The B-52 carries the largest
bomb load of any American combat aircraft.
A 4,000-pound
bomb load was typical for long missions, but the B-17 could carry 8,000 pounds for shorter distances and at lower altitudes, which proved successful in the carpet-bombing raids on German oil and aircraft industries before the Normandy Invasion.
The
bomb load clearly indicates the intention to bomb an area target and in this case it turned out to be an open area near Village Jabba close to Balakot in Pakistan's KPK province.
The
bomb load that day consisted of forty-two 120-lb fragmentation bombs that were to be used against the German troops holding up the Allied advance in Normandy.
The
bomb load was jettisoned, but the other engine caught fire and the "order given to prepare for ditching".
This interior could transform into anything; an aeroplane, a tank, a submarine or spaceship, and we would squabble for control of the upside-down steering wheel to pilot our imaginary craft, swinging it wildly from side to side and flicking switches on the dashboard to launch torpedoes, drop our
bomb load, or fire deadly laser beams.
Only once that I had any problem and there was a wing commander who got very angry about a report that I had one of his people dropping their
bomb load way off target.
The Germans had more aircraft overall, but these were in squadrons of out-dated, virtually obsolete twin-engined bombers that were poorly armed and could only carry a small
bomb load or Stuka dive bombers - good at dive bombing but they were slow and, again, with poor defensive armament, making them easy prey.
Of the Hampden debacle, Steve, from Shirley, said: "It was presumably hoped that, as these aircraft would not be carrying their normal
bomb load, their performance would be adequate for the task.
The aircraft failed shortly after take off, forcing Munro to "belly land" the plane and its
bomb load near Empingham just minutes later.
In order to increase their
bomb load, the planes were stripped of all guns except for those in the tail section.