Halifax bomb load explanation January 1944

[Mark Harmsworth]

I thought of adding this to my queries on building the Revell 1/72 Halifax but realised this is more generic.

 

From the ORB of 77 Squadron in January 1944 this was the bomb load:

 

a) 1 x 2000lb HC

b) 2 x 500lb cluster inods

c) 32 x 30lb inc ordy

d) 450 x 4lb inc ordy

e) 90 x 4lb 'x' type

 

From searching here and elsewhere I understand that this is a mixed load of High Capacity and incendiary and that the x type had delayed fuses. The smaller bombs would have been in containers (SBCs). What I haven't been able to figure out is the meaning of 'inods' or 'inc ordy' although I would guess the 'inc' is 'including'.

 

Any help appreciated

thanks

Mark

[Potato Pete]

Mark

 

I'd guess the 4lb and 30lb are both incendiary ordnance

 

Cheers

 

Pete

[Dave Swindell]

I suspect that the 500lb cluster inods is also incendiary ordnance, ie an incendiary cluster bomb

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, MarkH206 said:

I thought of adding this to my queries on building the Revell 1/72 Halifax but realised this is more generic.

 

From the ORB of 77 Squadron in January 1944 this was the bomb load:

 

a) 1 x 2000lb HC

b) 2 x 500lb cluster inods

c) 32 x 30lb inc ordy

d) 450 x 4lb inc ordy

e) 90 x 4lb 'x' type

 

From searching here and elsewhere I understand that this is a mixed load of High Capacity and incendiary and that the x type had delayed fuses. The smaller bombs would have been in containers (SBCs). What I haven't been able to figure out is the meaning of 'inods' or 'inc ordy' although I would guess the 'inc' is 'including'.

 

Any help appreciated

thanks

Mark

 

two chaps who may well be able to help,  @Selwyn  , works with munitions in the RAF, and @Finn   who has posted details of bombs loads.

 

the load looks like a typical 'cookie and cans'  

 

The 4lb incendiary http://www.wwiiequipment.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=114:4lb-incendiary-bomb&catid=43:bombs&Itemid=60

 

HTH

 

 

 

[Mark Harmsworth]

Thanks to all. I've just realised I've been daft. Of course 'inc' means incendiary so that leaves me with two abbreviations I don't understand:

 

'inods'  and  'ordy' 

 

Any ideas?

[Selwyn]

3 hours ago, MarkH206 said:

Thanks to all. I've just realised I've been daft. Of course 'inc' means incendiary so that leaves me with two abbreviations I don't understand:

 

'inods'  and  'ordy' 

 

Any ideas?

As this bomb load is basically a incendiary bombload,  the 2000lb HC would  blast open buildings and the 4lb incendiaries would then set fires  on what exposed.  I believe;

 

"Ordy" is short for "ordinary" that is the basic 4 lb incendiary  as opposed to the 4 lb "X"  type  incendiary (also part of the quoted bombload) which were 4 lb incendiaries with an additional explosive charge incorporated, used to actively discourage firefighters from attempting to extinguish the incendiaries.

 

"Inods" is used as a descriptor for the 500lb Cluster bomb.  Various different munitions such as smoke bombs  J type incendiaries  8lb frag bombs  and 4 lb incendiaries could be used in this cluster bomb.

 Inods  I think in this case probably means  the type of 500lb cluster was the type also filled with 4 lb incendiary ordinary.

 

Selwyn

[Mark Harmsworth]

Thanks Selwyn - that's exactly what I was looking for.

Mark