Bomb loads

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hengist
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Bomb loads

Post by hengist »

Can someone help with explaining the bomb load on Lanc3 JB 370 57 Sq East kirkby when shot down 7/8 July 44? It is described as 11 x 100 AN-M & 4 x 500 G.P. My old dad baled out & POW stalagluft 7.
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PeteT
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Re: Bomb loads

Post by PeteT »

I believe that was one of the standard Lancaster bomb loads consisting of 11 x 1000lb AN-M series bombs and 4 x 500lb GP (General Purpose) bombs.

I may be able to provide further details tomorrow, although I am sure others will chip in in the mean time.

Regards

Pete
Researching:
CA Butler, flight engineer Lancaster ME334 (KIA over Bonn with 35 PFF on 4th Febuary 1945) http://rafww2butler.wordpress.com/
Ground Crew and Aircrew Training WWII
"The History of No 35 Squadron" http://35squadron.wordpress.com/
jamesinnewcastle
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Re: Bomb loads

Post by jamesinnewcastle »

Hi

I don't know anything about the Lancaster but I've come across some (what I think) are interesting considerations about bomb loads in relation to the Stirling - and different from my childhood notions of bombing!

Firstly I'd always assumed that if you were going on a raid then you would simply carry all the bombs you could and the bigger the better! However the heavier the load the shorter your range and so it may be that a particular load was related to the distance to the target.

Secondly the centre of gravity of the aircraft needs to be in a certain place so you need to balance the bomb load, I imagine then that if you had a particular bomb type in mind it might affect what you carried. I believe that the Stirling had points where lead weights could be put to keep the C of G where it should be, so far I have only seen these in the Bomb Aimers department so I would guess that the bomb positions were mainly to the rear of the C of G.

Thirdly you don't want to release the bombs in a simple front-to-back sequence or the aircraft will pitch upwards as the C of G moves backwards, hence the device in the bombing circuitry that allowed you to drop the bombs in any sequence you liked, I guess that what you did was to try to disturb the C of G as little as possible so the bomb droppping might look a little odd.

Probably not what you are after but I can also direct you to a very good PDF that explains about each of the bomb types, it was written by the Americans but I imagine that the information would need sharing accurately.

Cheers
James
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PeteT
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Re: Bomb loads

Post by PeteT »

James

Is the pdf still available online, as last time I looked (having lost my version) it had been taken offline due to concerns about its usage in the modern day world.

[UPDATE: Just found a version at http://www.lexpev.nl/downloads/britishe ... ce1946.pdf]

Regards

Pete
Researching:
CA Butler, flight engineer Lancaster ME334 (KIA over Bonn with 35 PFF on 4th Febuary 1945) http://rafww2butler.wordpress.com/
Ground Crew and Aircrew Training WWII
"The History of No 35 Squadron" http://35squadron.wordpress.com/
jamesinnewcastle
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Re: Bomb loads

Post by jamesinnewcastle »

Hi Pete

Yes that's the one I was thinking of - with a quick look-through I can't see any mention of AN-M though.

Possibly Hengist could explain further what he wants to know. Is it just what the bombs were. the effect of the bombs, the motivation behind the choice of bombs, etc?


Cheers
James
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PeteT
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Re: Bomb loads

Post by PeteT »

Just for completeness, my understanding (and I am no expert!) is that the AN-M series were American bombs used by the RAF. Examples of the ones used by the RAF were:

AN-M64 (General Purpose, 500lb)
AN-M65 (General Purpose, 1000lb)
AN-M58 (Semi-Armour Piercing, 500lb)
AN-M59 (Semi-Armour Piercing, 1000lb)

I have a note which says that the American bombs, due to their construction, were equivalent to the British Medium Capacity bomb.

The loss cards for other aircraft lost on the raid on 7th / 8th July 1944 show similar bomb loads of 11 x 1000 MC and 4 x 500.

Regards

Pete
Researching:
CA Butler, flight engineer Lancaster ME334 (KIA over Bonn with 35 PFF on 4th Febuary 1945) http://rafww2butler.wordpress.com/
Ground Crew and Aircrew Training WWII
"The History of No 35 Squadron" http://35squadron.wordpress.com/
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