My Navy practice bomb

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Okay... here's a nifty little paper weight

I picked up long ago (nope, just not gonna say it cause you already know. ) in a little militaria/surplus store in Minneapolis-St. Paul. He actually had two more and I wish I'd gotten them all... they were only $15 each! And he'd have probably given me a break had I bought all three. But Kim already thought I was nuts and as we were driving a fully loaded down Chevy Blazer at the time it would have been even tighter quarters had I popped in two more of these.

Edited November 28, 2006 by Hauptman

[Hauptmann]

I take it they'd fill these puppies with sand and drop them out in the water on practice bombing runs. Then I guess they'd send divers out to recover them hence giving them practice as well.

Needless to say it makes a very impressive display piece and comes in extremely handy when needing to hold down tons of papers in high wind conditions!

I'd love it if anyone else who has anything similar would pop us some pics and also if anyone who has any additional info or perhaps worked with these would tell us the tale.

Thanks for looking.

Oh yeah, and GO NAVY!!!!

Dan

Edited November 28, 2006 by Hauptman

[dsgrant]

What a sweet thing,how long is it ?

[Hauptmann]

What a sweet thing,how long is it ?

About 3 feet 5 inchs long and 8 inches across the fins. Thankfully it's pretty much hollow as it weighs enough empty! Don't even want to imagine it filled with sand!

She'll definitely hold down my reference library in a big wind, that's for sure!

Thanks,

Dan

[Chris Boonzaier]

About 3 feet 5 inchs long and 8 inches across the fins.

Dan

You said.... paperweight.... what kinda paper you have that needs a 3 foot bomb???

[Paul R]

You said.... paperweight.... what kinda paper you have that needs a 3 foot bomb???

LOL!

definately something that is not seen everyday!

[Hauptmann]

You said.... paperweight.... what kinda paper you have that needs a 3 foot bomb???

Oh you'd be surprised how much paper builds up around here. Plus we have extremely high winds at times here in North Dakota... tie downs don't always do it, so I bring in the heavy artillery.

Dan

[JimZ]

Looks heavy enough to hold down a Turkish flying carpet.....if u ask me.

I had some "Rocket Practice" cylinder cases from the early 50s painted the same colour.... Around 3 feet long and lined with cardboard inside. I still wonder what these were ..... .Painted same colour with yellow/white print. If only I had kept some photos!!

Jim

[hunyadi]

I am beginning to think the collectors with too much stuff are the ones with the parctice bomb. Back in 2004 my family was visiting the home of a fellow collector who had been ammassing US itmes since the 1980's. His wife had lost the spare bedroom, the den and the two car garage to the collection. When I showed my wife she realised that things could be much worse - so much worse when she saw the 500 lb practice bomb! When you use one of those things as a paper weight on your desk - it just speaks more than the 'complaint department - please take a number' handgrenade gag...

[Hauptmann]

I am beginning to think the collectors with too much stuff are the ones with the parctice bomb. Back in 2004 my family was visiting the home of a fellow collector who had been ammassing US itmes since the 1980's. His wife had lost the spare bedroom, the den and the two car garage to the collection. When I showed my wife she realised that things could be much worse - so much worse when she saw the 500 lb practice bomb! When you use one of those things as a paper weight on your desk - it just speaks more than the 'complaint department - please take a number' handgrenade gag...

Hi Charles,

Hmmm, hadn't thought about that. I did do up one of my dewat grenades with one of those complaint department type labels, but doing so with the practice bomb didn't even enter my mind. I may give that a try.

Wow! A 500 pounder! Can't imagine how much bigger that one was!

Dan

[Hauptmann]

Looks heavy enough to hold down a Turkish flying carpet.....if u ask me.

I had some "Rocket Practice" cylinder cases from the early 50s painted the same colour.... Around 3 feet long and lined with cardboard inside. I still wonder what these were ..... .Painted same colour with yellow/white print. If only I had kept some photos!!

Jim

Hi Jim,

Definitely heavy enough, especially if it's in flight.

I'd love to see those practice rockets... perhaps one of the members may have one... be neat complete with the case. I've got a practice shell complete with the case:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=9173

Posts #4, 5 and 6.

Dan

[hunyadi]

Wow! A 500 pounder! Can't imagine how much bigger that one was!

As I recal it was bout' 4 1/2 feet tall and very impressive.