SC1000 bomb

The SC 1000 (Sprengbombe Cylindrisch 1000) or cylindrical explosive bomb was a large air-dropped general-purpose thin-cased high explosive demolition bomb used by Germany during World War II. Weighing more than 1,000 kg (2,200 lb), it was nicknamed the Hermann by the Germans in reference to the Luftwaffe commander, Hermann Göring.

In December 1941, the bomb had a body of drawn steel to which a heavy pointed nose cone was welded. At the other end was a base plate, just forward of which the magnesium alloy tail was tack welded onto the body, and also bolted to the tail attachment brace. Around the nose of the bomb was a kopfring - a metal ring, triangular in cross section, designed to prevent ground penetration or to stop forward momentum when hitting water. The bomb was attached to the aircraft horizontally by a H-type suspension lug.

The bomb was fitted with a single transverse fuse pocket. The bomb was usually filled with a mixture of 40% amatol and 60% Trotyl, but when used as an anti-shipping bomb it was filled with Trialen 105, a mixture of 15% hexogen, 70% Trotyl and 15% aluminium powder. A central exploder tube of high-grade TNT was put down the centre of the explosive to ensure high order detonation.

The bombs were painted sky-blue with a yellow stripe in the tail cone, unless filled with Trialen in which case it was replaced by the silhouette of a sinking ship in yellow, and the warning Nur gegen Handelsschiffe ("only against merchant ships") was stencilled on the bomb casing.

There were three variants of the bomb, designated Type C, L and L2, all of the same design, but which varied slightly in size and weight.

The bomb was fitted with a variety of fuses including:

Unexploded ordnance can pose a risk of explosion even after a century or more, and some can explode fully if disturbed or even spontaneously. Many unexploded devices from the Second World War are found until this day, including Hermann bombs in Europe, requiring evacuation of people nearby while they are dealt with. They must sometimes be destroyed by detonation if no safer way is possible, and may cause damage despite precautions.

In early June 2008 an SC 1000 bomb was dredged from the River Lea near Three Mills Island in London, the largest bomb found in 30 years. The explosive charge was liquefied and pumped out using steam by bomb disposal experts from the Royal Engineers, exposing the detonator, which was made safe with a small detonation after five days. The always-present risk of a full detonation was avoided.