GRAND SLAM at 60 !

• I aport in the Information Requests subforum various links. I hope possibly are in your interest: http://www.ww2f.com/information-requests/19360-usaf-photos-directory.html#post237852
• And in other subforum: centroeu.com/bombing/bombardeos.xls [Microsoft Excel]

 

Good information, photos and schematics at Tirpitz - The "Tall Boy" and "Grand Slam" Bombs

These were very expensive bombs, in short supply. So as soon as a target was destroyed, the remaining bombers were ordered to return home with their bomb load, often flying crippled ships. Thus there are many recorded instances of "crash landings." Must have been a nerve racking experience on board!

 

Who wants to see a Tallboy? It's in Northen France, so our English friends can't miss it. They even have a V1 launching site and a V2 .

Le blockhaus d'eperlecques : présentation de la visite , des fusées V1 et V2, bombe tallboy - monument historique Calais-Saint Omer

 

RE 617, 9 Sqdn
Oct 15th 2007 Email from Tobin Jones, webmaster for Dambusters

Message reads:
"I took over the site a couple of years or so ago but have a lot of (ed: other time consuming) work still to do. <SNIP> Thanks for your good wishes, nice to know it is appreciated. The site is due for another upgrade soon as I have received quite a lot of additional information from various sources so do keep an eye on developments."

 

Thanks for the info Fred. I will have a look on the site from time to time and check for the updates.

 

There's an amusing incident recorded of a 'Grand Slam' bomber returning low on fuel and requesting permission to land at Manston in Kent to re-fuel with 'a bomb still on board'. Permission was granted by the Manston controller who assumed that it was a normal Lancaster with a 'hang-up' ( of a 500-pounder or similar ).

With the aircraft parked , the Controller asked the size of the bomb. '22,000 pounds' said the weary pilot - the reaction of the Manston people is best left to the imagination......

 

Hmmm, it would have been Very bad if the Lanc Was damged and the undercarrige failed to work....BOOM!

 

Good Story on 617 Group Captain Faquier at
John E. Fauquier
- has a photo of a Lanc dropping a "special stores" (Grand Slam)

Gazzette info on his three awards at: Distinguished Flying Cross - No

From "RCAF Personnel - Honours and Awards - 1939-1949"

Good memorial to Wing Commander Tait who passed away last september: Group Captain Willie “Tirpitz” Tait has died. - Aircraft of World War II - Warbird Forums

Also: Good informative links list at:
Other Related Canadian Military Aviation Sites

 

Has anyone read the book A HELL OF A BOMB: How The Bombs of Barnes Wallis Helped With The Second World War by Stephen Flower ?

I've read the book Barnes Wallis' Bombs: Tallboy, Dambuster and Grand Slam by Stephen Flower & wonder if it the same book , but just updated ?

 

Yes - I have copies of both. 'A Hell Of A Bomb' was first on the market ( in paperback only, I think ). It had quite a limited print-run.

'Barnes' Wallis Bombs' was published a couple of years later in hardback. It's almost exactly the same content but one or two minor corrections were made, and the reproduction quality of photos is much nicer in the hardback.

Again, well-worth getting in either version and essential reading for anyone with an interest in the subject !

 

Thanks for that Martin

 

Got also a copy of the " A hell of a bomb". Excellent book!

 

I thought you all may enjoy this story of a diverted Lanc turning up unexpectedly at RAF Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. Home of 21 OTU and my hometown.
There is an excellent little museum in the town run by Gerry Tyack dedicated to the Vickers Wellington. Wellington aviation museum well worth a visit.
Anyway on his website is a history of RAF Moreton-in-Marsh where this story involving this unusual arrival appears. Cpl. Foote's fright

 

I will point out to our American friends that NO American bomber aircraft of ww2 vintage could even come close to the load carrying ability of the AVRO Lancaster. With a 33 foot long bomb bay and it's long range, it was the premier bomber of the era.

As has been mentioned, to carry the Grand Slam, modifications were needed, but on a regular night's work the bomb load for a Lancaster ( depending on distance to the target ) could be 12 to 14 thousand lbs of mixed bomb types. Please do some research and see what the typical USAAF bomb load in Europe was, for a comparision.

A further point.........The Lancaster was able, while fully loaded, to fly evasive maneuvers that would have torn the wings off a B19 B24 or B29. Ask a Lancaster veteran about " corkscrew " and see what he says ?

Jim Bunting. Toronto.

 

A B29 was tested carrying a Grand Slam after the war

 

The John Fauquier, DSO**, DFC link (above) has moved to here: http://www.constable.ca/caah/fauquier.htm

RCAF Personnel - Honours and Awards - 1939-1949 - has moved to: http://airforce.ca/honours-awards/
- the broken links have been reported to them. Stay tuned...

_____________________

http://www.dambusters.org.uk/ has moved to http://www.dambusters.biz/

(It does not appear to be turning up on search engines very well.)

617 Squadron Operation Record Books, 1943 - 45 can be found at http://www.dambusters.biz/operation-records/

See: http://www.dambusters.org.uk/docs/recordbook.pdf

 

Thanks for this to Lincolnshire Bomber Command Memorial at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lincolnshire-Bomber-Command-Memorial/441005595951689

A column of Royal Air Force vehicles, led by a lorry towing a 22,000 lb "Grand Slam" bomb on a 10-ton trailer, take part in the Victory Parade in London.

 

Child's play, I say.

Now this is a bomb!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-12_Cloudmaker

 

Repaired link to the Grand Slam on display at the Victory Parade London June 1946

Pretty impressive film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRsSDD5U0X8