Risk of bombs hitting propeller blades

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0hruv

Recruit
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Feb 11, 2022
Was there a risk of the bomb on the bomb rack hitting the propeller blade while dive bombing ? What if there was a rocket on the bomb rack ? would it hit the blades ?
 
The Ju 87 had a pivoting bomb crutch to ensure the bomb cleared the propeller. Other dive bombers had a similar set-up

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DA WEBS
 
Dive bombers had a "crutch" as mentioned above, that swung the centerline bomb down and away from the prop arc when released.

You can see the structure straddling the bomb in photos and virtually all dive-bombers had the device: Ju87, B5N, SBD, etc.

As for rockets, virtually all aircraft during the war, carried the rockets in "racks" beneath their wings.
The rack design ranged from tubes to wooden trays and were situated so they would not be near the prop arc, even on multi-engined aircraft. In the case of the rocket armed B-24, the launchers were mounted on the fuselage, below the cockpit and ahead of the main-wing.
 
Dive bombers had a "crutch" as mentioned above, that swung the centerline bomb down and away from the prop arc when released.

You can see the structure straddling the bomb in photos and virtually all dive-bombers had the device: Ju87, B5N, SBD, etc.

As for rockets, virtually all aircraft during the war, carried the rockets in "racks" beneath their wings.
The rack design ranged from tubes to wooden trays and were situated so they would not be near the prop arc, even on multi-engined aircraft. In the case of the rocket armed B-24, the launchers were mounted on the fuselage, below the cockpit and ahead of the main-wing.
There were two B-24 rocket set ups for the RAF. The earliest was the was the fixed rails on the forward fuselage as below.

There was also a retractable and reloadable rocket set up that occupied the rear bomb bay. They swung down below the fuselage to be fired after opening the bomb doors. As the Liberator sat low when on the ground it is not easy to see on aircraft so fitted so this is a model of the layout. 311 squadron GR.V were fitted with this in mid-1944 amongst other units.

And the US tested this arrangement










The much larger Tiny Tim rocket was often carried on pylons within the propellor arc, as on this Hellcat. But it was designed to be dropped from the rack before the rather large rocket motor was activated by a lanyard from the aircraft to the rocket itself.

Here is it being dropped from a PBJ-1H Mitchell
 
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The much larger Tiny Tim rocket was often carried on pylons within the propellor arc, as on this Hellcat. But it was designed to be dropped from the rack before the rather large rocket motor was activated by a lanyard from the aircraft to the rocket itself.

Here is it being dropped from a PBJ-1H Mitchell


I had no idea they were that damned big. Good lord!
 

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