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There is ample president for the US using British aircraft like the Spitfire and we overcame bigger engineering road blocks than that I believe.
Yup, but I doubt for a project like that. Borrowing Spitfires, Mosquitoes and Beaufighters in Europe is one thing, but for a project as significant as the atom bombs? Also I'm still querying whether a Lancaster could have carried the atom bombs at all, let alone taken them from Tinian to Japan and returned. Someone with the figures could work it out better than I. But again, the reality was that the Lancaster didn't have to, the B-29 could and was, in reality the only choice.
It's certainly possible that it may have been impossible with the Lancaster or any other aircraft. I'm not knowledgeable enough to say for sure but as long as the wieght was within its capacity it seems like other hurdles wouldn't be to hard ro overcome.Yup, but I doubt for a project like that. Borrowing Spitfires, Mosquitoes and Beaufighters in Europe is one thing, but for a project as significant as the atom bombs? Also I'm still querying whether a Lancaster could have carried the atom bombs at all, let alone taken them from Tinian to Japan and returned. Someone with the figures could work it out better than I. But again, the reality was that the Lancaster didn't have to, the B-29 could and was, in reality the only choice.
Yup, but I doubt for a project like that. Borrowing Spitfires, Mosquitoes and Beaufighters in Europe is one thing, but for a project as significant as the atom bombs? Also I'm still querying whether a Lancaster could have carried the atom bombs at all, let alone taken them from Tinian to Japan and returned. Someone with the figures could work it out better than I. But again, the reality was that the Lancaster didn't have to, the B-29 could and was, in reality the only choice.
Tinian would not have been the only option for where they could have launched the bomber on its way to Japan. Iwo Jima could have been used and that would have been well within range of the Lancasters range.
don't believe that is correct, since the Lancaster had been carrying the Tallboy, 8,000lb HC and 12,000lb HC bombs internally, with the aid of bulged bomb bay doors.
The diameter would be the biggest problem, at 60" (1.5m) it was bigger than the Grand Slam, which was 46" (1.2m). The bomb would have had to hang down below the fuselage.
while the B-29 was influential in the outcome of the war, it basically accelerated the inevitable.
Weight is certainly not the issue as I identified earlier. It's the bombs' shape and the effect that carrying them would have on drag. The Lanc is much less powerful and less capable than the B-29 and as a result it's performance would suffer considerably in tropical conditions.
Certainly the Lancaster could not do it as well as the B-29, but it could have done it if required.
Well, that's what I'm trying to verify. In contrast though, so far you haven't provided any evidence other than that it might be able to carry the bombs weight wise. Also, the flight refuelling thing wasn't ready by August 1945; trials were still undergoing.
A simplistic view, but true, granted. The war's end was inevitable, but at what cost? Could anyone have accurately predicted when it was going to end at that time? I doubt it, as the decision wouldn't have been made to drop the bombs otherwise. As it was, the decision was made to bring about a swift end to the war and to save lives, as the argument goes, so that is most definitely a turning of the tide. What was Midway? The carrier battle hastened the end of Japanese naval dominance in the Pacific after the Coral Sea.
Regardless while the absence of the B29 may have changed the course of the war by making things more difficult and costly it was to late to turn the tide as it had already bean thoroughly turned.
Well, that's what I'm trying to verify. In contrast though, so far you haven't provided any evidence other than that it might be able to carry the bombs weight wise. Also, the flight refuelling thing wasn't ready by August 1945; trials were still undergoing. Thankfully though, the B-29 was built and could do the job.
Yes, it did, but you are ignoring the performance bit. The Little Boy might have been able to be carried by the Lanc but again, what impact would that have on its range, and performance in tropical conditions?
I think there may be some confusion here about changing the course of the war as oposed to changing the tide. At least as I perceive it changing the tide means to literally change the direction i.e. we were loosing.... but now were winning as oposed to changing the course of the war which can happen in the same general direction but in a somewhat different.....well......course i.e we were already winning but now were winning at less cost for example.
Great picks all though
I must admit I was not but that's ok. I usually learn the most around here durring "thread drift"I believe is the term.I bet when creating the thread you were not imagining a passionate discussion on whether a Lancaster could carry an atomic bomb