The Government discovered that 3-inch shell rejected for various reasons could be re-machined and used to make these airplane fragmentation bombs. The various arsenals had a large supply of them in storage. In August and September, 1918, contracts were let to large numbers of concerns to convert over 500,000 of these shell into fragmentation bombs, and by November 30, nearly 21,000 of the new bombs had been delivered.
These bombs, made from the 3-inch shell, as far as the machining of the bodies is concerned were turned out in various quantities by the following firms:
- Vermont Farm Machinery Co., Bellows Falls, Vt.
- Richmond Forgings Corporation, Richmond, Va.
- Bethlehem Steel Co., Bethlehem, Pa.
- Consolidated Car Heating Co., Albany, N. Y.
- S. A. Woods Machine Co., South Boston, Mass.
- Westfield Manufacturing Co., Westfield, Mass.
- Wheeling Mold & Foundry Co., Wheeling, W. Va.
- A. P. Smith Manufacturing Co., East Orange, N. J.
- Watervliet Arsenal, Watervliet, N. Y.
- Keystone Machine Co., York, Pa.
- McKiernan Terry Drill Co., Dover, N. J.
The nose-firing mechanism for these bombs was produced by the Yale & Towne Manufacturing Co., Stamford, Conn.; the National Tool & Manufacturing Co., St. Louis, Mo.; and the John Thomson Press Co., New York City; while the rear cap stabilizer assemblies were produced by the Dail Steel Products Co., Lansing, Mich., and the American Seating Co., Grand Rapids, Mich.
The last item on the bomb program to come into production was the fragmentation bomb Mark II-B, which was an exact copy of the British Cooper bomb, the most effective bomb of this type in use by the allied nations. Contracts for this bomb were not let until August 17, 1918, to the Lycoming Foundry & Machine Co., of Williamsport, Pa., and the Paige-Detroit Motor Car Co., of Detroit, Mich. The former company by December 1 was producing these bombs at the rate of 500 per day and the latter was just coming into quantity production the first week in December.
TWO VIEWS, MARK V RELEASE TRAP (RIGHT HAND) WITH UNIVERSAL NOSE AND TAIL BEAM, MOUNTED ON T-RAILS UNDER RIGHT WING OF DH-4 PLANE.
Upper—Front view, showing operating tube connected to alternating cam in fuselage. Two Mark III demolition drop bombs (150 pounds) held by supporting straps; one bomb released, showing free supporting strap. Lower—Rear view, showing method of retaining stabilizer by tail clip with three Mark III demolition drop bombs.
