D3A2 Drop Tank

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Brady
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D3A2 Drop Tank

#1

Post by Brady » 06 May 2021, 19:07

The Data below for the D3A2 would seam to not include the Drop tank ?

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fontessa
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Re: D3A2 Drop Tank

#2

Post by fontessa » 06 May 2021, 23:00

Hello Brady,
Brady wrote:
06 May 2021, 19:07
The Data below for the D3A2 would seam to not include the Drop tank ?
Yes. As your source says it had become possible to attach a tank for long-distance flights. Obviously this tank could not be attached during bombing flights.

fontessa


Brady
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Re: D3A2 Drop Tank

#3

Post by Brady » 07 May 2021, 00:14

fontessa wrote:
06 May 2021, 23:00
Hello Brady,
Brady wrote:
06 May 2021, 19:07
The Data below for the D3A2 would seam to not include the Drop tank ?
Yes. As your source says it had become possible to attach a tank for long-distance flights. Obviously this tank could not be attached during bombing flights.

fontessa
Why ? I mean they could still take the wing bombs ?

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fontessa
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Re: D3A2 Drop Tank

#4

Post by fontessa » 07 May 2021, 00:34

Brady wrote:
07 May 2021, 00:14
fontessa wrote:
06 May 2021, 23:00
Hello Brady,
Brady wrote:
06 May 2021, 19:07
The Data below for the D3A2 would seam to not include the Drop tank ?
Yes. As your source says it had become possible to attach a tank for long-distance flights. Obviously this tank could not be attached during bombing flights.

fontessa
Why ? I mean they could still take the wing bombs ?
Yes, but you think such situation (carry two 60kg ground bombs over long distances) is meaningful?

fontessa

Brady
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Re: D3A2 Drop Tank

#5

Post by Brady » 07 May 2021, 02:33

Yes, there is evidence of them having done so, and I have Read damage reports from ships that had been hit by that class of weapon and they were capable of inflicting some serious damage.

But that’s part of the question above, what was its range with a 300 L drop tank, the D3A2

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fontessa
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Re: D3A2 Drop Tank

#6

Post by fontessa » 07 May 2021, 03:07

Hello Brady,
Brady wrote:
07 May 2021, 02:33
Yes, there is evidence of them having done so, and I have Read damage reports from ships that had been hit by that class of weapon and they were capable of inflicting some serious damage.
True? With 60kg land bombs?
I'm not going to deny the record, but I don't think it's the mission envisioned when carrier based bombers were developed.

fontessa

Brady
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Re: D3A2 Drop Tank

#7

Post by Brady » 07 May 2021, 03:19

They may have been ordinary bombs I don’t know for sure if they were land bombs, There are several instances that I know of where they were used against ships, from different types of aircraft, and in the case of the D3A there is plenty of photographic evidence showing their use.

For instance if you read through this Trom : http://combinedfleet.com/ryujo.htm

The USS Langley was sunk by Nell’s, some sources say Betty’s, dropping a mix of 250 and 60 kg bombs, as another example of the use of 60 kg bombs against ships.

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fontessa
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Re: D3A2 Drop Tank

#8

Post by fontessa » 07 May 2021, 17:37

Hello Brady,

I thought we were talking about Val.

One correction.
IJN had 30kg, 60kg, 250kg, 500kg, and 800kg bombs, all of which were "normal bombs" (IJA called armor-piercing bombs as "normal bombs") and "land bombs" (non armor-piercing bombs for land target). I thought the 60kg bomb was for land only.

The source you quoted shows the Ryujo bombing squadron's anti-ship attack in the Indian Ocean. Small aircraft carriers like Ryujo with displacement of 1,000 tons carried only Kate and Zeek / Claude. (Val was not on board.)
According to Senshi Sosho, merchant ships were discovered by the enemy search of Ryujo, so Kate, carrying 250 kg and 60 kg bombs, bombed them. Bombs were armor-piercing bombs. The following results were obtained:
Special vessel (British cargo ship): One 60kg bomb made her impossible to move, and while towing by another vessel, she sank the next day due to bombardment by Kumano and Suzuya
One 8,000-ton class merchant ship: sunk
One 5,000-ton class merchant ship: sunk
6 Merchant Ships: Wreck or unable to move

Thanks, from the above, it was confirmed that the 60 kg bombs were used for the merchant ship attack.

fontessa

Brady
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Re: D3A2 Drop Tank

#9

Post by Brady » 07 May 2021, 20:57

Yes, My sources generally translate the IJN bombs that are used (were) against ships as "ordinary"

And those intended for use angst target on land as "Land"

As to the Vall's specifically using the 60 kg bomb type, you can see below a couple pictures showing this, coarsely on the D3A2 it would seam they are taking off with 4 of then, two per wing...

The References I have for there use state that they were used operationally in this configuration for strikes in the Solomon's, there are also photos of them taking of from CV's with 60 kg bombs on the wings.

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fontessa
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Re: D3A2 Drop Tank

#10

Post by fontessa » 07 May 2021, 21:46

Hello Brady,

Thanks for the info.

fontessa

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