Biggest German Bomb in WW2?

Emmanuel Gustin wrote:
"robert arndt" wrote in message
m...
No, SC 2500:
http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/7087/uk019b.jpg

Hmm... Vaporware aside, which German aircraft could
carry that bomb?


Sources:
Wings of the Luftwaffe, Capt.Eric Brown
The Luftwaffe Album, Joachim Dressel and Manfred Griehl
Hitlers Luftwaffe, Tony Wood and Bill Gunston

Rough figures -
He111H, bomb load 2000Kg in vertical cells sized for SC250 bombs; range
2000 Km
Do217K, bomb load 2510Kg in one long bomb-bay, range 2100Km
Ju88A, bomb load 500Kg internal, 3000Kg external, range 1800Km
Amazingly enough, the Stuka had an impressive capacity



Ju87D, bomb load (external) 1800Kg(short-range, overload), range 900 Km

Now for the He177:
Bomb load -
16x50Kg SC50, 4x250Kg SC250 or 2x500Kg SC500 internally (Brown)
Maximum bomb load 6000Kg (seldom carried) (Gunston)
2,800Kg (A-5 model), 4,200Kg (A-7 model) (Dressel & Griehl)

The bomb bay was split into three sections by structural bulkheads,
limiting the length of any internally-carried store. Torpedoes, for
instance, were to be carried externally.

It appears the design suffered from bad weight escalation as time
progressed (initial design requires strengthening, adds weight, needs
bigger engines, needs more fuel, means less space for bombs). Also the
range requirement means more space is needed for fuel, leaving less
again for bombs.

Range - 5000Km

So the SC2500's that were dropped on Britain were probably carried by
Do217's?

So the SC2500's that were dropped on Britain were probably carried by
Do217's?

Both the Do-217 and He-177 carried the SC 2500. The He-111 was limited
to the SC 2000 (which is seen in the background of many photos of that
bomb).
The almost completed He-274 and planned Fw Ta 400 could have carried
the SC 2500 as well.

Rob

p.s. Please note that the SC 2500 MAX was rarely used.

robert arndt wrote:

Both the Do-217 and He-177 carried the SC 2500. The He-111 was limited
to the SC 2000 (which is seen in the background of many photos of that
bomb).

I can't find bomb-bay dimensions for either the Do217 or He177. He111
had small internal cells and a max load of 2000Kg - it is possible that
the photograph of the SC2500 posed in front of an He111 is just that -
posed. The only way an He111 could carry a bomb bigger than the SC250
was by external carriage IIRC. Not saying it isn't true, just that I
havent seen any evidence.

Do217 /seems/ to have a bomb-bay big enough - a single bay almost the
length of the plane. I wonder if any of the He177's three bays was long
enough for the SC2500? Of course, it could have been externally carried.

The Warbirds Resource Group site
http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/sc2500.html
has dimensions of 155" long by 32 in diameter. Thats 392 cm by 32 cm.
Too long for the He177's internal bays?

The Stirling suffered a similar problem - the MoD spec asked for small
bomb carriage only, and the bomb bay was divided into longtitudinal
cells. As bombs grew larger, the Stirling couldn't carry them, which
was one of the reasons it was quickly superseded in the bomber role.
The later Lancaster, on the other hand, had an unobstructed bomb bay 10
meteres long.

I can't find bomb-bay dimensions for either the Do217 or He177. He111
had small internal cells and a max load of 2000Kg - it is possible that
the photograph of the SC2500 posed in front of an He111 is just that -
posed.

I have a photo somewhere of a 111 wearing an SC2500 under the wing, where they
also carried the V-1.

v/r
Gordon
====(A+C====
USN SAR

Its always better to lose -an- engine, not -the- engine.

Alan Dicey wrote in message ...
robert arndt wrote:

Both the Do-217 and He-177 carried the SC 2500. The He-111 was limited
to the SC 2000 (which is seen in the background of many photos of that
bomb).

I can't find bomb-bay dimensions for either the Do217 or He177. He111
had small internal cells and a max load of 2000Kg - it is possible that
the photograph of the SC2500 posed in front of an He111 is just that -
posed. The only way an He111 could carry a bomb bigger than the SC250
was by external carriage IIRC. Not saying it isn't true, just that I
havent seen any evidence.

Do217 /seems/ to have a bomb-bay big enough - a single bay almost the
length of the plane. I wonder if any of the He177's three bays was long
enough for the SC2500? Of course, it could have been externally carried.

The Warbirds Resource Group site
http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/sc2500.html
has dimensions of 155" long by 32 in diameter. Thats 392 cm by 32 cm.
Too long for the He177's internal bays?

The Stirling suffered a similar problem - the MoD spec asked for small
bomb carriage only, and the bomb bay was divided into longtitudinal
cells. As bombs grew larger, the Stirling couldn't carry them, which
was one of the reasons it was quickly superseded in the bomber role.
The later Lancaster, on the other hand, had an unobstructed bomb bay 10
meteres long.

The He 177 had to devote a considerable amount of material to stress
for the dive bombing specification it had to adhere to. I suspect
this is the reason the bay was subdivided with structural members.

Considering the 217's marginal single-engine capability, carrying an
SC2500 must have been a little hairy. Just thinking about a night
takeoff with one aboard makes me cringe. If you lost an engine right
after TO you'd have to jettison the bomb to remain airborne - and it
would land right under you . . . 10,000 Reichsmarks going home to the
folks?
BTW - how big were the sea mines dropped by parachute as
'blockbusters'?
Again BTW in Bob Brahams' book he mentions shooting down a 177 in
daytime over France - poor beast was apparently stooging around the
home drome when Braham and his RIO saw it - their Mosquito had no
problem with the 177.
Walt BJ

Again BTW in Bob Brahams' book he mentions shooting down a 177 in
daytime over France - poor beast was apparently stooging around the
home drome when Braham and his RIO saw it - their Mosquito had no
problem with the 177.

If the text isn't too lengthy, would you mind relating the story? I am not
familar with it. I know I have his book somewhere, but they are all in
storage. The interview with the FW 190 pilot that shot him down was
interesting. The thing that stood out when I read it some time ago was the
author's humility and grace concerning his own near-fatal error in combat with
handled with flat honesty. It was a riveting book and I wish I could find it
to read that passage you mentioned.

The daylight role of the Mosquito over the Reich is really fascinating - Braham
weaves a great personal history of his time in that maelstrom.

v/r
Gordon

BTW - how big were the sea mines dropped by parachute as
'blockbusters'?

The Germans used the LMA and LMB Minenbomben:


http://www.luftarchiv.info/bordgerate/abwurf.htm

On this German page is a range of German bombs and you can clearly see
the LMB mine fitted with bomb fins and the last one the BM 1000
"Monika". The Germans also had a LMB IV that was intended for the
Me-264 but I don't think it was ever used as the Me-264 was lost. It
is noteworthy that this weapon would have been used against the US
eastern seaboard by the Me-264.

Rob

p.s. The LMB IV weighed 2,380 lbs with 2,006 lb of Amatol 39.