Bombs Away!

[jamesq]

You know the cartoon image of a bomb:

Have you ever actually seen a real explosive shaped like that? Despite this being a near universal image for a bomb, I don't think I've ever actually seen a real one. This includes depictions of them in film.

Did they ever really look that way, or is it just an evolution of some cartoonist's shorthand?

---post-script---

Not everyone can see the image so I'm using a new image that links to TV Tropes. The link also give an answer.

Comments

[ishansonofbrand.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, I have never seen a bomb shaped like that in a cartoon or otherwise. I think you got your links crossed because all I see is a advert for webdesign.org.

It was more of a American Civil era explosives.

[jamesq]

Weird. I can see it (the correct image)in Firefox, but not in IE. When I went and used *another* image (from TV Tropes) I get the same problem. Firefox is much more forgiving of hotlinking images then IE is.

On the bright side, finding the image on TV Tropes actually answered my question about the source of the iconic image.

[evilscientist.livejournal.com]

Early hand grenades looked similar:

http://www.infernal-machines.com/_sgg/m1m4_1.htm

Also a certain Professor had his own take. I'll send you the pdf since it's from a journal article and copyright restrictions....

[oblivions.livejournal.com]

Well that suddenly goes from utterly incomprehensible and bizarre to neat.