I know the Lancaster is famed for being the only bomber capable of carrying the Grand Slam bomb, while the B29 Superfortress is famous for dropping the atom bombs on Japan - but which was the largest of the two?
2007-07-10 09:41:19 · 11 answers · asked by tattyhead65 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
The B29 in all statistics, size weight, range and bombload etc.
historylink101.com/ww2-planes/a-stats
DaveO bomb capacity of lancaster 14K lbs, bomb capacity of B29 20K lbs.
In addition, some of the Lancasters were able to carry the 22K bomb, but they were specially modified and not the standard.
2007-07-10 10:09:11 · answer #1 · answered by suzy c 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Which one I would have prefered to be in & which one would be a better bomber are different Q's. The B-17 has a much better ceiling (though probably far closer if similar payloads are carried) & lots of heavier guns. But that doesn't make it a better bomber... The problem with the B-17 would appear to be the shape of the design of the bomb bays which severely restricts the payload & the type of payload, until the B-29 made it onto the scene no US bomber could carry super heavy munitions like Tallboys. The Lancaster & Halifax are pretty similar on paper with the Lancaster somewhat edging it on payload & range, both carrying 80% more 20-40% further than the B17. These are service loadous at which the planes could carry out useful range missions, max takeoff were far higher 16K lb for the B17 & 22Klb for the Lancaster (it could fly special missions at that load!) I'd guess the poor service ceiling of these craft owes as much to the focus on payload as it does to wing design & engine design. The day/night issue is a bit of a red herring. The Lancaster carried out highly accurate daylight attacks (Tirpitz, Uboat pens etc) & the B-17, .50cal hedgehog though it was, was still breakfast for competant fighter pilots. The basics are that the Lancaster could carry more, in more configurations & could take that payload further, regardless of whether you want a truckload of incenduaries on a row of terraces or an earthquake bomb under a viaduct that's what you want.
2016-04-01 07:37:44 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
B29 waas the largest the Lancaster carred the heaviest load due to ythe defensive armament of the B29
2007-07-10 10:25:59 · answer #3 · answered by Scouse 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The B29 was larger and outperformed the Lancaster in most areas, however the Payload a lancaster could carry was still 50% higher.
2007-07-11 00:46:12 · answer #4 · answered by Kevan M 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The B-29 was designed and built after the Lancaster, and had the advantage of using the innovation that came along in the interim. Lancasters are comparable in performance, range, and payload to their contemporaries, the B-17 and B-24. B-29 had the edge on all of them.
2007-07-10 09:47:05 · answer #5 · answered by psyop6 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In terms of size the B-29 was the larger, but in terms of bomb load, the Lancaster could carry more.
2007-07-10 10:18:49 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
The B29 Superfortress.
"Over paid, over sexed and over here."
2007-07-10 22:27:25 · answer #7 · answered by Dragoner 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
b29 but the lanc had a bigger bomb load
2007-07-10 09:53:00 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
B-29 because it had a longer wingspan
2015-08-02 14:19:53 · answer #9 · answered by Vahe 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
as per usual the yanks like big everything so they just nick it
2007-07-10 09:58:32 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