2-engined bombers: how big is too big? (2 Viewers)

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They were flown on the first 1000 plane raid, so yeah.
From the information I have no Ansons were included in the 1,047 despatched on 30/31 May 1942 to Cologne on Operation Millenium or amongst the 1,067 despatched to Bremen on 25/26 June 1942 in Millenium II.

 
Overstrand production was 19 September 1935 to July 1936 with another 5 February to April 1937, plus 3 conversions from Sidestrands. 101 Squadron gave up Overstrands in August 1938. Only 11 remained by end July 1939, 4 Struck off Charge in March, 1 in June, 3 in July, 1 in August 1940, then 1 each in April and May 1941.

The Anson left Coastal Command Squadron service in December 1941. Coastal Command took part in the 25/26 June 1942 "Thousand raid", but only with Hudsons and Wellingtons.
MakerA.V. Roe
NameAnson
TypeG.R.
EngineNumber
2​
EngineMakeCheetah IX
EngineCoolingAir
PowerHorse Power
355​
PowerAt Height (feet)
7,000​
SizeSpan (feet, inches)56.5'
SizeLength (feet, inches)42.2'
SizeHeight (feet, inches)13.1'
SizeWing Area (square feet)
463​
MenCrew
4​
ArmamentForward Fuselage1 Vickers
ArmamentDorsal1 Lewis
ArmamentRounds Per Machine Gun Dorsal5 Mags.
ArmamentRounds Per Machine Gun Forward Fuselage400
Bomb LoadNormal (pounds)
500​
Bomb LoadMaximum (pounds)
500​
WeightTare (pounds)
5,834​
NormalWeight (pounds)
8,580​
NormalTake Off (Over 50 ft) (Yards)
680​
NormalClimb to Height (feet)
5,000​
NormalClimb to Height Time (Mins)
6.5​
NormalService Ceiling (Feet)
18,000​
NormalMaximum Speed (m.p.h)
178​
NormalMax Speed Height (Feet)
7,000​
NormalCruising Speed (m.p.h)
154​
NormalCruise Speed Height
5,000​
NormalBomb Load (pounds)
500​
Normal50 Minutes allowance Range (miles)
540​
Normal50 Minutes allowance Endurance Hours
3.5​
NormalFuel (for range, pounds)
725​
NormalFuel (for allowance, pounds)
175​
NormalFuel (Total, pounds)
900​
NormalFuel (Total, Gallons)
120​
NormalMiles per 100 pounds fuel
74.5​
ExtendedOverload Weight (pounds) (Max bombs (or Fuel if same))
9,030​
ExtendedTake Off (Over 50 ft) (Yards)
850​
ExtendedClimb to Height (feet)
5,000​
ExtendedClimb to Height Time (mins)
5.65​
ExtendedService Ceiling
17,000​
ExtendedMaximum Bombs (Cruise) Condition
ExtendedSpeed (m.p.h)
150​
ExtendedHeight (feet)
5,000​
ExtendedBomb Load (pounds)
500​
ExtendedRange (50 mins allow.) (miles)
850​
ExtendedEndurance (50 mins allow.) Hrs
5.65​
ExtendedFuel (for range, pounds)
1,175​
ExtendedFuel (for allowance, pounds)
175​
ExtendedFuel (Total, pounds)
1,350​
ExtendedFuel (Total, Gallons)
180​
ExtendedMiles per 100 pounds of fuel
72.4​
ExtendedMaximum Fuel Capacity (Gallons)
180​
ExtendedMaximum Fuel (Economical) Condition
ExtendedSpeed (m.p.h)
125​
ExtendedHeight (feet)
5,000​
ExtendedBomb Load (pounds)
500​
ExtendedRange (50 mins allow.) (miles)
1,040​
ExtendedEndurance (50 mins allow.) Hrs
8.5​
ExtendedFuel (for range, pounds)
1,175​
ExtendedFuel (for allowance, pounds)
175​
ExtendedFuel (Total, pounds)
1,350​
ExtendedFuel (Total, Gallons)
180​
ExtendedMiles per 100 pounds of fuel
88.5​
 
Indeed, modern turbofans go up to pretty incredible sizes.

The current largest in service turbofan is a variant of the GE90. It's got a fan that is 330 cm in diameter and the engine itself is 395 cm high and 387 cm wide. The follow-up GE9X is going to be 416 cm high and 401 cm wide (with a 340 cm fan). Due in service sometime in mid-2025 (when Boeing stops buggering about).

To put that in perspective, the fuselage for the Boeing 737 is 376 cm at its widest point, while an A320 is 395 cm wide.

Rolls-Royce has an even bigger turbofan in development (with a fan about 356 cm), but it's an engine in want of an airframe.
Sometimes people seem to think the B-52 is some uniquely gargantuan aircraft since it has frickin' 8 engines. Nope, by modern standards those engines are pretty small, something you'd find in a business jet. It was just what was available when the plane was designed. From a thrust perspective, the total thrust required by the B-52 could easily be met by two current day large turbofans.

A GE90-115 makes 115,500 lbs at take-off. Two of those would mean a 70% increase in thrust for a B-52H.

GE has run a GE9X up to 134,300 lbs. That's basically what all 8 TF33s are delivering for a B-52, all in a single engine platform.
 
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