Correct bomb/fuel loadout for the Ju 88

[RTHolmes]

Simple one this, we currently have 2 options for the fuselage bays:

10x 50kg
20x 50kg (wrong)

With a 100% fuel load of 1,680l in the 4 wing tanks.



The Ju 88 had 2 bomb bays. The forward bay carried 18x 50kg, the rear bay 10x 50kg. both could be fitted with a fuselage tank instead. These were the options:

Rüstsatz A:   18x 50kg forward rack + 10x 50kg rear rack
Rüstsatz B:   1,220l forward tank + 10x 50kg rear rack
Rüstsatz C:   1,220l forward tank + 680l rear tank

I cant see many people using option C with external bombs, but options A and B would be useful.

[DubiousKB]

Tough to argue with pictures....

...HTC ball is in your court on this one. 

[RTHolmes]

might provide in interesting choice for BoB and other events too with appropriate fuel restrictions:

 do you take 10x 50kg and fly at mil, or take 28x 50kg and fly at cruise ..?

[Krusty]

There are several planes that can have combinations of loadouts that exceed maximum takeoff limits, such as the B-29.

While you list the forward bomb bay as "capable" of carrying 18x 50kg bombs, the max internal load still seems to be 20x 50kg (1000 kg).

Per Squadron Signal 1085, it states the following Rustzustand (equipment states):
Equipment State A - Up to ten 50kg (110lb) bombs in both the forward and rear bomb bays (twenty bombs total).
Equipment State B - Up to ten 50kg bombs in the rear bay and one 1,220 liter (322 gallon) fuel tank in the forward bay. (This was the most common configuration).
Equipment State C - One 322 gallon fuel tank in the forward bay and one 680 liter (179.5 gallon) fuel tank in the rear bay.

Even though the rack had 18 mount points on your reference doesn't mean they were all used at the same time.


P.S. Only with the intro of the He111 has HTC included bomb bay drop tanks as part of the bomb load. We may see more in the future, but it's understandable that up until now they have been lacking on the Ju88s. As for BOB it would be mostly useless. These tanks were needed for the much later Soviet invasion where the distances flown were longer and longer and longer. Flying to the UK and back was readily done on internal fuel already.

[RTHolmes]

It seems strange that only 2 of the 4 forward bomb racks would be commonly used, any idea why that would be? I had a good search around for operational info and photos but couldnt find anything which conflicted with the designed loadouts.

[RTHolmes]

Interesting pics of a Ju 88 recovery and some info here:

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=21808&p=181883

Presumably this one is in a museum near Oslo somewhere. States that the rear bay fuel tank conversion was simple - a clipon job leaving the side bombracks in place. The central racks were removed from the forward bay when fitting the larger fuel tank.


edit: that is Ju-88 A-1 0880119, being restored at the Norwegian Armed Forces Aircraft Collection, Oslo.