Typhoon?

[LukeFF]

8 hours ago, RedKestrel said:

IIRC Typhoon squadrons tended to specialize in either rocket attacks or bombing attacks, even though the aircraft could carry both. In that way, pilots got accustomed to the type of ammunition used.

 

Yes, and it also simplified logistics. 

[Megalax]

1 hour ago, Legioneod said:

Isn’t the Typhoon the only one that carried rockets and bombs for most of the war?

 

 

Typhoons carried the RP-3 in rocket firing squadrons, and in bomb carrying squadrons they had the typical 250/500/1000 lb,  and cluster munitions.

Edited November 27, 2019 by Megalax

[Avimimus]

Some follow-up research - My repeated referencing of a 25% failure rate almost certainly comes from Chris Bishop in "The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II" as I had a copy of this book. Unfortunately the book doesn't seem to give a specific source "it is on record that some 25 per cent of rockets failed to detonate, particularly in the earlier days..."

 

With regard to the fuses... I'm starting to suspect that it is simply confusion around the delayed fuse (used on the AP/SAP warheads) and the immediate detonation fuse (used on the HE warhead). Depending on the type of target the different warheads might have had different likelihoods of detonating, causing the association with different tactics?

 

With regard to attacks on ships Christina J. M. Goulter quotes an 8in hole for a 25lb SAP vs. 30in hole for a 60lb warheads. However, the 60lb warhead travelled a shorter distance underwater and was more likely to fail to detonate (rather than to curve through the water and hit the ship at a good angle below the waterline). The 25lb warhead also had a flatter trajectory, which allowed strafing/suppressing attacks to be combined with the rocket attack at longer ranges. Two successful underwater hits from 25lb rockets were deemed sufficient to sink small to medium sized vessels or immobilise larger unarmoured vessels.

 

This source is also freely available - Apparently firing a salvo or ripple would lead to greater inacurracy in the subsequent rockets (this appears in the article prior to the one on Typhoons): https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/Research/RAF-Historical-Society-Journals/Journal_45_Seminar_conventional_weapons.pdf

[Megalax]

Typĥoon Ib being fitted with Cluster munitions.

 

 

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Cluster Projectile 500lb No.17 Mk II (Service)
 

 

Contents: Twenty six 20lb fragmentation bombs, specially designed for use in this cluster
Overall length: 63 inches (with blunt nose)
Width across flats: 15 inches (octagonal in shape)
Tail length: 27 inches
Total diameter: 17.5 inches
Total weight: 582 pounds 

Fuzing: Tail Fuze No.885 Mk I
Tail No.: No.63 Mks I and II

  

 

Color and markings: Dark green overall

  

Description: The cluster comprises twenty-six 20lb fragmentation bombs arranged in two fagots of thirteen bombs each.  The bombs are held in place by a front end palte and a rear end plate, a top beam and a bottom beam, side plates, which overlap each other, and tensioning straps and a retaining bar, which hold the components together.  The bombs are completely enclosed.  Lateral pins on the retaining bar engage tabs forming part of shoes attached to the ends of the tensioning straps.  A shear wire passes through the retaining bar and a bridge on the top beam.  A channel secured to the rear end plate supports a fuze adapter, the outer end of which is closed by a transit plug and leather washer.  Inside the adapter is a piston through which is a pin to engage the lower end of a pivoted lever.  The fuze adapter and piston are slotted to receive the lower end of the lever.  The lever passes into the fuze adapter.  Links connect the upper end of the lever to a downwardly projecting plate, welded to the retaining bar.  The rear end plate has two dowels for locating the tail in position, and a nut welded to the center of the plate to receive one end of a tail tie rod, when the tail unit is fitted to the cluster.  The front end plate has two dowels for locating either a blunt nose fairing or a streamlined nose fairing in position, and a nut welded to the center of the plate to receive the securing stud of the blunt nose fairing, or the tie rod of the streamlined fairing.  The blunt nose fairing is fitted to the cluster if it is to be carried internally in an aircraft.  The streamlined nose fairing consists of a hollow metal dome, the base of which is partly covered by an end plate welded to the dome, and is to be fitted to the cluster when carried externally on an aircraft.


