Ok over in the other rocket discussion, most people seem to feel that the blast effect is undermodeled to almost non-existent. So I decided to dig up whatever technical data I could and see what it could tell me. All data comes from the The Encyclopedia of Weapons of WWII
German 21cm Wurfgranate 42:
These are the Rockets mounted on the AH Fw190, and were produced in a HE variant only.
Weights: overall 109.55kg (241.5lbs) propellant 18.27kg (40.25lbs) Explosive 10.17kg (22.4 lbs)
Performance: initial velocity 320m/s (1,050ft/sec)
Range: approx. 7850m (8,585 yards)
British 60-lb Rocket (3 Inch):
These are the HE variant of the standard British Ground Attack Rocket, used extensively on Typhoons
Weights: Overall unknown, Propellant unknown, Warhead 60lbs
Performance: initial velocity 457 m/s (1,500 ft/sec )
Range: 3720m (4,070 yards)
British 25-lb Rocket (3 Inch):
These are the AP variant of the standard British Ground Attack Rocket, used extensively on Typhoons. The only difference between the 25lber and 60lber is the warhead.
Weights: Overall unknown, Propellant unknown, Warhead 25lbs
American 5.25" Aerial Attack Rocket
This is the rocket mounted on the P-51 and P-38 in Aces High.
No Data available
American 4.5" M8 Ground Launched Rocket
This is the vehicle launched HE version of an American Rocket posted here for comparison purposes. Note however, that its launcher is visually very similar to the tube launcher on the P-38.
Weights: overall 17.5kg (38.5lbs), propellant 2.16kg (4.75lbs), Explosive 1.95kg (4.3lbs)
Performance: initial velocity 259m/s (850ft/sec)
Range: approx. 4205m (4,600 yards)
American Standard General Purposed 500lb Bomb
Posted here for comparison of effects to Rockets, plus it is the standard bomb used in Aces High
Weights: overall 500lbs, Explosive 255lbs
Performance: Free fall
Now, since the subject of discussion is blast effects, I assumed that no kinetic energy from the rocket had any effect, no fragmentation effects, and no unused propellant detonated in the process (for simplification). I also assumed that the rockets all used TNT (which most if not all did). The explosive yield of TNT is reported as 1080 kCalories / kilogram of mass, or as 4.10 kJoules/ gram of mass Source: Explosives, 4th Edition. By Rudolph Meyer.
ISBN: 1-56081-266-4
So for comparison purposes....
1 American 500lb Bomb produces: 475,228 kJ
1 American Hispano 20mm Cannon Shell: 59 kJ
1 German Wgr 21cm Rocket produces: 41,697 kJ
equivalent to 707 20mm shells, or 1/11th of a 500lb bomb
1 British 60lb Rocket produces: 57,028 kJ
[assume 51% thinwalled warhead=explosive]
equivalent to 967 20mm shells, or 1/8th of a 500lb bomb
1 American 4.5" M8 Ground Launched Rocket produces: 8,013 kJ
equivalent to 136 20mm shells, or 1/59th of a 500lb bomb
1 Hypothetical 5.25" Aerial Launched Rocket produces: 9349 kJ
[ratio'd up from the 4.5" rocket]
equivalent to 158 20mm shells, or 1/51th of a 500lb bomb
So take whatever conclusions you will from this data. The most obvious is that the Wgr 21cm and British 60lb rockets are much more effective than the much smaller American rockets.
Now, if I can get an energy disapation factor in a standard atmosphere, we can calculate a realistic blast radius. Anyone? Anyone?
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Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure
"Desperately trying to figure out why Kamikaze Pilots wore helmets"
[This message has been edited by Vermillion (edited 03-20-2000).]
