Plausibility Check: Rocket-boosted earthquake bombs in WW2

B29 for testing but a B-36 needed operationally

in 1948, a B-29 was converted to test this bomb
260px-T-12-USORDMUS.JPG

The T-12, 43,000 pound bomb

Had such a bomb existed in 1944, a B-29 would have had the range to drop it over France or Germany

from the same source you got your picture

Originally designed to meet a 42,000 lb (19,000 kg) target weight (the maximum payload for the Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" bomber), the original design with its hardened case was slightly less than 43,000 pounds. The final T-12 weighed 43,600 lb (nearly 20 metric tons). This was twice the size of the United States' previous largest bomb, the Bomb, GP, 22,000-lb, M110 (T-14), the American-built version of the British Grand Slam. The T-12 was not a simple scale up of the M110, but incorporated modifications based on testing and calculations. The B-36 was redesigned so it could carry the T12, although a converted B-29 Superfortress was used for testing


Interesting to compare the design of B-36 and Barnes Wallis proposed "Victory Bomber"

450px-Convair_B-36_Peacemaker.jpg


330px-BrooklandsVictoryBomber.jpg


B36 was 50% as big again :eek:
 

MrP

Banned
]Originally designed to meet a 42,000 lb (19,000 kg) target weight (the maximum payload for the Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" bomber), the original design with its hardened case was slightly less than 43,000 pounds. The final T-12 weighed 43,600 lb (nearly 20 metric tons). This was twice the size of the United States' previous largest bomb, the Bomb, GP, 22,000-lb, M110 (T-14), the American-built version of the British Grand Slam. The T-12 was not a simple scale up of the M110, but incorporated modifications based on testing and calculations. The B-36 was redesigned so it could carry the T12, although a converted B-29 Superfortress was used for testing
One wonders how destructive a strategic bombing raid involving T-12 bombs dropped by B-36 aircraft would be. For instance, in an early 1950s WW3 scenario where the US decides to stick with conventional weapons but still needs to level enemy cities.
 
One wonders how destructive a strategic bombing raid involving T-12 bombs dropped by B-36 aircraft would be. For instance, in an early 1950s WW3 scenario where the US decides to stick with conventional weapons but still needs to level enemy cities.
You wouldn't use something like the T12 to attack cities; that would be done with a mix of 500 and 1,000 pound GP bombs, incendiaries, and high capacity blockbusters, the details of the mix depending on the target and the preferences of the attacking power. IN the case of the USAF, that means almost entirely GP bombs.

The T12 would be used to go after the same sorts of targets as the Tallboy and Grand Slam. Dams, viaducts, tunnels and other such civil engineering works. If you really wanted to make a mess of a naval base, a few squadrons of B-36s dropping a mixture of 1,000 pound GP bombs and T12s would completely wreck the docks and machinery.
 
Coal Mines were in fact one of Wallis's designed targets

also imagine the effect of T12's when aimed at the shaft heads of deep coal mines.

in 1939/40.

(ref: Brickhill "the Dam Busters" Pan Paperback Edition pp 14 ...16)

However the inertia of the AM/RAF to the idea in general lead BW to suggest a more specific target

The Ruhr Dams were sometimes referred to "White Coal"

to be fair the AM was already looking for a way to attack them as early as 1938 target committee extract
but getting nowhere until BW came up with the Upkeep
 
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