Aasen Bomb
| Aasen Bomb | |
|---|---|
| Type | Bomb |
| Place of origin |  Norway |
| Service history | |
| Used by |  Kingdom of Italy
 German Empire |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Nils Waltersen Aasen |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3 Kilograms |
| Length |
|
| Diameter | 80mm |
Detonation mechanism | Pressure, percussion, or electric ignition |
An Aasen Bomb (Italian: Granata con manico e paracadute tipo Aasen A2) was an early World War I bomb fashioned from a hand grenade with a handle and parachute.
History
Creation
The Aasen bomb was developed originally in Denmark by Nils Waltersen Aasen, who it was named after, by his Det Aasenske Granatkompani. He was a Norwegian arms inventor who developed a wide range of early prototypes which would later lead to the modern hand grenade for the military use.[1][2][3][4]
Users
Italy would adopt the bombs in 1912 to assist with the Italian invasion of Libya.[1][5] They were also adopted for a short period at the onset of World War I by Germany and France.[4]
Other countries and leaders would also become interested in the weapon, with Russia ordering one million grenades and the Pope buying two thousand.[5][6]
Design
The bomb was made of an 80mm x 105mm piece of iron based sheet metal forming the head with a 330mm wooden handle.[1] The bomb itself weighed 3 kg.[7]
It could be used as a torpedo, land mine, or aerial bomb based on the type of detonator installed. Italy would famously use them in early aerial bombardments; dropping them on the intended target from Italian military aircraft.[1] The aerial bombs would make use of a highly sensitive contact exploder to minimize misfire potential.[8]
To ensure that it did not bury itself in the ground before exploding, the bomb would also release a small parachute.[4] The parachute was also designed to neutralize issues with horizontal velocity.[9] As the bomb fell an internal arming mechanism would either rotate around a threaded end of the handle, arming it as it fell, or burn a length of wool that acted as a safety mechanism.[6][7]
References
- ^ a b c d "Aasen tipo A2 - sito dedicato agli armamenti italiani". talpo (in Italian). talpo.it. Archived from the original on 2012-12-03. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
- ^ "Nils Waltersen Aasen". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
- ^ "Nils Waltersen Aasen's Life". weebly.com. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
- ^ a b c "La grenade Assen type C modele 1915". militaria14 (in French). Archived from the original on 2010-12-29. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
- ^ a b ViMenn, Jørgen Johannessen Kind. "Norges glemte oppfinnerkonge: Solgte håndgranater til paven". www.klikk.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2021-06-15.
- ^ a b "Innovation history: Norway's arms magnate". The Norwegian American. 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2021-06-15.
- ^ a b Martel, René (2007). French Strategic and Tactical Bombardment Forces of World War I. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5662-2.
- ^ A Parachute Bomb for Aeronautical Use. Vol. 107. Munn & Company. 1912.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ Journal of the Military Service Institution of the United States. Vol. 52. Military Service Institution of the United States. 1913. p. 417.