OVERVIEW: The 250kg m/50 High-Explosive General Purpose Bomb (GPB) is an unguided aerial bomb developed by Sweden for tactical strike missions. It is intended for use against medium-hard targets such as buildings, fortifications, and vehicle concentrations via blast and fragmentation effects.

DETAILS: The m/50 is a conventional free-fall bomb with a steel casing filled with a high-explosive compound, likely TNT or a TNT-based mix. Developed in the early 1950s, it was part of Sweden’s indigenous air ordnance inventory and used by strike aircraft such as the Saab 29 Tunnan and Saab 32 Lansen. The bomb is fitted with fixed tail fins for stabilization and employs either impact or delay-action fuzes to suit different target types. Its 250kg weight allows a balance between destructive power and payload capacity, making it suitable for multi-role combat aircraft. Though unguided, its symmetrical aerodynamic design ensured acceptable accuracy for level and dive bombing missions of its era.

ROLE SUMMARY:
Category: Aerial Bomb
Primary Use: Tactical strike
Function: Blast and fragmentation via high-explosive payload
Strong Against: Structures, parked aircraft, vehicles, personnel in open or light cover
Weak Against: Armored targets, precision-dependent missions, hardened bunkers
Platform: Saab 29 Tunnan, Saab 32 Lansen, Saab 35 Draken
Integration: Compatible with Swedish-standard bomb racks; used in conventional bomb loadouts

SOURCE:
Swedish Air Force Historical Archives ; FOI (Swedish Defence Research Agency) ; Jane’s Air-Launched Weapons ; https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spr%C3%A4ngbomb_m/50