M-69 Incendiary cluster bomb
Encyclopedia
The M-69 incendiary
cluster bomb
was used to target Japan
ese cities during World War II
. They were nicknamed 'Tokyo Calling Cards'.
The bomb used napalm
as an incendiary filler, improving on earlier designs which used thermite or magnesium fillers that burnt more intensely but were less energy/weight effective and easier to put out. They were used in clusters of 36 as part of M19 'aimable clusters', which opened up at about 900 m (2,952.8 ft) ASL.
It was tested against typical German and Japanese residential structures at Japanese Village
and German Village
, constructed at Dugway Proving Ground
, Utah
, in 1943. The M-69 was a success in the tests, though it would not ultimately be used in raids on Germany due to different tactics being employed there.
They were employed with great effect against the Japanese in mass fire bombing raids starting in March 1945. In the first ten days of raids with the M-69 and M-47
, extensive damage was done to Tokyo
, Nagoya, Osaka
, and Kobe
.
Incendiary device
Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus....
cluster bomb
Cluster bomb
A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller sub-munitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill enemy personnel and destroy vehicles...
was used to target Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese cities during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. They were nicknamed 'Tokyo Calling Cards'.
The bomb used napalm
Napalm
Napalm is a thickening/gelling agent generally mixed with gasoline or a similar fuel for use in an incendiary device, primarily as an anti-personnel weapon...
as an incendiary filler, improving on earlier designs which used thermite or magnesium fillers that burnt more intensely but were less energy/weight effective and easier to put out. They were used in clusters of 36 as part of M19 'aimable clusters', which opened up at about 900 m (2,952.8 ft) ASL.
It was tested against typical German and Japanese residential structures at Japanese Village
Japanese village
Japanese Village was the nickname for a range of residential houses constructed in 1943 by the U.S. army in the Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, roughly a southwest of Salt Lake City....
and German Village
German Village (Dugway proving ground)
German Village was the nickname for a range of residential houses constructed in 1943 by the U.S. Army in the Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, roughly a hundred kilometers southwest of Salt Lake City....
, constructed at Dugway Proving Ground
Dugway Proving Ground
Dugway Proving Ground is a US Army facility located approximately 85 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah in southern Tooele County and just north of Juab County...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, in 1943. The M-69 was a success in the tests, though it would not ultimately be used in raids on Germany due to different tactics being employed there.
They were employed with great effect against the Japanese in mass fire bombing raids starting in March 1945. In the first ten days of raids with the M-69 and M-47
M47 bomb
The M47 bomb was a chemical bomb designed during World War II for use by the U.S. Army Air Forces.-Design:The bomb was designed for aerial bombardment and maximum efficiency after being dropped. Therefore, the bomb had a very thin metal sheet as its only cover, as little as 1/32 of an inch. The...
, extensive damage was done to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Nagoya, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, and Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
.