Finds and UXBs!

By whom?

I worked up at Cowden for a week back in 98 . Joined the team that was permanently there to help out.

Whilst I was there, I remember we found some modern Practice Bombs, 4lb and 28lb ons, som tank rounds (75mm type) , numerous 30 mm from the A10s and the VARIOUS raf AIRCRAFT, amd Many many US Practice Bombs all over. Also found some old 3inch mortars, HE and WhitePhos. We actually had a fun time with the WP! we blew them and lo and behold set the grass on fire! - after muc running around we corralled the fire using a jcb !

Another task was to check the beach for fresh items uncovered by erosion of the cliffs. There were more items almost daily for the whole time I was there. One day I was on the beach and saw two holiday makers walking off with 2 x 28lb practice bombs. They were fully intact. I approached them and suggested tha they might want to leave them behind. They wanted them for the mantle piece! It took m some time to explain that they look nice and shiny without any damage because they had actually NOT gone bang - yet! Eventually I got the bombs off them and they wandered off back to the caravan part to the south.

I am sure they probably came back and got more items after we left! Hey, it wasn't you Beerie was it? lol !

The mortars were somewhere around this location maps.google.com/maps?q=Cowden,+United+Ki...+United+Kingdom&z=19 So no doubt more will be poppin out of the cliffs someday soon!

Hugh

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Hi Hugh, dont think that was us on this occasion lol

We only took the smaller 4lb smoke n flash's, I dont think we ever found a completely intact 28lb bomb, plenty of bits though.

The tank shell's you refer to are on this picture we took of some of the finds.

not been for a fair few years but you rarely had to even go up the cliffs the beach was just littered with stuff!

Phil

Maybe BDU can answer the above??

By the way BDU, your private message inbox is full mate

beerie;139337 wrote:

Orrrr!

What were the longer blue fibre glass ones, they were a lot longer than the flash n smoke ones i'd say they were about 2.5-3ft long.

Have got a photo ??

netcompsys;139414 wrote:

Presumably the A-10's did not use depleted uranium rounds on practice targets?

kevin

That belive it or not is a very shady area . And one we often used to talk about between ourselves . The yanks were not very forward about what was in there munitions . British munitions ,you could get a detailed drawing with a telephone call to the right dept . Same call to yanks and the reply was ,it`s classified .

BDU;139442 wrote:

That belive it or not is a very shady area . And one we often used to talk about between ourselves . The yanks were not very forward about what was in there munitions . British munitions ,you could get a detailed drawing with a telephone call to the right dept . Same call to yanks and the reply was ,it`s classified .

One of my favourite aircraft the titanium tank buster , warthog . Good ole A10`s they seemed to go that slow that you would think they would drop out the sky . That 30mm cannon was something else !!

beerie;139433 wrote:

Maybe BDU can answer the above??

By the way BDU, your private message inbox is full mate

Here`s one for you Beerie
What`s the difference between American 30mm Brass cases and Nato 30mm Brass cases ??

BDU;139443 wrote:

One of my favourite aircraft the titanium tank buster , warthog . Good ole A10`s they seemed to go that slow that you would think they would drop out the sky . That 30mm cannon was something else !!

Love the noise of that avenger cannon, the 'grrrrrrrrr' sound it makes when it opens up is truly astonishing.