Two ground crew check bombs at the central bomb storage yard at Wards Drome, Port Moresby, on 25th June 1943. These bombs are one thousand pounders, and used by 90th Bombardment D model Liberators at the time.

Note that the bombs lack fins which can be seen at the rear of the photo, stacked on top of each other. The fins were made of thin cast iron, and were bolted to the rear of the bomb casing. Prior to takeoff the bombs had to be fused. This was done by screwing the fuse clockwise into the front of the casing. The fuses had a safety wire thru them which also had to be removed prior to takeoff, or in the case of Liberators, could be done in mid-flight. Without fuses the bombs were perfectly safe. Explosion accidents which sometimes did occur on the ground were usually the result of a fused bomb falling off a loading dolly, or from a shackle in a bomb bay.

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