Is this the worlds first and biggest EFP weapon?
This is a Capital Ship Bomb 45. As the name implies it was 45 in diameter, had a three inch thick steel disc, filled weight was 5,500lb of which approx. 2,120lbs was RDX/TNT. Designed and constructed in 1942 and used operationally in the same year.
The bomb was too large for a normal Lancaster to carry it and thus apparently four were converted to carry it. Quite soon into the program a 38 diameter variant was introduced and the performance of such was found to be only marginally below that of the 45 bomb and accordingly the 38 became the chosen size. At this point in time all Lancasters were either manufactured or converted to carry a bomb of this size.
The bomb was first used on 27th August 1942 when just three Lancasters of 106 Squadron attacked the German Fleet at Gdynia, specifically the Graf Zeppelin Germanys first and only aircraft carrier which was being constructed there.
It would appear that the bombs were used on two further occasions; again in 1942 and once in 1943. At the moment I have no details of these raids but will research it.
The only other early EFP weapon I can find is the Hungarian 43M Ltak anti-tank mine which was introduced in 1943.
The Germans, whilst having an excellent grasp of the technology dont seem to have introduced any weapons and the earliest and only drawings I have seen were dated 1944.
TimG
This is a Capital Ship Bomb 45. As the name implies it was 45 in diameter, had a three inch thick steel disc, filled weight was 5,500lb of which approx. 2,120lbs was RDX/TNT. Designed and constructed in 1942 and used operationally in the same year.
The bomb was too large for a normal Lancaster to carry it and thus apparently four were converted to carry it. Quite soon into the program a 38 diameter variant was introduced and the performance of such was found to be only marginally below that of the 45 bomb and accordingly the 38 became the chosen size. At this point in time all Lancasters were either manufactured or converted to carry a bomb of this size.
The bomb was first used on 27th August 1942 when just three Lancasters of 106 Squadron attacked the German Fleet at Gdynia, specifically the Graf Zeppelin Germanys first and only aircraft carrier which was being constructed there.
It would appear that the bombs were used on two further occasions; again in 1942 and once in 1943. At the moment I have no details of these raids but will research it.
The only other early EFP weapon I can find is the Hungarian 43M Ltak anti-tank mine which was introduced in 1943.
The Germans, whilst having an excellent grasp of the technology dont seem to have introduced any weapons and the earliest and only drawings I have seen were dated 1944.
TimG
