Molotov breadbasket

plural Molotov breadbaskets · alternative Molotov bread basket · alternative Molotov's bread basket

1. A cluster bomb; a munition that disperses multiple smaller explosives.

   Our bombardment aircraft dropped this armament in bomb-shaped 250- and 500-kilogram canisters (models AB250 and AB500). These fragmentation bombs proved to be extremely effective against live targets when discharged by a scatter drop (an adaptation of the Molotov “bread basket”).

   2001, Steven H. Newton, Kursk: The German View, page 187

2. specificallyThe RRAB-3, a Soviet cluster bomb.

   “Molotov breadbasket” is a large bomb container which, whirled by its fins, drops low, then sprays out a mass of 4 1/2 pound incendiary bombs.

   1940, “Soviet army's new weapons”, in Life, volume 8, number 14, page 34

   1 more example

   The Russian air force dropped RRAB-3 ‘Molotov bread basket’ incendiary cluster munitions on Finland during the ‘Winter War’ in January 1940, and perhaps even earlier.

   2010, Gro Nystuen, Stuart Casey-Maslen, The Convention on Cluster Munitions: A Commentary, page 6