and the fact that toys often had to be made from re-cycled materials, I wonder if this is what these are ? Does the head unscrew so that one of the old childrens' caps could be laid-in ? The alternative - of course - is that they are some sort of anti-personnel weapons - to be dropped in numbers ?

* The caps were in a brown paper and when the carrier was tossed, the weight was in the nose and when it hit the gound it made a sharp 'crack'. The troops often made them for their children in the base workshops - who might have owned these ?

[sidney7]

Sid - welcome to GMIC. Interesting little items - they remind me of some of the 'cap' dropping bombs* that we had as children in WW2. Because of the interest in the War for children - and the fact that toys often had to be made from re-cycled materials, I wonder if this is what these are ? Does the head unscrew so that one of the old childrens' caps could be laid-in ? The alternative - of course - is that they are some sort of anti-personnel weapons - to be dropped in numbers ?

* The caps were in a brown paper and when the carrier was tossed, the weight was in the nose and when it hit the gound it made a sharp 'crack'. The troops often made them for their children in the base workshops - who might have owned these ?

Thanks Mervyn

I am enjoying the site very much, especially the edged weapons forum.

Thats interesting re the 'cap drop bombs'. . . these are quite heavy solid little things.

They remind me of darts almost, the head does'nt unscrew though, its one solid piece.

After cleaning one, they appear to be steel, and have the appearance of being turned on a lathe.

I can imagine these being dropped in numbers, very nasty.

The iodine ampoules are interesting in themselves, break tube tip,let swab end soak and then apply to injury.

Edited May 2, 2010 by sidney7

[Brian Wolfe]

Welcom Sid,

I have one of these somewhere in a drawer and I was told they are called fleshettes (spelling is probably wrong). They were anti-personnel and dropped from planes. I don't know if they were delivered inside an explosive device or just dropped, from the shape and the tail fins I would think they were just dropped. I look forward to hearing from more knowledgable members on this interesting little artifact.

Regards

Brian

[sidney7]

Hi Brian.

I shall google 'fleshettes' and check it out, thanks for your info.

If these fleshettes were indeed dropped from aircraft, I'd imagine they would get to a cracking speed with those stabilising fins and cause some serious damage for all unfortunates beneath.

cheers

sid

[JBFloyd]

These are called "Lazy Dogs". See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazy_Dog_(bomb)

[Hugh]

Hi Brian.

I shall google 'fleshettes' and check it out, thanks for your info.

If these fleshettes were indeed dropped from aircraft, I'd imagine they would get to a cracking speed with those stabilising fins and cause some serious damage for all unfortunates beneath.

cheers

sid

The correct spelling is flechettes (from the French Fleche - arrow). In later days, we used a flechette round in tank guns (HEP?) as well as in the 40mm grenade launcher (beehive round). In the latter case, the flechettes were much smaller, perhaps a half inch in length. Very effective against infantry.

Best,

Hugh

[sidney7]

Thanks Jeff for that link to the interesting article, . . . my 3 look like the WW2 forged steel lazy dog variety? Since the 1942 iodine packs were in a box containing all Vietnam era gear like unopened DDT dusting powder cans,L1A1 cleaning kit,lanyards,badges & insignia, radio headset. I'm entertaining the thought that these earlier darts may have also been deployed in Vietnam along with the newer versions perhaps?

...it would be like 'raining steel', devastative!....they do sound collectable though!

Thank you very much for everyones help in id. cheers sid:D

Edited May 3, 2010 by sidney7

[leigh kitchen]

WWI flechettes would apparently go through helmeted rider & horse if dropped from the approprate height the ones I remember seeing photos of were more like straght pointed rods with fins, I think.