At least from Fw 200Cs, a couple even in Finnish Lapland, both missed the target, a bridge.
What if lots of B-29-like bombers with glide bombs had attacked very well protected convoys?
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At least from Fw 200Cs, a couple even in Finnish Lapland, both missed the target, a bridge.
From what I have been able to find, both the FW-200 and JU-290 could carry glide bombs. The JU-290 A-7 could carry three and the FW-200 could carry two. Here is the only image I could find of either aircraft so loaded.
and this projected view:
and then this guy's pretty nice model..
Peter Gunn
Master Sergeant
At first I gave you a "Like" but upon reflection I gave you Bacon for the use of the word "Bejabers"...
From GAF (German Air Force, Luftwaffe] and the Invasion of Normandy
18. The highest figure achieved for fighter operations was 476 aircraft on 13 June, and for bomber operations, 392 aircraft on 8 June. The first of these attacks was directed against the army in the field, the second on the Seine bay and the mouth of the Orne. On 10 June there was a combined raid of Ju 88's and He 177's on an American convoy from Falmouth. Use of Hs 293 glider bombs in this attack proved a failure; most of them were shot down by flak from the escort forces and steamers. In the early hours of 13 June, 91 torpedo
18. The highest figure achieved for fighter operations was 476 aircraft on 13 June, and for bomber operations, 392 aircraft on 8 June. The first of these attacks was directed against the army in the field, the second on the Seine bay and the mouth of the Orne. On 10 June there was a combined raid of Ju 88's and He 177's on an American convoy from Falmouth. Use of Hs 293 glider bombs in this attack proved a failure; most of them were shot down by flak from the escort forces and steamers. In the early hours of 13 June, 91 torpedo
The B-29 did indeed use a glide bomb but it was in Korea. It was the 22000lb VB-13 Tarzan glide bomb. It was used very successfully against bridges by the 19th Bombardment group. It was guided visually by the bomb aimer who locked on to the target by visualising on a tail flare. The guidance system was by RCA (Radio Corporation of America). The VB-13 was a converted Grand Slam bomb.
I wouldn't describe Tarzon or Azon or Razon as "glide bombs". They were all steerable free fall bombs like the German Fritz X.
Azon - Wikipedia
VB-3 Razon - Wikipedia
ASM-A-1 Tarzon - Wikipedia
The nearest US equivalent of the German Hs293 glide bomb was probably the Bat
ASM-N-2 Bat - Wikipedia
Thats what its known as in the books - glide bombI wouldn't describe Tarzon or Azon or Razon as "glide bombs". They were all steerable free fall bombs like the German Fritz X.
Azon - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org
VB-3 Razon - Wikipedia
ASM-A-1 Tarzon - Wikipedia
The nearest US equivalent of the German Hs293 glide bomb was probably the Bat
ASM-N-2 Bat - Wikipedia
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Not even close to a glide bomb.
From the National Museum of the United States Air Force:
"The VB-3 Razon was a high-angle freefall guided bomb developed by the United States Army Air Force during the 1940s.
Razon (for Range and AZimuth Only) was a standard AN-M65 1,000-pound general-purpose bomb, the same basic ordnance unit used for its AZimuth-ONly guided predecessor, the VB-1 Azon guided ordnance, with the Razon concept fitted with flight control surfaces that also enabled adjustment in the vertical plane, like the Luftwaffe's heavier Fritz X armored anti-ship guided ordnance."
VB-3 Razon Bomb
The VB-3 Razon (for range and azimuth) was a standard 1,000-pound general purpose bomb fitted with flight control surfaces. Development of the Razon began in 1942, but it did not see use during World
www.nationalmuseum.af.mil
MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
The USN Bat was a radar guided glide bomb actually used to attack ships in WW2. It was 20 plus years ahead of its time, being fire and forget. The B-29 would have made an even better launch aircraft for it than did the PB4Y-2.
It is indeed a glide bomb, the VB-13 has a circular wing round the bomb, it is not an azonNot even close to a glide bomb.
From the National Museum of the United States Air Force:
"The VB-3 Razon was a high-angle freefall guided bomb developed by the United States Army Air Force during the 1940s.
