Composition B

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German DM41 fragmentation hand grenade filled with Composition B. This example has been dissected to reveal the steel fragmentation sleeve and yellow explosive charge.

Composition B (Comp B), also known as Hexotol and Hexolite (among others), is a high

munitions.[1] It was also used for the explosive lenses in the first implosion-type nuclear weapons developed by the United States.[2][3]

The standard proportions of ingredients (by weight) are 59.5% RDX (

phlegmatized with 1% paraffin wax.[4]
Most commonly it is described as 60/40 RDX/TNT with 1% wax added.

Properties

Use

Composition B was extremely common in

USS Forrestal fire
.

Some NATO-approved munitions suppliers such as Mecar have continued to use Composition B in their products.

Composition B is related to Cyclotol, which has a higher proportion of RDX (up to 75%).

IMX-101 is slowly replacing Comp B in US military artillery shells, and IMX-104 [5] in mortar rounds and hand grenades.

Gallery

  • German DM41 fragmentation hand grenade labelled to indicate a filling of Composition B.
    German DM41 fragmentation hand grenade labelled to indicate a filling of Composition B.
  • M107 projectiles. All are labelled to indicate a filling of "Comp B" and have fuzes fitted.
    M107 projectiles. All are labelled to indicate a filling of "Comp B" and have fuzes fitted.
  • A 40 lb (18 kg) shaped charge munition (marked to indicate a Composition B filling) used for various demolition purposes such as boring a hole for a cratering charge.
    A 40 lb (18 kg) shaped charge munition (marked to indicate a Composition B filling) used for various demolition purposes such as boring a hole for a cratering charge.
  • The 106mm recoilless rifle HEAT shell on the right is marked "Comp B".
    The 106mm recoilless rifle HEAT shell on the right is marked "Comp B".

See also

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-471-18636-6
    .
  2. ^ Atom Bombs: The Top Secret Inside Story of Little Boy and Fat Man, John Coster-Mullen, 2003
  3. ^ Nuclear Weapons FAQ section 8.1.1: The Design of Gadget, Fat Man, and "Joe 1" (RDS-1), accessed August 10, 2009
  4. ^ Military Specification MIL-C-401
  5. ISSN 1521-4087
    .
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