"Emmanuel Gustin" wrote in message
...
"Dave Eadsforth" wrote in message
...

1. I have never heard of a velocity limit on aerial bombs.

According to McBean & Hogden in "Bombs Away", the bombs
used in the Amiens prison raid were 500lb MC bombs, fitted
with 11 second delay fuses; dropped at very low level to skip
over the ground and hit the prison walls. The walls were
reportedly about 1m thick, hence the bombs would not easily
go through them. I suppose fairly long delays were used to
protect the bombers from the blast of their own bombs.

It is not impossible that the need to "skip" the bombs over
the ground imposed flying speed restrictions, as one would
not want the bombs to break up before hitting the target.
Another basic concern on such attacks was leaving enough
time for the fuse to arm.


According to the signal sent from 2 group the bomb load
and fusing to be used was:

2 x 500lb M C Mk.IV fused T.D. 11 secs.
2 x 500lb S A P fused T.D. 11 secs.

Keith