List of explosives used during World War II

Almost all the common explosives listed here were mixtures of several common components:

Ammonium picrate TNT (Trinitrotoluene) PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate) RDX Powdered aluminium.

This is only a partial list; there were many others. Many of these compositions are now obsolete and only encountered in legacy munitions and unexploded ordnance.

Name Composition Notes AmatolAmmonium nitrate and TNT Extensively used in bombs, shells, depth charges and naval mines BaronalBarium nitrate, TNT and powdered aluminium BaratolBarium nitrate and TNT Used in British hand grenades. Also used as the low velocity explosive lens in the implosion type nuclear weapon, Fat Man Composition A88.3% RDX and 11.7% plasticizer Composition BRDX, TNT and wax Used as the high velocity explosive lens in the implosion type nuclear weapon, Fat Man Composition H645% RDX, 30% TNT, 20% powdered aluminium and 5% wax Replaced Torpex for use in naval applications.DBX (Depth Bomb Explosive)21% RDX, 21% ammonium nitrate, 40% TNT, 18% powdered aluminium An alternative for Torpex, that used less of the strategic material RDX Minol40% TNT, 40% ammonium nitrate and 20% powdered aluminium (Minol-2) Developed by the British Royal Navy and used in torpedoes, depth charges and naval mines. Unsuitable for shells because of a risk of detonation if subjected to very high accelerations. Octol75% HMX (cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine) and 25% TNT Still in use Pentolites50% PETN and 50% TNT Picratol52% ammonium picrate and 48% TNT Used in armour-piercing shells and bombs as insensitive to shock PIPE81% PETN and 19% oil PTX-130% RDX, 50% tetryl and 20% TNT PTX-241-44% RDX, 26-28% PETN and 28-33% TNT PVA-490% RDX, 8% PVA and 2% dibutyl phthalate RIPE85% RDX and 15% oil Tetrytols70% Tetryl and 30% TNT Torpex42% RDX, 40% TNT and 18% powdered aluminium Developed for use in torpedoes, it was especially effective at producing destructive, underwater explosions. TrialenRDX, TNT and powdered aluminium Used by the Luftwaffe. There were variety of versions with different proportions of the component chemicals.Explosive “D”Ammonium picrate US Army/NavyType 91 ExplosiveTrinitroanisol (TNA) Japanese Army/Navy

Two nuclear explosives, containing mixtures of uranium and plutonium, respectively, were also used at the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

See also List of Japanese World War II explosives Explosive material Little Boy Fat Man