Explosive Collection

Lancaster Bomber
circa 1945: A Royal Air Force Lancaster Bomber in flight. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Wellington Bombers
8th February 1940: A flight of Vickers Wellington long range bombers, used by the Royal Air Force to undertake raids into Germany and elsewhere. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

Amazing Crab Nebula
The Crab Nebula, the result of a supernova noted by Earth-bound chroniclers in 1054 A.D. is filled with mysterious filaments that are are not only tremendously complex

Blitz in London -- Whitechapel Fire Station
Whitechapel Fire Station in Whitechapel Road having suffered heavy blast damage following a bombing raid on 8 September 1940

Britains frogmen divers by G. H. Davis
Introducing Britains frog-men: diving wreckers who blasted open a path to the Normandy beaches. These underwater commandos worked off the D-Day beaches

Brimstone air-to-ground missile on a triple launcher

COAL MINE / PENITENT
A penitent, so named because his clothing resembled that of religious orders, rids the air of explosive gas by setting fire to it. A dangerous task, that often ended unhappily

Eyes Of The Fleet
circa 1940: A Blackburn Skua two seat fighter and dive-bomber of the Fleet Air Arm with arrestor hook and wheels lowered, flying over warships of the British Fleet. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)

German Armoured Vehicles; Second World War, 1944
Illustration showing a selection of German armoured vehicles used during the Battle for Normandy in 1944. The vehicles shown include Panther and Tiger tanks (left foreground)

Firework rocket on stick

Digital image sequence of pilot sitting in ejection seat, explosive charge forcing seat from aircraft, pilot floating in sky suspended from parachute

Blitz in London - Foreign Street, Camberwell, WW2
Blitz in London - Foreign Street, Camberwell, SE5, a residential property hit by a high explosive bomb on 29 August 1940

New German incendiary bomb by G. H. Davis
Details of the new German explosive incendiary bomb produced during the Second World War. Explanatory drawings showing how the bomb is constructed, and the proper methods of tackling it. Date: 1942

Types of war bombs in use by G. H. Davis
Instruments of destruction: types of war bombs in use during the Second World War. A comparative chart showing the various types, including the incendiary, the high explosive, the armour piercing

Sunderland Bomber in a mock bombing practice with the Queen Elizabeth
19th June 1948: A Sunderland bomber in a mock bombing practice with the Queen Elizabeth. Original Publication: Picture Post - 4562 - A Sunderland Bombs The Queen - pub

Blitz in London -- Old Compton Street, WW2
Blitz in London -- firefighters in action in Old Compton Street, W1, where a gas main was ignited by a high explosive bomb and buildings were damaged by the blast, 24 February 1944

Firestorm (colour litho)
2778617 Firestorm (colour litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: Firestorm. Teams of Axis airplanes swoop down on the English motorized columns that attack in)

Avro Lincoln
7th September 1948: An Avro Lincoln on display at the Farnborough Air Show. It is a heavy bomber, and has an experimental turbo propeller engine fitted in its nose

Testing Aircraft
14th October 1943: A Royal Airforce Mosquito being tested at the de Havilland factory. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)

All Purpose Bomber
circa 1945: Three United States TBM Avenger bombers soar above clouds over the Pacific, World War II (1939-1945). The TBM, first known as the TBF Avenger

Blitz in London -- sub-fire station, Finsbury, WW2
Blitz in London -- firefighters clearing debris at what was their sub-fire station in Hugh Myddleton Primary School, Finsbury, EC1. The building took a direct hit from a high explosive bomb

The French Resistance - WWII (1 / 3)
Thanks to the parachute drop of plastic explosive, the French resitance were able to blow up the track. This enabled them to intercept a German train heading for the border on the line from Marseille

Cartoon, Jeremiah O Donovan Rossa, Irish Fenian
Cartoon, Jeremiah O Donovan Rossa (1831-1915), Irish Fenian leader - The terrible monster who was frightened by a woman! He was a pioneer in the use of explosives for political persuasion

