B-29 Loadout

[Mongoose]

  On the B-29, what type of bomb is the 4000 pound bomb (other than really big and scary  )?  Is it GP or HC or ???  The wing of the plane is in the way in the hangar, and I can't see what it says.

[Karnak]

HC, but the text is obstructed from view.

[DaveBB]

I just read a combat report of a B-29 that dropped bombs on Japan.  It only carried 12x500lbers.  Check it out for yourself.


https://archive.org/stream/B-29Story/B-29Story_djvu.txt

[SmokinLoon]

I just read a combat report of a B-29 that dropped bombs on Japan.  It only carried 12x500lbers.  Check it out for yourself.


https://archive.org/stream/B-29Story/B-29Story_djvu.txt

Don't think for 1 second that bombers in WWII were restricted to the loads we see in AH. Bomb loads were tailored to the mission. I know from the flight logs at my disposal that a certain B24D in the south PTO lifted with only eight 250 lb bombs, far fewer than what it could carry.

[DaveBB]

The bomb loads we have in AH are the maximum loads carried by aircraft on normal sorties.  There are a few rare instances of planes carrying much more (B-17 could carry 18,000lbs on very short missions). 

[SmokinLoon]

The bomb loads we have in AH are the maximum loads carried by aircraft on normal sorties.  There are a few rare instances of planes carrying much more (B-17 could carry 18,000lbs on very short missions). 

In general, the bombers were restricted by their bomb bay space in addition to their weight.  There is a reason the B17 could carry more 250 lb bombs than the B24, yet the B24 could carry more 1000 lbs (and more payload weight in general).

The more weight in ordnance the less fuel and the shorter range.  The more weight in fuel the less weight in ordnance but the greater range. and I'd like to know how a B17 could stuff 18,000 lbs of ordnance in to its bomb bay.
   

[Karnak]

and I'd like to know how a B17 could stuff 18,000 lbs of ordnance in to its bomb bay.

It couldn't.  The B-17G was rated for a max of 16,000lbs, not 18,000lbs, but to do so it had to use external hardpoints.  It was rarely, if ever, utilized like that as the range was very short.

[DaveBB]

With external hardpoints, the B-17G was actually able to carry 17,600lbs.  Round that to 18,000 if you like.  But its definitely more than 16,000lbs.

Source: http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=79

[MiloMorai]

B-17

[DaveBB]

Which model B-17 is the manual printed for?

[MiloMorai]

Don't know Dave possibly an 'F'. Don;t think it would make much difference.

[MiloMorai]

B-29 manual in pdf.

http://aafcollection.info/items/documents/view.php?file=000576-01-00.pdf

see pg 66 for bomb load and 98+ flight operations

[Ack-Ack]

Which model B-17 is the manual printed for?

It's from AN-01-1B-40 B-17 weight and balance, Army Manual 1943 for the F/G models.

ack-ack