Phosphorus incendiary bomb

James S. Carson, WP Incendiary Bomb M2 (Leaf). TDMR 482, 17 Dec 42. (2) Red Phosphorus Incendiary Bomb Ml (Leaf)- TDMR 484, 23 D 42. (5) C O C Item 354, Bomb, Incendiary, Leaf, 22 Jul 41. (4) CWTC Item 598, Withdrawal of Military Requirement for Incendiary Leaves, 24 Nov 42. 

Phosphor-athcr, m. phosphoric ether (ester of phosphoric acid, specif, ethyl phosphate), -basis, phosphorus base, -bestimmung, /. determination of phosphorus, -blei, n. lead phosphide Min.) pyromorphite. -bombe, f. phosphorus bomb. -brandgranate, /. phosphorus incendiary shell, -brei, m. phosphorus paste, -bromid, n. phosphorus bromide, specif, phosphorus pentabromide, phos-phorus(V) bromide, -bromijr, n. phosphorus tribromide, phosphorus(III) bromide, -bronze, /. phosphor bronze, -calcium, n. calcium phosphide, -chlorid, n. phosphorus chloride, specif, phosphorus pcntachloride, phosphorus(V) chloride, -chloriir, n. phosphorous chloride (phosphorus trichloride, phosphorus(III) chloride), -dampf, tn. phosphorus vapor or fume, -eisen, n. ferrophos-phorus iron phosphide, -eisensinter, m. diadochite. 

Type 97 50-kg and Type 100-kg Incendiary Bombs consisted of thin-steel body filled with 400-450 rubber bags impregnated with soln of phosphorus in CS2. The HE chge in the nose and central burster tube was PA(pp 18-20) ... 

There are several allotropic forms of phosphorus, but only white phosphorus and red phosphorus (see Figure 8.18) are of importance. White phosphorus consists of discrete tetrahedral P4 molecules (Figure 21.9). A solid (m.p. 44.2°C), white phosphorus is insoluble in water but quite soluble in carbon disulfide (CS2) and in organic solvents such as chloroform (CHCI3). White phosphorus is a highly toxic substance. It bursts into flames spontaneously when exposed to air hence it is used in incendiary bombs and grenades ... 

At the end of May, Shadle expressed his satisfaction with the chemical offensive potential and ammunition status in the North African theater. His view seems to have been overly optimistic since smoke pots, tear gas, and HC smoke grenades were the only ammunition items available in sufficient supply. All the chemical supply officers reported urgent requests for unavailable white phosphorus grenades. The Twelfth Air Force reported limited quantities of ANM50A1 4-pound incendiary bombs, a few Mja yoo-pound incendiary bomb clusters, and a considerable number of My4 loo-pound incendiary bomb clusters. There was no other chemical ammunition in the theater although the New York port had promised that 120 days supply of high explosive and smoke shell was en route for the three chemical mortar battalions which had recently arrived in the theater. Aside from a small amount of artillery shell stored by Ordnance, no toxics were available in the theater and none was scheduled to arrive until the fall of 1943. The March theater plan for gas warfare, the first such plan, was based on meeting possible enemy gas attack with this plainly inadequate supply of artillery shell. The new War Department policy for retaliation in event of enemy initiation of gas warfare called for the use of aerial munitions as the principal gas weapons. Shadle s satisfaction with the toxic supply status can be explained by the fact that he did not con-... 

There was little interest in the United States in an incendiary bomb program during the period between the two World Wars. This neglect resulted largely from an overly optimistic evaluation of the capabilities of high explosive (HE) bombs. In 1934 an Ordnance Department study on the relative effectiveness of incendiary and demolition bombs concluded that "everything that can be accomplished by an incendiary bomb can, in most cases at least, be accomplished as well or better by either a smoke bomb loaded with white phosphorus (WP) or a demolition bomb loaded with a high explosive. ... 

