Aerial Bomb Fuses in the Czechoslovak Air Force after World War Two
This article serves as a follow-up and supplement to my piece on air-to-ground weaponry, specifically for the MiG-21bis, but also for other Soviet aircraft types from the Warsaw Pact era that was printed in the June 2025 issue of the Eduard newsletter. While that article provided a general overview of the primary armament employed, it did not detail the specific fuses used to initiate the munitions. The following text therefore focuses on the basic and commonly used types of these initiation devices. The first part describes the design and operating principles of thermo-pneumatic and mechanical fuses.
Aerial Bomb Fuses in the Aerial Bomb Fuses in the
Czechoslovak Air Force Czechoslovak Air Force
after World War Twoafter World War Two
This article serves as a follow-up and supplement to my piece on air-to-ground
weaponry, specifically for the MiG-21bis, but also for other Soviet aircraft types from
the Warsaw Pact era that was printed in the June 2025 issue of the Eduard newsletter.
While that article provided a general overview of the primary armament employed,
it did not detail the specific fuses used to initiate the munitions. The following text
therefore focuses on the basic and commonly used types of these initiation devices.
The first part describes the design and operating principles of thermo-pneumatic and
mechanical fuses.
One of the widely used aerial bombs was the FAB-250M-46 high-explosive bomb.
Fuses such as the APUV-1 and AV-1 D/U, among others, were used to initiate it,
as indicated by the black stenciled markings on its body.
Tomáš Dedera
Part 1 – Thermopneumatic and Mechanical
Fig.1 Quarter-section view of the FAB-250M-46 bomb, showing its main components.
1 – bomb stabilizer (circular cross-section)
2 – metal plug
3 – bomb’s bottom sump starting filling (starting)
4 – rear auxiliary booster
5 – washer
6 – explosive
7 – bomb body
8 – washer
9 – nose booster
Description of main Components:
10 – bomb nose
11 – nose fuse housing
12 – insert
13 – metal plug
TECHNICS / EQUIPMENT
INFO Eduard8
October 2026