250 pound SAP Mk 5 Aerial Bomb

A 250 pound Mark V SAP (Semi Armour-Piercing) aerial bomb that was typically deployed against naval craft, reinforced concrete or steel constructions. The bomb is 1230 mm long. It consists of a 800 mm long streamlined steel body casing with a 430 mm long No 10 Mark 1 tail assembly fitted to the steel body. The tail assembly consists of a mild steel cone fastened to the body by four spring steel clips; four vanes rivetted to the cone and a steel cylinder (230 mm diameter) rivetted to the vanes. Within the centre of the tail assembly there is a tail adapter and 4-finned arming propeller that fits into the rear of the bomb case. A U-shaped eyebolt is fastened to the bomb body by four cap screws in a position near the center of gravity. Markings on the case indicate the bomb was filled with TNT. The bomb is painted khaki. There is a 15 mm red band on a 13 mm white band painted 75 mm from the nose. Markings and stamps show that the bomb casing was made in 1943 and the bomb tail assembly was made in 1941. The bomb was inspected and remarked in 1945.

Type example of an Australian Second World War munitions product made by the Maribyrnong Explosives Factory in Victoria.