Pzb-1's or 50kgers....

[Tank-Ace]

I've been wondering, for anti-structure work like on towns, what does more damage, a salvo of 12 PzB1's or 4 50kg bombs?

[SmokinLoon]

I've been wondering, for anti-structure work like on towns, what does more damage, a salvo of 12 PzB1's or 4 50kg bombs?

The Pb-1's, albeit having an AP classification do have a splash damage, but not much.  They are very effective at 2 things: de-acking and killing tanks.  Each rocket has roughly 93 pounds of HE damage against OBJ's (it take 4 Pb1 rockets to take down a building), so pick your poison. 

If you are going to use the Fw190F-8 against the town, I'd use the 12 rockets. 

On a side note, I ***REALLY*** wish HTC would add in the 8/50kg bomb capability for the 190F-8.  It could in fact carry 2/50 kg bombs on each wing and 4/50 kg bombs in a shackle under the fuselage.  On top of being historically accurate, it would certainly add something to AH that we currently do not have: a single engine fighter w/ 8 bomb capability.  THEN... I would be taking the 8/50kg bombs to the town instead of the rockets.

On another side note, I've used the 4/50 kg bombs with very good effect vs soft skinned gv's.  Remember, you need a direct hit with the rockets to destroy the targeted GV, where as when combined the 4/50kg bombs provide plenty of ooomph to get the job done on a tank.  Used individually, the 50kg bombs are more than enough for the soft skinned gv's (including the M18). 

[Tank-Ace]

If we ever got the two SC250 wing racks for the F8, could the 4 50kg bombs be carried on the center line along with the 250kg bombs on the wings? I didn't even know the F8 COULD carry 4 bombs under the fuselage.

And I've gotten kills on Panzer IV's with just two 50kg bombs, but you need a really close hit. Infact i've landed 3 kills in the F8 with just bombs, 1 kill per drop, and no rearms. Only did it once, but I've done it.



So for the PB-1's against town, would you just recomend ripple firing them off from altitude (so you get some dispersion on a cluser of buildings), or trying to target individual buildings.


EDIT: Forgot to ask, but why would the 8 50kg bombs be preferable to a 500kg bomb and 4 50kg bombs, or a 500kg bomb and 12 rockets, or even 4 50kg bombs and 12 rockets (I assume the rockets were carried along with the center rack of 50kg's)?

The rockets have a higher damage capacity, as does the 500kg bomb. If you take the 8 50kg'ers, you're only carrying 880lbs of ordnance, and the 50kgers are fragmentation bombs intended for anti-personel work IIRC.

[Babalonian]

It depends really.  If you're picking off one building here and there and have good accuracy (and the time to line them up), the 50-kgs do a good job.  You need a salvo of the rockets agaisnt anything tougher than a AAA emplacement though, but can deploy them quickly and with good accuracy from a variety of aproaches/passes.

Given though that most tanks that aircover is requested for are of a heavier vareity though, I take the Pb1s almost always since they can be used for everything and anything whereas the 50kgers are just a little too waksauce against a heavy or moving tank for me.