The Tallboy and Grandslam bomb

[Kev367th]

The sheer size is what was amazing -

Tallboy - 21ft long, 3ft 8in diameter @ 12000lbs
Grandslam - 26ft 6in ft long @ 22000lbs

Tallboys were dropped from as low as 20k, and created -
80ft deep, 100ft across crater and could penetrate 16ft concrete.

Grandslams
20ft+ of concrete

In the raid on the submarine pens near Bremen, one Grandslam penetrated 23ft of reinforced concrete.



1) Grandslam, 2) Tallboy, 5) Std 1000lb bomb

[SectorNine50]

You know, the altitude required for this bomb to work correctly (along with a perk) might be enough to make adding the Tallboy fair.  I mean if your really going to organize a mission around a bomber that is going to take 30 minutes to just get to altitude, then you must just really want to use the Tallboy.

Personally, I think it might end up being just a way to close fields...  Plus part of the fun of taking a base is the teamwork required to drop the town.

Would it be cool to have?  Absolutley!  Is it something we need?  No not at all, and may end up effecting the gameplay negatively.

[Castle51]

destruction by earthquake + 4000lbs bomb cap = drop Rosie O'Donnel from a lanc.

Just open up the door on the C-47 and toss a bag of Oreo cookies out, she'll follow em' all the way down.

[frank3]

(Image removed from quote.)

1) Grandslam, 2) Tallboy, 5) Std 1000lb bomb

What's the #3 bomb in your picture? 4000lbs?

[hyster]

the way i was thinking was that it would take so long to get to 30k and the fact you would hardly be able to see the town let alone ftr hanger (ftr hanger is small enough at 20k) only the die hards bomber pilots or those totaly bored would use it.

[1pLUs44]

destruction by earthquake + 4000lbs bomb cap = drop Rosie O'Donnel from a lanc.

[frank3]

the way i was thinking was that it would take so long to get to 30k and the fact you would hardly be able to see the town let alone ftr hanger (ftr hanger is small enough at 20k) only the die hards bomber pilots or those totaly bored would use it.

Actually, if your target is not covered in clouds, it's perfectly visible from 30k. I'll post a picture of the bomb-sight when I have the time (to climb, haha...).

[Furball]

What's the #3 bomb in your picture? 4000lbs?

It looks like it could be a US 4k GP bomb.

This is a cool photo - different bombs used by the British.  It looks like he is resting on a 8k bomb, with the 12k HC bomb to the left, 12k Tallboy to the right and Grand Slam in the background.

[Karnak]

Did some Lancaster flying today, with 14k bombs + 50% fuel. After about half an hour it reached 25k, at which it could only climb about 200ft/min. And it required almost full power to fly even level at those altitudes. Now imagine having 8k MORE bombload! I doubt you'd even reach 25k...

You also had the weight of the nose and top turrets, which Lancs modified to carry the 22,000lb bomb did not.   I also seem to recall the normal drop altitude was 18,000ft, not 25,000ft.

[TonyJoey]

  @ the rosie o donnel comment.

[AWwrgwy]

The weight of the Tallboy (approximately 12,000 lb) and the high altitude required of the bombing aircraft meant that the Lancaster bombers used had to be specially adapted. Armour plating and even defensive armament were removed to reduce weight and the bomb-bay doors had to be adapted.

Modified in order to carry?


Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,


wrongway

[Lusche]

This is a cool photo - different bombs used by the British. 

And these are a few Luftwaffe bombs:



But please note that the SC2500 wasn't used operationally.

[frank3]

Haha, the 1800kg is actually called Satan? 

By the way, does anyone know how much weight was saved by removing the defensive armament + armor plating on the Lancaster?

[Tilt]

You also had the weight of the nose and top turrets, which Lancs modified to carry the 22,000lb bomb did not.   I also seem to recall the normal drop altitude was 18,000ft, not 25,000ft.

My recollection also although it was 18,000ft above target............... basically Barnes wallis decided that 18,000ft was required to reach required impact velocity agin 40ft thick re enforced concrete............... (submarine pens etc)

Although against the Tirpitz the Tallboys were basically "lobbed" from a much lower altitude but then they were not using the bomb as an "earthquake" device.

I think there would be a role for a Tallboy in AH particularly if the damage model was made to tail off significantly if the dropp was less than 18K.


Grandslam like the nuke is OTT iMO

[Furball]

Modified in order to carry?


Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,


wrongway

On the Tirpitz raid they reduced weight because they had additional fuel tanks in order to get to Russia after the bombing - the Tirpitz was too far out for a round trip.  The Lanc was regularly carrying loads in excess of 12,000lb, and as far as i know the tallboy bomb could be carried by any lanc with the bulged bomb bay doors.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wXsjZbgipGsC&pg=PA53&lpg=PA53&dq=12,000lb+HC+bomb&source=bl&ots=w6STpl5BtB&sig=_BnsQHdgXNyGlrTabScwTSZutVs&hl=en&ei=U7k_SpyAIIy8jAfZkoX-Dw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6

Good article here about 617 and the big RAF bombs if the link works.