Ih the latest International Air Power Review Journal, the Lancaster profile in this volume has one B.Mk1 version depicted with an enlarged bomb bay/belly for what was known as the Capital Ship Bomb.
What kind of bomb was this? And was it ever used?
By: Alistair - 13th September 2004 at 14:20
The Tirpitz bomber from No.9 Sqn looks similar with a similar bomb bay, but the maritime special is from No.106 Sqn; Admiral Prune (W4118). It was one of only six aircraft modified for the Capital Ship Bomb.
Admiral Prune? Any relation of a certain Pilot Officer?
Cheers
Alistair
By: GDL - 13th September 2004 at 13:12
Was it designed to penetrate the upper deck and wreck the lower decks? It doesn’t look like a pure armour penetrator like the 3,000lb German Fritz-X.
By: Papa Lima - 13th September 2004 at 11:28
Capital Ship Bomb
Here are a couple of pics from the same source:
1. A 45 inch CSB on an adapted 4 000 lb bomb trolley, one of several versions, including one weighing 6 959 lb and filled with Torpex intended for use against Japanese capital ships.
2. Cross-section of a 38 inch CSB.
By: GDL - 13th September 2004 at 11:03
Thanks Papa Lima! Got to get more Putnam books in my collection. Any other details on the bomb itself? Size?
By: Papa Lima - 13th September 2004 at 10:14
There is an Appendix on the Capital Ship Bomb on pp. 404-405 of Putnam’s “The British Bomber since 1914”.
This has a photo and a diagram, showing that this is not the Grand Slam or its cousins.
A full scale trial of the CSB was carried out at Boscombe Down on 8 May 1942 using the 3rd production Mk I Lancaster L7529, its bomb bay having been enlarged by bulging the doors. Although the bomb missed its target on this occasion, production examples were produced and delivered before the end of July 1942 to 106 Sqn for operational use. The first such operation was on the docks at Gdynia on the night of 27/28 August 1942 with 3 Lancasters, byt was a total failure due to unexpected cloud over the target. However large flashes indicated that detonation was satisfactory.
By: mark_pilkington - 13th September 2004 at 09:49
We had a squadron of RAF Mosquitos in Sydney (618?) at the end of world war two which were fitted for anti shipping strikes to use the DamBaster bouncing bomb and therefore an associated bomb bay modification, perhaps also a version of a “capital ship bomb variant” not sure if there is any link to your issue? of the modified Lancasters.
regards
Mark Pilkington
By: GDL - 13th September 2004 at 09:43
Haven’t seen the profile, but didn’t the Tallboy-armed IX & 617 sqn aircraft used against the Tirpitz have specially modified bombays? Could well be one of these.
The Tirpitz bomber from No.9 Sqn looks similar with a similar bomb bay, but the maritime special is from No.106 Sqn; Admiral Prune (W4118). It was one of only six aircraft modified for the Capital Ship Bomb.
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September 13, 2004 at 8:37 am