Description
U.S. Military Technical Manual TM 9-1325-200 for Bombs and Bomb Components, April 1966 — Official Reprint with Change 1
Item Overview
This official reprint of TM 9-1325-200, Bombs and Bomb Components, includes current pages from Change 1. The manual provides an illustrated reference to U.S. aircraft bombs, their identification, and their associated parts. It records the aviation ordnance used during a period of major change in military aircraft and weapons. This listing is for the technical manual only.
Publication Details
Published jointly by the Departments of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, this manual carries separate reference numbers for each service.
- Army manual number: TM 9-1325-200
- Navy publication number: NAVWEPS OP 3530
- Air Force technical order: TO 11-1-28
- Title: Bombs and Bomb Components
- Base publication date: April 29, 1966
- Edition offered: Official reprint incorporating current pages from Change 1
- Change 1 date: December 18, 1967
- Country of origin: United States
Manual Coverage
The manual presents general and technical information, identification features, physical characteristics, and handling precautions. Illustrations and data tables help readers compare bomb shapes, markings, and component types. Its chapters cover several major groups of aviation ordnance.
- General-purpose and semi-armor-piercing bombs
- Fragmentation bombs, bomb clusters, and cluster adapters
- Incendiary, fire, smoke, and gas bombs
- Practice bombs and miscellaneous bomb types
- Impact, mechanical time, proximity, and hydrostatic fuzes
- Explosive and non-explosive bomb components
Bomb Families and Components
Examples covered include older AN-series general-purpose bombs, the M117 and M118, and the streamlined Mk 81, Mk 82, Mk 83, and Mk 84 families. The manual also documents Snakeye configurations and supporting parts such as fin assemblies, suspension hardware, arming wires, adapters, and boosters. This range makes it useful for identifying individual components as well as studying complete bomb designs.
Publication History
TM 9-1325-200 continued the military’s established series of bomb reference publications. Its Change 1 notice superseded TM 9-1980/AFM 136-7, dated December 7, 1950, including that publication’s changes. The April 1966 date identifies the base edition, while the incorporated December 1967 update reflects a later stage in the manual’s development.
Weapon-System History
The bomb families in this manual show how aircraft weapons changed as aviation moved toward faster jets. Earlier general-purpose bombs used broad bodies and box-style fins. Newer designs adopted smoother shapes and streamlined tails to reduce air resistance. The low-drag Mk 80 series reflected these needs, while Snakeye versions added folding fins that slowed the bomb after release. Together, these designs document the shift toward weapons suited to faster aircraft and different flight conditions.
History of Use
The base edition and Change 1 were issued during the Vietnam War, when U.S. forces used many of the bomb types described. One documented example is the F-100D Super Sabre carrying and releasing Snakeye bombs in 1966. Practice bombs supported aircrew training, while the manual gave military personnel a shared technical reference for identifying bombs and their parts.
Collector and Research Value
This edition brings together period illustrations, military naming systems, and component data in one reference. It can help collectors interpret markings, assist museums with accurate exhibit labels, and support research into Cold War aviation ordnance. The incorporated change pages also make it useful for studying how military publications were revised over time.
Condition
This vintage military technical manual may show cover wear, edge wear, folds, yellowing, stains, writing, stamps, punched holes, loose pages, or other signs of age and storage. Printing details and condition may vary between available copies.
Ideal For
This manual is well suited to collections and research projects focused on military aviation weapons and their supporting equipment.
- U.S. military technical-manual collections
- Vietnam War aviation research
- Bomb, fuze, and component identification studies
- Cold War ordnance exhibits
- Aircraft model and display research
- Museum and archival reference libraries
Approx length 8", Approx width 10", Approx height 1", Approx weight 2lbs.
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