An airbomb is a type of
firework.
It is simply a concentration of
flash powder, in a paper case, that is ejected into the air with a black-powder lifting charge, ignited by a fuse. The flash powder explodes in midair with a loud bang and a bright white flash.
Single-tube airbombs were banned in Britain in 2004, because they are classed as a cheap nuisance firework. Multishot airbombs are still legal in Britain. The airbomb effect, a loud bang and flash, is still part of many larger fireworks.
Since 1 April 2008, any firework having at least one tube containing over 5% flash powder has been classed under
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
regulations as 1.3G, with stricter transportation and storage regulation. This effectively means that any firework containing a flash powder effect is not now legally available for sale. As such, manufacturers have replaced the "bang" with a crackle effect, or switched to using black-powder bursts. However, these are more expensive and lack the traditional flash effect.
See also
Air bomb
References
{{Pyrotechnics-stub
Types of fireworks