page_title: Photoflash bomb
hierarchical_section_title: Photoflash bomb
caption_attribution_description: English: IWM caption&#160;: An armourer, Leading Aircraftman H Knight of Cliffe-at-Hoo, Kent, loads 19-lb 4.5-inch Photoflash bombs into a De Havilland PR Mark XVI of No. 140 Squadron RAF at B58/Melsbroek, Belgium, prior to a night photographic-reconnaissance sortie.
context_page_description: A photoflash bomb, or flash bomb, is explosive ordnance dropped by aircraft, usually military surveillance aircraft, designed to detonate above ground to create an extremely bright flash of light. These bombs, which are capable of producing light at an intensity of up to hundreds of millions of candlepower, assist surveillance aircraft in taking nighttime aerial photos without the need to fly low to the ground which would make it vulnerable to possible enemy detection. Due to the advent of better nighttime optics, satellite imagery, and stealth aircraft, these bombs are no longer used by the military.
context_section_description: A photoflash bomb, or flash bomb, is explosive ordnance dropped by aircraft, usually military surveillance aircraft, designed to detonate above ground to create an extremely bright flash of light. These bombs, which are capable of producing light at an intensity of up to hundreds of millions of candlepower, assist surveillance aircraft in taking nighttime aerial photos without the need to fly low to the ground which would make it vulnerable to possible enemy detection.  Due to the advent of better nighttime optics, satellite imagery, and stealth aircraft, these bombs are no longer used by the military.
caption: 19-pound (8.6 kg) Flashbombs are loaded into a photo-reconnassance De Havilland Mosquito at Melsbroek, Belgium. c.1944
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