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The bomb is painted blue with white markings. As issued, the fin is assembled to the bomb body, which is empty. The spotting charge is assembled in a sleeve at the base of the bomb, within the fin box. Authorized spotting charges are MIAI, M3, and M4. Bomb body is steel.
* Black Powder: Characteristics. Black powder, the oldest explosive known, is an intimate uniform mechanical mixture of finely pulverized potassium nitrate (or sodium nitrate), charcoal, and sulfur. Until the development of nitrocellulose propellants, black powder was the only propellant and explosive available. Potassium nitrate is used in most military black powders. It ignites spontaneously at about 300 degrees celcius or 540 degrees fahrenheit, and develops a fairly high temperature of combustion (2,300 degrees to 3,800 degrees celsius or 4,172 degrees to 6,872 degrees fahrenheit), which causes erosion in the bore of weapons. Black powder is usually in the form of small, black grains that are polished by glazing with graphite. It is hygroscopic and subject to rapid deterioration when exposed to moisture. If kept dry, it retains its explosive properties indefinitely. It is one of the most dangerous explosives to handle because of the ease with which it is ignited by heat, friction, or spark.
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