Thermos Bomb
Encyclopedia
Thermos Bomb was the informal name for the AR-4, an anti-personnel bomb dropped by the Italian Air Force
during World War II
. Large numbers were used against Malta
and in the Middle East
. It was named for its superficial appearance to a Thermos bottle, a popular brand of vacuum flask
. The bomb was a cylinder 31 centimetres long and weighing 3.68 kilograms. It could be fitted with a very sensitive motion-sensitive fuze
that would detonate if any attempt was made to move it, and could be lethal in the open up to around 35 metres away. Because of this, unexploded thermos bombs were normally destroyed where they fell, generally by attaching a long piece of string to it and giving it a jerk, or detonating a small explosive charge next to them.
A later variant of the fuze introduced an additional time delayed detonation, which was triggered between 60 to 80 hours after the fuze had armed.
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
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...
. Large numbers were used against Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
and in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. It was named for its superficial appearance to a Thermos bottle, a popular brand of vacuum flask
Vacuum flask
A vacuum flask is an insulating storage vessel which keeps its contents hotter or cooler than its surroundings. Invented by Sir James Dewar in 1892, the vacuum flask consists of two flasks, placed one within the other and joined at the neck...
. The bomb was a cylinder 31 centimetres long and weighing 3.68 kilograms. It could be fitted with a very sensitive motion-sensitive fuze
Fuze
Fuze Beverage, commercially referred to as just Fuze , is a manufacturer of teas and non-carbonated fruit drinks enriched with vitamins. Currently the brand consists of five vitamin-infused lines: Slenderize, Refresh, Tea, Defensify, and Vitalize...
that would detonate if any attempt was made to move it, and could be lethal in the open up to around 35 metres away. Because of this, unexploded thermos bombs were normally destroyed where they fell, generally by attaching a long piece of string to it and giving it a jerk, or detonating a small explosive charge next to them.
A later variant of the fuze introduced an additional time delayed detonation, which was triggered between 60 to 80 hours after the fuze had armed.