Japanese Heavy Bombs WW2

Ekrub

Ekrub

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Are there any Japanese WW2 projects for bombs in the 2000+ kilogram range?

The British, Americans, Germans, and Soviets all had various large conventional bombs in the 2000 - 20000 kilogram range, but I have not come across anything (in my limited research) of a similar weight class for Japan. Maybe no such designs were ever proposed, but I would think that the Japanese would have wanted something larger for their various long range bomber projects.

Any information (particular images) would be greatly appreciated!
 
Ekrub said:
Are there any Japanese WW2 projects for bombs in the 2000+ kilogram range?

The British, Americans, Germans, and Soviets all had various large conventional bombs in the 2000 - 20000 kilogram range, but I have not come across anything (in my limited research) of a similar weight class for Japan. Maybe no such designs were ever proposed, but I would think that the Japanese would have wanted something larger for their various long range bomber projects.

Any information (particular images) would be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
The usual use for heavy bombs, when you're talking about 1 bomb being your entire payload, is armor piercing types. And those would be delivered by dive bomber for accuracy. See the USS Arizona for example.

Otherwise, when you don't have guided bombs, you need a large number of smaller bombs to get ONE near your aim point.
 
Scott Kenny said:
The usual use for heavy bombs, when you're talking about 1 bomb being your entire payload, is armor piercing types. And those would be delivered by dive bomber for accuracy. See the USS Arizona for example.

Otherwise, when you don't have guided bombs, you need a large number of smaller bombs to get ONE near your aim point.
Click to expand...
You very well could be correct, but wouldn't there be a benefit in equipping some of Japan's long range bomber designs, such as the G10N, with a small number of bombs similar to the British Blockbuster bombs? In an attack against the United States, infrastructure would be the main target. So, of course, armor piercing capabilities wouldn't be of great value there, but a large bomb with low penetration but a large blast radius could do serious damage.

Now, if the Japanese never designed a bomb for this role, then that's the end of it. I'd just be surprised if they didn't at least conduct some tests on the concept.

Thanks for you feedback though!
 
Scott Kenny said:
The usual use for heavy bombs, when you're talking about 1 bomb being your entire payload, is armor piercing types. And those would be delivered by dive bomber for accuracy. See the USS Arizona for example.

Otherwise, when you don't have guided bombs, you need a large number of smaller bombs to get ONE near your aim point.
Click to expand...
At Pearl Harbor the 800kg AP bombs were delivered by level bombers in the shape of the Nakajima B5N Kate.

The Aichi D3A Val dive bomber was limited to a load of a single 250kg and a couple of 60kg bombs. Its successor the Yokosuka D4Y Judy was limited to 500kg except in its D4Y4 Model 43 version (edit - the kamikaze version) which could carry the 800kg weapons.
 
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Scott Kenny said:
The usual use for heavy bombs, when you're talking about 1 bomb being your entire payload, is armor piercing types. And those would be delivered by dive bomber for accuracy. See the USS Arizona for example.

Otherwise, when you don't have guided bombs, you need a large number of smaller bombs to get ONE near your aim point.
Click to expand...
Well, the D3A Dive bomber carried a 250 kg bomb, so that's out for an AP bomb strike.
The Type 99 Number 80 armor piercing bombs (1750 lbs) used at Pearl Harbor were carried by B5Ns, and were dropped on level runs at 10,000' / 3000m altitude, in order to develop enough striking velocity to penetrate a ship's deck armor.
 

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