US Navy Mk.8 Bomb Shackle

[Yak3]

We've recently un-packed a box which has been sitting on a shelf for years to find inside a Mk. 8 bomb shackle. Bit of a mystery to me, does anyone know what the US Navy used these on, and is it a US Navy equivalent to any USAAF/USAF bomb shackles?

All ideas most welcome!

Thanks

[Jack Cook]

OK, I've been out of the AO business for quite a while but I'm
think a Mk8 is used mailly on helos like the SH-2 Seasprite, SH-3 Seaking and
SH-60 for Mines, torps and DTs with a mmax load of around 1500#.

[Tulio]

The Kernel Rohr, asked me yesterday to post this on his behalf:

Your Shackles were used on TBF/TBMs, SBDs,SB2C, and SB2A

Saludos,


Tulio

[Yak3]

Thank you gents, very much appreciated.

We have no use for it (although if someone is willing to donate a TBM I'd be happy to tolerate one cluttering up the hangar!), so if someone can use it please drop me a PM.

Thanks

[Jack Cook]

OK i hopes that my brain has not completely rotted away
I did some poking around and feel better now.....

The Mk 8 Mod 5 bomb shackle (fig. 8-33) is the
only bomb shackle now in use. It is used on helicopters.
The shackle is used to suspend and release mines or
torpedoes that weigh from 100 to a maximum of 1,500
pounds. The shackle has suspension hooks spaced 14
inches apart, center to center. It has no integral
provision for electrical release, electrical arming, or
mechanical arming. Electrical release of the shackle is
possible by attaching an electrical release unit to the
shackle structure. Weapons may be mechanically
armed by attaching arming solenoids to the shackle or
to the aircraft structure.

[mr_warbird]

So, are all variants of the Mark 8 USN bomb shackle basically the same? Or interchangeable? I know this is a Mark 8 -5 but what about the other dash variants? Was the -5 used on WWII era aircraft?

THank you