WWI German stormtroop officer demonstrating the use of cluster grenades against tanks
778974 WWI German stormtroop officer demonstrating the use of cluster grenades against tanks and bunkers, 1914-18 (b/w photo) by German Photographer (20th Century)

Macedonians defending themselves with bombs against Turkish soldiers (colour litho)
2795764 Macedonians defending themselves with bombs against Turkish soldiers (colour litho) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Cubane molecule. Computer model showing the structure of a molecule of cubane (C8H8). Atoms are represented as colour-coded spheres (carbon, grey; hydrogen)

Strato volcanic eruption
A strato volcano has a steep volcanic cone built up by dense lava flows and pyroclastic debris. One of a series (including image numbers 185 to 190) showing various forms of volcanic eruption

David Lloyd George (1863-1945) Introducing the Munitions Bil
Illustration showing David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor, then Minister of Munitions, delivering a speech to the House of Commons on the Munitions Bill

Mastiff and Panama Remote Controlled Vehicle
Pictured is a Mastiff fitted with Choker Mine Rollers following on behind the Panama remote control Land Rover which carries a ground penetrating radar used for route clearance operations

Captain Henry Morgan sacks Puerto Principe, Cuba, 19th century (engraving)
7337530 Captain Henry Morgan sacks Puerto Principe, Cuba, 19th century (engraving) by Unknown Artist, (19th century); National Maritime Museum, London, UK; (add.info.: Creator: unknown Pirate)

British sailors boarding an Algerine pirate ship (coloured engraving)
7337534 British sailors boarding an Algerine pirate ship (coloured engraving) by Fairburn, J. (19th Century); 40.7x52.2 cm; National Maritime Museum, London, UK; (add.info.: Creator: J)

Anne Bonny, female pirate, 18th century (engraving)
7337522 Anne Bonny, female pirate, 18th century (engraving) by Unknown artist, (18th century); 10x16.4 cm; National Maritime Museum, London, UK; (add.info.: Creator: unknown Dressed as a man)

Illustration depicting the aftermath of an explosion in Rue des Bons Enfants, Paris, 1892 (engraving)
5616307 Illustration depicting the aftermath of an explosion in Rue des Bons Enfants, Paris, 1892 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Hanes "Excelsior" Patent Hand Grenade
3028445 Hanes "Excelsior" Patent Hand Grenade; Private Collection; (add.info.: United States Civil War, Hanes "Excelsior" Patent Hand Grenade a Union invention that didn't)

Japan, Ceramic hand grenades
3035166 Japan, Ceramic hand grenades; Private Collection; (add.info.: World War II, Japan, Ceramic hand grenades); © Don Troiani. All Rights Reserved 2022.

WW1: fight in Champagne, France september 25, 1915 (painting)
1748570 WW1: fight in Champagne, France september 25, 1915 (painting); (add.info.: fight in Champagne, France september 25, 1915); Photo: Tallandier.

Storming of San Sebastian by British and Portuguese troops under Wellington, 31 August 1813
536558 Storming of San Sebastian by British and Portuguese troops under Wellington, 31 August 1813; (add.info.: Storming of San Sebastian by British and Portuguese troops under Wellington)

Women packing dynamite cartridges, 1888. Explosives factory at, Val Bormida, near Cengio, North West Italy
538432 Women packing dynamite cartridges, 1888. Explosives factory at, Val Bormida, near Cengio, North West Italy. From La Nature, Paris, 1888. Engraving

Nitroglycerine Laboratory. Engraving 1889
JAB4120673 Nitroglycerine Laboratory. Engraving 1889; (add.info.: Nitroglycerine Laboratory. Engraving 1889); Photo ©Jaime Abecasis.