Tail Construction: The Tail Unit No.63 Mk I consists of a tail cone, having an approximately octagonal base and a tail strut secured to the cone by six supports.  The tail unit has an arming spindle mounted in bearings, and has a fork at its inner end and an arming vane at its outer end.  Two inspection windows in the tail cone are provided to enable the armorer to watch the fork of the arming spindle, when fitting the tail unit to a cluster fuzed with a Tail Fuze No.855.  The Tail No.63 Mk I is only used when the cluster is carried internally in an aircraft.  The Tail No.63 Mk II is similar to the Mk I, except that it is generally strengthened and has seven tail drum supports as compared with the six of the Tail No.63 Mk I, and is to be used when the cluster is carried externally on the aircraft.


Functioning: When the fuzed cluster projectile is released, the fuze functions, and, after a period of delay during which the cluster falls freely, the fuze magazine is fired.  The products of combustion of the magazine charge force the piston in the fuze adapter against the lower end of the pivoted lever, which is thus rocked about its pivot and exerts a pull on the retaining bar of the cluster.  The pull breaks the shear wire passing through the retaining bar and moves the bar so that its pins disengage the tabs on the tensioning straps.  The straps then fly outwards and the cluster disintegrates.  Its component parts fall away separately and the individual bombs descend, supported by their parachute, to function in the normal manner.


Suspension: A British type suspension lug is fitted to the top beam, and tapped holes in the top beam are provided for fitting American type lugs.

 

[Megalax]

 

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Cluster Projectile 350lb No.23 Mk I, and 500lb No.24 Mk I (Service)
 

  
350lb No.23 Mk I

 

 

 

Contents: Fourteen modified US 20lb fragmentation bombs
Overall length: 62.25 inches
Body diameter: 11.1 inches
Tail length: 27.5 inches
Tail diameter: 12.6 inches
Total weight: 335 pounds 

Fuzing: Tail Fuze No.885 Mk I
Tail No.: No.65 Mk I

500lb No.24 Mk I

Contents: Twenty modified US 20lb fragmentation bombs
Overall length (blunt nose): 62.25 inches
Overall length (streamlined nose): 71.75 inches
Body diameter: 14.5 inches
Tail length: 30.5 inches
Tail diameter: 18 inches
Total weight: 467 pounds 

Fuzing: Tail Fuze No.885 Mk I
Tail No.: No.66 Mk I

  

 

Color and markings: Dark green overall, one tensioning strap painted red.

  

Description: These clusters are identical in construction, and function in a similar manner.  The Cluster No.23 Mk I, however, is approximately hexagonal in cross-section, while the No.24 Mk I is roughly octagonal.


The bombs forming the cluster are retained in two fagots of 7 bombs each in the No.23 and 10 bombs each in the No.24 by means of top and bottom beams, front and rear end plates, side fairing, and four tensioning straps.  The tensioning straps are held in position by lateral pegs on the release rod, which is carried on the top beam.  The release rod is connected to a lever and piston mechanism, the cylinder of which also forms an adapter for the barometric fuze and is located on the rear end plate.  Before the fuze is fitted, the adapter is closed by a washered plug.

The cluster is converted into an amiable cluster by the addition of a blunt nose fairing and a drum-type tail.  A special streamlined nose fairing is designed only for the Cluster No.24 Mk I, when it is to be stowed externally on the aircraft.

 

Tail Construction: The Tail Unit No.66 Mk I of the Cluster No.24 consists of a tail cone having an approximately octagonal base to which a circular strut is attached by seven tail fins.  The cone is fitted with the conventional arming assembly consisting of arming vanes, arming spindle, and an arming fork.  The tail is fastened to the cluster by a tie rod, and has two dowel holes in its base to position it.  The cone is fitted with two inspection windows.

The Tail Unit No.65 Mk I is similar to the No.66 Mk I except that it has a hexagonal base, and only six tail pins.


Functioning: On release from the aircraft, the cluster falls until the fuze functions.  The explosion in the magazine forces the piston forward in its housing and causes a rocking movement of the pivoted lever.  The sudden movement of the lever exerts a pull on the retaining bar and breaks the shear wire, disengaging the lateral pins from the tabs of the tensioning straps.  The straps are thus released and fly outwards, releasing the bombs.


Suspension: A British type suspension lug is fitted to the top beam, and two crutching pads bolted to the beam are used when a British type bomb carrier is fitted to the cluster.  Two sets of four tapped holes are provided in the top beam for the attachment of American type suspension lugs.  Two of the four holes at the nose end of the beam normally house the bolts securing one of the crutching pads to the beam.  If American type lugs are fitted, the British type lug and crutching pads must first be removed.