Inert 50 mm German SD1 Bomb

Approximately 6-1/2 inches long. The body is marked “157”, while the fuze is marked “AZ73A2” and “17a a 137”. The body of the round shows some rust.

The SD1 Splitterbombe (Fragmentation Bomb)
is an Anti-personnel (fragmentation) that was used primarily in two roles that were determined by the type of fuze and accessories fitted to the bomb. The first was as a fragmentation bomb with instantaneous fuze and when the bombs exploded above ground the case created large fragments which would kill enemy personnel and destroy unarmored vehicles. The second role was as a general-purpose or armor-piercing role. In this role, the bombs were fitted with a time delay fuze which detonated the bomb after it had pierced a target destroying it with a combination of its blast and fragments.

The cluster bomb was introduced in 1942 as an anti-personal air dropped bomb designed to be airdropped in containers. There were 392 SD1 cluster bombs are contained in the AB500-1 container, 224 in the AB250-2 and 50 in the AB70-D1 container. When carried in containers, the nose of the fuse nestled in a cavity in the base of the bomb in front, so protecting the fuse. No safety device was fitted to the fuse once loaded. The reinforcing ring on the fins was made longer in 1943.