Elementary phosphorus is manufactured by reduction of apatite with coke in electric furnaces at a temperature of 1400-1500°C. Quartz is also present in the charge. It reacts with the calcium in apatite and forms a slag of liquid calcium silicate. If the apatite contains fluorine, SiF gas is formed that is passed into water containing soda. The compound formed, sodium hexafluorosilicate Na SiF, is used for fluoridating drinking water. In the process described, white phosphorus is the product. In the world about 1 million tonnes per year are produced. White phosphorus is used to some extent for smoke bombs and incendiary bombs, but most of it is used for the manufacture of phosphoric acid and other chemicals and for preparing red phosphorus for the match industry. 

Hyde of mineral elements-it can deal life or death. As white phosphorus, it s the flame of incendiary bombs as red phosphorus, it s the heart of the common match as organic phosphate, it s nerve gas and insecticides and as organic combinations, it s a constituent of every cell and fluid of the body. Without phosphorus, no cell divides, no heartbeats, and no baby grows. 

Burning Phosphorus From a 100-Pound Incendiary Bomb on an enemy airfield, Rabaul, New Britain. Aircraft are Japanese Betty-type bombers. 

If we can judge by the variety of incendiary shells in the German and Japanese armies, both these nations placed a higher value on them. The Japanese army had incendiary 75-mm. artillery and 90-mm. mortar shells Oled with white phosphorus, carbon disulfide, and rubber pellets. This mixture was the same as the one used in Japanese incendiary bombs. The Navy employed a 12-cm. antiaircraft shell loaded with steel pellets filled with white phosphorus. When this shell exploded the pellets streaked through the air and caught fire. ... 

Phosphorus is commonly found in inorganic phosphate rocks and in all living cells. The most important commercial use of phosphorus-based chemicals is the production of fertilisers. They are also widely used in explosives, nerve agents, friction matches, fireworks, pesticides, toothpaste and detergents. White phosphorus is used in incendiary bombs, smoke bombs and tracer ammunition. 

Phosphorus is used in pyrotechnics, smoke bombs, incendiary shells, and safety matches. It also is used in organic syntheses, manufacture of phosphoric acid, phosphorus trichloride, phosphine, and other compounds. 

Type 3 No 6 Mk 27 Rocket Bomb Model 1 was fin-stabilized, aircraft-launched, designed for use against formations of large enemy planes. It was cylindrical in shape with conical nose section which contd a Fuze, a Burster Charge and an Incendiary Shrapnel, consisting of WP (White Phosphorus) filled steel pellets. 

White Phosphorus (WP) (Hakurin). It was used as an Incendiary and in Incendiary Mixtures in Bombs, Grenades and Projectiles, described here under Incendiaries and in Refs 2 3, WP was also used in Smoke Compositions as described here under Smoke Producing Materials, items d, e, h and in Refs 2 3... 

B. Assman, Incendiary Composition for Incendiary and Smoke Bombs, Hand Grenades, etc, Based on Red Phosphorus and Magnesium Powder , AustrianP 339800 (1977) CA88,107543 (1978)... 

Uses As oxidizing agent in primer caps in combination with mercury fulminate and with red phosphorus, antimony sulfide, and other combustible substances,1 P36. In pyrotechnic mixtures as component of airplane flares, stars for aerial bombs and for signaling, maroons, white and colored smokes. As component of Permissibles. In incendiary projectiles, P5. 

Red phosphorus (RP) is a component of matchbox strike plates and is used as an ingredient in certain commercial rat and cockroach poisons. RP is used in the manufacture of pyrotechnics, semiconductors, fertilizers, incendiary shells, smoke bombs (in combination with butyl rubber), and tracer bullets. It is also used in organic synthesis reactions and in the manufacture of phosphoric acid, phosphine, phosphoric anhydride, phosphorus pentachloride, phosphorus trichloride, and in electroluminescent coatings. RP (2-10%) is also used as a flame-retardant additive for plastics such as polyamides. 

USE White phosphorus manuf rat poisons for smoke screens, gas analysis. Red phosphorus pyrotechnics manuf safety matches in organic synthesis manuf phosphoric acid, phosphine, phosphoric anhydride, phosphorus pencachlo-ride, phosphorus trichloride manuf fertilizers, pesticides, incendiary shells, smoke bombs, tracer bullets. 

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