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Type | Bombs Carried | Fuel Carried | Range |
Lancaster I/III | 14,000 lb | 1,625 gal | 1,660 miles |
Lancaster I/III | 10,000 lb | 2,150 gal | 2,250 miles |
Lancaster I/III | 7,000 lb | 2,550 gal | 2,680 miles |
B-17F | 12,800 lb | 870 gal | 840 miles |
B-17F | 8,800 lb | 1,440 gal | 1,550 miles |
B-17F | 6,400 lb | 1,770 gal | 2,050 miles |
B-17G | 12,800 lb | 1,050 gal | 1,140 miles |
B-17G | 10,000 lb | 1,140 gal | 1,640 miles |
B-17G | 3,500 lb | 2,350 gal | 2,740 miles |
B-24D | 12,800 lb | 1,310 gal | 1,290 miles |
B-24D | 8,500 lb | 1,960 gal | 2,040 miles |
B-24D | 3,500 lb | 2,350 gal | 2,470 miles |
Halifax III | 13,000 lb | 1,150 gal | 1,030 miles |
Halifax III | 7,000 lb | 1,986 gal | 1,985 miles |
Halifax III | 3,000 lb | 2,446 gal | 2,510 miles |
This evening following seeing the Lancasters "Thumper" and "Vera" followed by B-17 "Sally B" today at the Duxford airshow (watched from a field just off flight line) I am given to wonder the following.
Supposing each type also including the Halifax and Liberator were on a mission to Essen in the Ruhr valley and also seperately to Berlin what would the comparative bomb loads carried?
I throw my thought to the might of the assembled experts.
For the Ruhr they may be able to carry 8000lb - 8 x 1000lb,
Hard to figure. The empty weight of the Lancaster was 16.738 Kg while a grand slam bomb weighed 10,000Kg. Also the empty weight does not have a crew or fuel, it doesn't count as an "aircraft " as such. Lancs dropping the grand slam had their upper turret removed. The maximum take off weight was 31,751 Kg which is approximately twice the empty weight.Thought this would be a good place to post a question I have been pondering for a while. Hope it's not a stupid question.
I have a documentary on the Avro Lancaster and it mentions that it was capable of carrying a bomb load greater than the weight of the aircraft itself. Please could someone explain how this was possible?
Andy
This is a bomb load a Halifax carried from Leeming to Essen,
6 x 500 lb MC bomb
1 x 2000 lb HC bomb
5 x 1000 lb SAP bomb
for 10,000lb total
For the B-17 the Berlin load would most likely be 12 x 500lb or 6 x 1000lb = 6000lb. For the Ruhr they may be able to carry 8000lb - 8 x 1000lb, but I'm not sure whether they coudl carry that weight in 500lb bombs (not enough stations).
That was Oct 1944 Steve.
For the Lancaster it woudl be 12-14,000lb for either target. But also depends on type of target - less weight is carried if more incendiaries are used.
Bomb Loads
For the B-17 the Berlin load would most likely be 12 x 500lb or 6 x 1000lb = 6000lb. For the Ruhr they may be able to carry 8000lb - 8 x 1000lb, but I'm not sure whether they coudl carry that weight in 500lb bombs (not enough stations).
Welcome to the forum Bill.