M117 General Purpose Bomb

M117 General Purpose Bomb. Air Force Armament Museum. The M117 is an air-dropped general purpose bomb used by United States military forces. It is designed for a higher blast effect than other general purpose bombs of comparable weight. It dates back to the time of the Korean War of the early 1950s. In the 1950s through the early 1970s the M117 was a standard aircraft weapon, carried by the F-100 Super Sabre, F-104 Starfighter, F-105 Thunderchief and the F-4 Phantom, but at present it is used only by the B-52 Stratofortress. The B-52 reportedly dropped 44,600 M117s during Operation Desert Storm. , , The M117 has a short ogival nose, a cylindrical body, and a tapered aft end. It can be fitted with the MAU-103 low drag tail or a AU-91 high drag tail. The bomb was designed primarily for electric fuzing. Two conduits for the electric fuze cable harness connect the nose and tail fuze cavities with a charging receptacle located between the suspension lugs on the outer case. Approximately 50 percent of the bomb's total weight is the explosive charge. The suspension lugs are spaced 14 inches apart and are threaded into the bomb body. , Specifications M117 General Purpose (GP) Bomb With MAU-103 tailfin , Length 84 in with MAU-103 tailfin , Diameter of body 16 in , Weight 799 - 826 lbs , Explosive type Tritonal or Minol 2n , Weight of explosive 386 lbs of Tritonal or Minol 2 , Fuze, Nose AN-M103, M904, M166 , Fuze, Tail M190, M905, M906 , Fuze Drive Assy ATU-35B - required for M905 or M906 Fuzes , Launch Platform Numerous Aircraft of Korean and Vietnam Wars , , This bomb is part of the USAF Heritage Program Collection , Do Not Climb, Sit Or Stand On Any Static Display Exhibit .