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Bomb tags

Grant

Well-Known Member
Came across what I was told is a WWII RAF bomb tag. It was part of a small collection that also included a lovely RAF silk scarf. I've never seen one of these before, so no not sure what it was originally attached to. It's made out a thin piece of tin or aluminum measuring 1 1/2" x 3". Pretty cool little artifact.

bomb1.jpg
bomb2.jpg
 

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
I guess the type of tag depending on the type of fuse they used.
These were pulled for the co-pilot of a 91st BG B-17, who had nine missions until he ditched in the north sea and suffered a wound to the head which blinded him temporarily. I guess that was that, as he was sent home (but flew again after that).
Anyway, 4 of these are metal ones. You can see at least two different styles of writing.
20220321_131701-01-01.jpeg


Like the rest of you, I was aware of using these for zipper pulls in WW2. There's no way in heck I'd use one of these for anything other than staying in this case with flak pieces pulled from his B-17, his escape and evasion photos, patches and his Goldfish Club card...
He wrote (or scratched) the names of each target onto the tag pulled from said mission. I had them laid out in a riker mount case to best show the differences in the tags as they were made. They're sequential for his missions (I have a big notebook of notes from discussions I'd had with him about his time in the AAF).
Man, I miss talking with him.
 
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Wedge417

Active Member
I guess the type of tag depending on the type of fuse they used.
These were pulled for the co-pilot of a 91st BG B-17, who had nine missions until he ditched in the north sea and suffered a wound to the head which blinded him temporarily. I guess that was that, as he was sent home (but flew again after that).
Anyway, 4 of these are metal ones. You can see at least two different styles of writing.
View attachment 76570

Like the rest of you, I was aware of using these for zipper pulls in WW2. There's no way in heck I'd use one of these for anything other than staying in this case with flak pieces pulled from his B-17, his escape and evasion photos, patches and his Goldfish Club card...
He wrote (or scratched) the names of each target onto the tag pulled from said mission. I had them laid out in a riker mount case to best show the differences in the tags as they were made. They're sequential for his missions (I have a big notebook of notes from discussions I'd had with him about his time in the AAF).
Man, I miss talking with him.
Thank you very much for sharing. What a lovely collection with a real piece of history.
 

Wedge417

Active Member
aero, and an outfit in Germany make repro bomb fuze tags.
I've got the aero repro tag. I bought it a few years ago. But I've come to the conclusion that unfortunately they aren't very accurate.
Have a look at it. It's very different from the tags I've seen.

  • The original seem to be aluminium tags with an enamel layer or just pain with the lettering template on it.
The repro is brass. + The thickness doesn't seem right, as I think it's way too thick.

IMG_1056.JPG

  • The lettering is quite different from originals. The parts in red and black, as well as the layout.
IMG_1054.JPG

IMG_1055.JPG

  • The shape seems slightly off. The originals look narrower and longer.

That's why I'm planning to try and make some myself and see how that turns.
 

Yardstick

Well-Known Member
Agree on the Aero tags. I picked up a couple almost 20 years ago. There is simply no way a one-use item would need to be as over-engineered as the Aero tags. It makes far more sense for the originals to have been stamped on tin or paper, which is what they actually used. The Aero tags are more akin to the thickness of something more durable like a key ring fob, which is how they were marketed by Ken at the time, if my memory serves me right. Anyway I'm happy with mine. There're a nice curiosity and a talking point whenever I've shown them to someone.

Having said that if someone does do a run of authentic repros, I'd be interested.
 
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Grant

Well-Known Member
Could I be a bother and ask you for the dimensions of the bomb safety tag? I want to try and make one. thx
Apologies for the late reply! I have two different sizes of fuse tags; the larger ones are 2 1/8" x 1", the smaller ones are 1 1/2" x 3/4". Hope that helps in re-creating one! BTW, the repro tags that Aero
and others sell are way too think compared to originals, not to mention the type font and size are wrong.

bomb.jpg
 

Wedge417

Active Member
Apologies for the late reply! I have two different sizes of fuse tags; the larger ones are 2 1/8" x 1", the smaller ones are 1 1/2" x 3/4". Hope that helps in re-creating one! BTW, the repro tags that Aero
and others sell are way too think compared to originals, not to mention the type font and size are wrong.

View attachment 76717
Thank you very much. Very clear picture which will be very helpful no doubt.
 

Shropshire-lad

Well-Known Member
British? Thanks for the identification - I got it via ebay from the ‘states so assumed it was American. Any one have any ideas of age?
 
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