Tallboy/Grand Slam

[gothica7]

Just a thought. I know there was a recent thread on these bombs designed by Barnes Wallis during WW2 but i wonder if there is anything produced today that could do a similar job as an 'earthquake' bomb?

Would there be an aircraft flying that could carry and deliver a 10 ton Grand Slam today?

I know they could be probably be delivered more accurately today but 617 Sqn did a pretty good job with the advanced bombsights of WW2 they had in their day from pretty good heights too. No 9 Sqn were pretty good at delivering Tallboys too.

Andy

[US-Subs]

For the US its currently the MOAB, weighing in a bit over 20,000lbs. Of course, shortly after the MOAB's debut Russia tested the "Father of all Bombs", reportedly 3-4 times more powerful, but it is unclear if it ever actually went into production.

The MOAB is GPS guided, which allows for very accurate delivery.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...tions/moab.htm

[gothica7]

Hell,

what a beast, what delivers it? A B52?

Andy

[SG500]

Hell,

what a beast, what delivers it? A B52?

Andy

Andy according to the link "As with the earlier Daisy Cutter, these huge bombs are dropped out of the rear of the C-130 cargo plane. "

WOW what a thing!!

Dave.

[peregrinvs]

I'm not sure this is comparing like with like? The primary destructive effect of the Grand Slam was from creating a localised 'earthquake' caused by detonating after penetrating deep into the earth. The destructive effect of the MOAB is from a more conventional (albeit massive) blast wave created by a surface detonation.

I'd have said a tactical nuclear 'bunker-busting' bomb was a more lineal descendant of Grand Slam. (Do these actually exist..?)

Cheers,

Mark

PS. Those more knowledgeable are welcome to correct any errors in the above. ;-)

[US-Subs]

"Tactical" weapons were withdrawn in the early 1990s, following changes in E. Europe and in the US doctrine.

[Big Al]

During the first Gulf War, the outer "barrel" of an 8" naval gun, with no linear, was filled with cast TNT and used as a bunker buster. I assume fins and tails were attached and they were terminally guided. It was reported that these were dropped from C130's, still warm from the casting.

There was a clip on a US news program of one of these bombs on a rocket sled (to simulate terminal velocity) fired at a 2 m (?) tick target and the "bomb" cleanly penatrated and contnued across the country side and was described as a "flying telephone pole".

If anyone has or knows were this clip is. I would like to see it again.

[EODONE]

Yes the Lancasters that dropped these used to go up in the air a very rapid 200 feet plus when it delivered this package.

[HAZORD]

The "Deep Throat" Bunker Buster was the slang term for the GBU-28B bombs that were initially made from 8 inch cannon barrels during the first Gulf War. They were filled with Tritonal explosive, since the design purpose of the bomb was deep penetration into concrete bunkers underground, and TNT wasn't stable enough to withstand the impact shock of penetration without detonating.

They were originally dropped by F111 aircraft, and are currently delivered by F111 or F15E aircraft. They are rated to penetrate 100 ft of earth or up to 20 ft. of concrete.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/smart/gbu-28.htm

http://www.ausairpower.net/GBU-28.html

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVkYe8tNZX4"]YouTube- GBU-28 "Bunker Buster" Laser-Guided Bomb[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11vZHrsJWjU&NR=1"]YouTube- GBU-28 Bunker Buster Laser Guided Bomb[/ame]

[Big Al]

Many Thanks for the clips.

Tritonal is 80% TNT and 20% aluminum powder.