The maximum bomb load for a B-17 of 17,600lb was 6 x 1,600lb SAP (9,600lb) plus two 4,000lb light case bombs carried on external racks. Not something that was ever really used.
8 1,000lb bombs coould be carried internally, but only 2 2,000lb bombs.
24 100lb (2400lb total), 125lb (3000lb total) or 140lb (3360lb total) could be carried.
The largest practical load was 8 x 1000lb or 16 x 500lb for a total of 8000lb.
But the larger bomb loads were traded off against range.
Yes, larger loads were traded off for range, but all of this depends on the model and sub type. Most later B-17s had 34 stations on the internal racks, all of which could be used for smaller diameter bombs, like the 440 pound incendiary cluster. For instance, the 1,600 pound AP bomb was small enough in size that 12 could be loaded at one time, three on each of the four racks. ( Top of the outer rack, just below that on the inner rack, middle of the outer rack, then middle of the inner rack, then at the bottom of both inner and outer racks, all staggered for clearance.) But that weight would be more than the plane was safe for at it's MTO of 72,000 pounds, so only 11 of said bombs could be carried with a useful load of fuel and ammo. But if you were willing and or required, the plane could take off with 12, IF you left some fuel behind. I know that several missions were flown Vs sub pens with 11 of that type of bomb, but do not know if any left with all twelve stations so loaded.
The failure of those missions was why they invented the 4,500 pound, rocket assisted "Disney" bomb, for which the two wing stations were installed.
Those facts make the 8000 internal plus 9000 pound external argument seem just a bit off of the often published figure of 17,600 pounds of bomb load? On the other hand, 9,600 inside and 8000 outside sounds good, until you check the tail fin clearance of the 4000 pound (actually 4,343Lbs) GP Bomb when it would be installed on the under wing rack.
So that part of the argument is an obvious non stater since the bomb load would then be both too large to fit and over 18,286 pounds total. But on the other hand, the later planes could and often did carry four 2000 pounders inside, which could have been AP Bombs to go with the Disney bombs, but that yields only 17,450+- pounds, so no good to match the published figures.
It seams to me that the only way you can get to 17,600 pounds is with the above mentioned 11X1600S! Which by the way is what I was told at the Museum of the USAF in Dayton, Oh.