Razon (for Range and AZimuth Only) was a standard AN-M65 1,000-pound general-purpose bomb, the same basic ordnance unit used for its AZimuth-ONly guided predecessor, the VB-1 Azon guided ordnance, with the Razon concept fitted with flight control surfaces that also enabled adjustment in the vertical plane, like the Luftwaffe's heavier Fritz X armored anti-ship guided ordnance."
VB-3 Razon Bomb
The VB-3 Razon (for range and azimuth) was a standard 1,000-pound general purpose bomb fitted with flight control surfaces. Development of the Razon began in 1942, but it did not see use during Worldwww.nationalmuseum.af.mil
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
So you're saying that the "circular rings" on a general purpose, 1,000lb. bomb provide lift?
Shortround6
Major General
The VB-13 did have a circular wing.
Now how much lift they got out of the wing or what the glide ratio was I have no idea.
Perhaps it just helped stabilize the bomb to keep the "rudder" and "elevator" from rotating around slowly?
Maybe it did extend the range of the bomb a small amount or at least helped keep the bomb aimer located over the bomb as it fell so the bomb aimer could steer the bomb?
Now how much lift they got out of the wing or what the glide ratio was I have no idea.
Perhaps it just helped stabilize the bomb to keep the "rudder" and "elevator" from rotating around slowly?
Maybe it did extend the range of the bomb a small amount or at least helped keep the bomb aimer located over the bomb as it fell so the bomb aimer could steer the bomb?
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Still a huge difference between a "guided bomb" and a "glide bomb".
The VB-1 and VB-3 were guided 1,000lb. GP bombs, the VB-13 was a guided 12,000lb. Tallboy bomb.
The fixed fins were replaced by steerable fins, meaning that their descent could be controlled, but they still had to be dropped within a certain proximity of the target or they'd fall long or short.
I suspect that there may be confusion to the term "glide bombing" versus "glide bomb", as these guided bombs could be used in "glide bombing" tactics, where they're released in a shallow dive, allowing for a better controlled descent, but using that tactic does not make them "glide bombs", which have actual wings with control surfaces (like a glider).
The VB-1 and VB-3 were guided 1,000lb. GP bombs, the VB-13 was a guided 12,000lb. Tallboy bomb.
The fixed fins were replaced by steerable fins, meaning that their descent could be controlled, but they still had to be dropped within a certain proximity of the target or they'd fall long or short.
I suspect that there may be confusion to the term "glide bombing" versus "glide bomb", as these guided bombs could be used in "glide bombing" tactics, where they're released in a shallow dive, allowing for a better controlled descent, but using that tactic does not make them "glide bombs", which have actual wings with control surfaces (like a glider).
In OP 1664 US Ordnance May 1947 edition the Tarzon is included in the section on AAF Guided Missiles and is described thus:-
"This missile consists of a modified Bomb T10 with a circular, 54-inch shroud about its body for lift, an octagonal tail surface for control, and the radio control mechanisms for guidance in range and azimuth....."
T10 was the US designation for Tallboy. Note the use of the word "shroud" not "wing" in the description.
It appears in the same section as the Azon and Razon. Also in that section are the 2,500 pound GB-4 Air to Surface missile which is described as a "glide bomb" which had a "special plywood airframe built around a 2,000-pound bomb, with rudders and elevators but no ailerons." It had a 12ft wingspan. Similarly the GB-8 is described as a glide bomb. As is the Bat.
So clearly US officialdom drew a distinction between "glide bombs" and weapons like Azon, Razon and Tarzon.
Page 543 of the manual onwards.
"This missile consists of a modified Bomb T10 with a circular, 54-inch shroud about its body for lift, an octagonal tail surface for control, and the radio control mechanisms for guidance in range and azimuth....."
T10 was the US designation for Tallboy. Note the use of the word "shroud" not "wing" in the description.
It appears in the same section as the Azon and Razon. Also in that section are the 2,500 pound GB-4 Air to Surface missile which is described as a "glide bomb" which had a "special plywood airframe built around a 2,000-pound bomb, with rudders and elevators but no ailerons." It had a 12ft wingspan. Similarly the GB-8 is described as a glide bomb. As is the Bat.
So clearly US officialdom drew a distinction between "glide bombs" and weapons like Azon, Razon and Tarzon.
Page 543 of the manual onwards.
Thumpalumpacus
Major
Probably a good idea to reduce weight, as at 45,000 tons, carrying only 8 15" guns was pretty overweight. But given the design values, the only thing left to be reduced is the armor.
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