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What bombs did they drop??
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fubar57
General
Blu-82, aka "Daisy Cutter", first used in Vietnam to create helicopter Landing Zones in the jungle.
Geo
Geo
I was a USAF munitions specialist 1965-69, we called any bomb with a fuse extension on it a "daisy cutter", from a 250 lb bomb right up to the 15,000 lb BLU-82.
The function of the fuse extension, along with a quick acting fuse was to cause the bomb to detonate above ground, thus cutting daisys, or anything else at ground level. They were very much more effective when used with pop out tail fins (snake eyes) that retarded the fall of the bomb. That allowed a large bomb ( but not the BLU-82) to be dropped accurately at low level, but give the aircraft enough time to be out of the blast radius of it's own dropped bomb.
I've seen the fuse extensions on 250, 500, 750, and 2000 lb bombs, we called them all daisy cutters, The BLU-82 was THE daisy cutter.
The function of the fuse extension, along with a quick acting fuse was to cause the bomb to detonate above ground, thus cutting daisys, or anything else at ground level. They were very much more effective when used with pop out tail fins (snake eyes) that retarded the fall of the bomb. That allowed a large bomb ( but not the BLU-82) to be dropped accurately at low level, but give the aircraft enough time to be out of the blast radius of it's own dropped bomb.
I've seen the fuse extensions on 250, 500, 750, and 2000 lb bombs, we called them all daisy cutters, The BLU-82 was THE daisy cutter.
yulzari
Staff Sergeant
250lb bombs with fuse extensions were used by the FAA Alabacores in the Western Desert in dive bomb attacks on axis tanks etc. Stopped them burying themselves deep in the sand before going off. I think the delay was enough to set them off about at ground level rather than above.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
They also dropped the MOAB, it would disperse a gas then explode. It was something like 20k lbs IIRC.
buffnut453
Captain
Sounds like a Fuel-Air Explosive (FAE). Generates a cloud of explosive vapour that can flow over protective revetments and, when exploded, destroy anything inside due to pressure. Nasty weapon to be on the receiving end of...er, I mean "nasty weapon of which to be on the receiving end" (I think!).
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Wildcat
Major
Interesting vid!
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