Photoflash Bomb

Photo flash bombs and cartridges are pyro technic items which are classified with bombs (Vol 2, B229) because of their explosive effect. The various devices are similar, differing principally in size and the amount of delay. When fired, each photo flash cartridge, after 1, 2, or 4 seconds, produces a flash having a peak intensity of approx 50 million cd with a total output of 5 million cd sec, whereas photoflash bombs generate above 5 x 109 cd... 

Although many pyrotechnic items, such as flares, aircraft signals, simulators and photoflash bombs are released from aircraft and are actually bombs, only photoflash bombs are classified as bombs and stored with bombs and not with pyrotechnic items. The reason for this is that the fillin g of photoflash bombs is explosive and such bombs are hazardous to handle. Another reason is that they resemble in appearance conventional aircraft bombs... 

A brief definition of photoflash bombs is given in Vol 2 of Encycl (Ref 44), p B229-R... 

Incendiary bomb fuzes) 720-21 (Flare fuze) 723, Fig 282 (Primer for airport flare) 725, Fig 283 (Built-in fuze for photoflash bomb) 12a) K.S. Warren, "Compilation of Data on the Composition of Foreign Primers and Detonators", PATR 1450(1944)... 

Flashbomb See Photoflash Bomb, under Bombs, Pyrotechnic in Vol 2, p B229"L... 

German Photoflash Bomb and Photoflash Composition. See PATR 2510(1958), pp Ger 130-R 8c Ger 131-L (Illustrated)... 

Some pyrotechnic formulations are used for photographic purposes and the main requirement of such formulations is that they should produce a very powerful illumination for a short duration. Such pyrotechnic formulations are known as photoflash formulations and are used in photoflash cartridges, photoflash bombs and dust bombs. 

They were also found very effective in Aerial bombs (because their radius of blast damage was greater than with nonaluminized expls) and also in incendiary bombs, flares, photoflash bombs etc... 

III) Detonation or Explosion., It can be conducted either by initiating the expls contained in ammo, or by the force of detonation of other expl material s placed in contact with the item. Ammo items which can be destroyed by these methods include artillery shells, aerial bombs, mortar shells, shrapnel shells, photoflash bombs, antitank mines, rockets, grenades (hand and rifle), loaded metal components (such as fuzes, primers, detonators, boosters bursters) and pyrotechnic... 

Photoflash bombs can be destroyed by detonating them as described for aerial bombs in Vol 2i P B234 under Bombs, Destruction of. 

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