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Bombs, Gravity
A gravity bomb is an unpowered, unguided air-to-surface weapon that follows a simple ballistic trajectory determined by gravity, release altitude, speed and attitude of the aircraft, speed and direction of the wind, drag (friction of bomb against air), and other physical factors, from release to impact. Gravity bombs are also known as “dumb,” free-fall, iron, or unguided bombs. This entry traces the development and use of gravity bombs and discusses various types of gravity bombs from their first use in World War I to the present.
General Description
A typical gravity bomb has a metal casing with a filler, a fin assembly for flight stability, and a fuze to detonate the bomb. The filler can be conventional explosives, nuclear material, incendiary material, propaganda leaflets, or other inert ...
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