A new lighter, 14-18, 1920 (postcard)
JAB4120391 A new lighter, 14-18, 1920 (postcard); (add.info.: A new lighter, 14-18 - Postcard 1920); Photo ©Jaime Abecasis.

Letter C: The little Canon is loaded, the blow will leave and Cosette closes his ears
DUV4207489 Letter C: The little Canon is loaded, the blow will leave and Cosette closes his ears. Letter D: Daniel teaches his little sister a New Dance

Royal Navy six-shot Colt revolver, c.1855 (metal and wood gun)
MMM5471826 Royal Navy six-shot Colt revolver, c.1855 (metal and wood gun) by Colt, Samuel (1814-62); National Maritime Museum, London, UK; (add.info.: Colt's six-shot Royal Navy revolver)

Preparing process of the nitrate cellulose ( fulmicoton ) explosives factory. 1869 (engraving)
6426227 Preparing process of the nitrate cellulose ( fulmicoton ) explosives factory. 1869 (engraving); Private Collection; (add.info)

Engraving depicting an experiment involving white-head torpedoes, 19th century
5308716 Engraving depicting an experiment involving white-head torpedoes, 19th century; (add.info.: Engraving depicting an experiment involving white-head torpedoes)

Cover of " Les Corbeaux (Paris)", number 14, Satirique en N & B
ICA4874105 Cover of " Les Corbeaux (Paris)", number 14, Satirique en N & B, 1905_7_2: L'entente cordiale - Colonization, Pays d'Europe, Germany Prussia, Couple, Morocco

Japanese Type 10 Light Grenade Discharger Or Knee Mortar
3035369 , Japanese Type 10 Light Grenade Discharger Or Knee Mortar; Private Collection; (add.info.: WW2 , Japanese Type 10 Light Grenade Discharger Or Knee Mortar); © Don Troiani

Schenkl solid 20lb. Parrott shot
3028342 Schenkl solid 20lb. Parrott shot ; New York State Military Museum, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA; © Don Troiani. All Rights Reserved 2022.

Excelsior percussion hand grenade
3028484 Excelsior percussion hand grenade; Museum of Connecticut History, Hartford, CT., USA; (add.info.: Excelsior percussion hand grenade); © Don Troiani. All Rights Reserved 2022.

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"Explosive: Unleashing the Power of Destruction and Resilience" From the thunderous roar of Wellington Bombers to the indomitable spirit of Lancaster Bomber crews, history has witnessed the awe-inspiring might forces. But not all explosions are born from conflict; some emerge as celestial marvels like the mesmerizing Crab Nebula, captivating us with its cosmic fireworks. In London's darkest hours during the Blitz, Whitechapel Fire Station stood tall amidst chaos, a symbol of resilience against relentless bombings. Known as "Eyes Of The Fleet, " these brave firefighters fought valiantly to protect their city and its people. Yet explosions can also be harbingers of terror, as seen in the IRA bombing that shook Westminster - a stark reminder that even sacred institutions are vulnerable. German Armoured Vehicles rolling through war-torn streets in 1944 left destruction in their wake, while Brimstone missiles on triple launchers unleashed devastation upon enemy strongholds. But not all explosives bring destruction; sometimes they ignite joy and celebration. A simple firework rocket on a stick lights up our night skies with vibrant colors and crackling sounds, reminding us to cherish life's fleeting moments. In an instant captured by a digital image sequence, we witness both danger and salvation. As an explosive charge propels a pilot from his aircraft into uncertainty, he finds solace suspended from a parachute high above ground - proof that even amidst chaos, hope prevails. And finally, we remember Foreign Street in Camberwell during World War II's Blitz - once filled with bustling life but now reduced to rubble. Yet amid this desolation emerges humanity's unyielding spirit for rebuilding shattered communities brick by brick. Explosions hold immense power - destructive or transformative - shaping our world throughout history. They remind us that within every explosion lies potential for both devastation and rebirth – whether it be in wartime battles or the celestial wonders of the universe.