Latest Biggest Bomb Ever

[Weaver]

The USAF has just taken delivery of 20 MOPs: 30,000lb ultra-penetrating bombs designed to take out deeply fortified facilities:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bunker-buster-bomb-20111117,0,3582708.story

And just a week after renewed warnings that Iran is working on nukes in facilities under mountains - funny eh? 

[sandiego89]

Good catch.  Interesting.  I can think of a few good what if launchers for such a bomb. 

[RussC]

Good catch.  Interesting.  I can think of a few good what if launchers for such a bomb. 

Modified 747 cargo version. Operating clandestinely in civil commercial markings, Air Iran airlines maybe... 

[sandiego89]

Good catch.  Interesting.  I can think of a few good what if launchers for such a bomb. 

Modified 747 cargo version. Operating clandestinely in civil commercial markings, Air Iran airlines maybe... 

Good idea for livery.  A little more subtle than El-Al 

A C-130 ramp delivery might be a good choice as well

[PR19_Kit]

I'd have thought that such a weapon would have needed to fall as fast as possible to penetrate as deep as possible. So why does it have those draggy brake thingies on the tail?

[chrisonord]

I'd have thought that such a weapon would have needed to fall as fast as possible to penetrate as deep as possible. So why does it have those draggy brake thingies on the tail?

The fins on the back are what steers it Kit, the MOAB has them too, and so does the Russian R-77 air to air missile.
Chris.

[Weaver]

The "chip-cutter" fins were invented for the R-77 so that you could have relatively big, effective steering fins that still folded up neatly for internal carriage in the MiG 1.44.

I presume the same argument applied to the MOP: it must take a hell of a lot of force to steer it, so if the fins were conventional, they'd be big, awkward and vulnerable to damage during ground handling.

[chrisonord]

Yeah, that as well 
Chris.

[Green Dragon]

Fox has a piccy of one of the test bombs from 2007, minus it's fins and waffles. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/16/massive-bunker-busting-bomb-goes-operational/

Paul Harrison

[kitnut617]

Apart from some nuclear weapons, I think you'll find the T-12 was the biggest bomb ever, all 44,000 lbs of it

Here's a pic of one I'm building in 1/72 scale, posed next to a British Grand Slam and Tallboy.  It was a direct copy of the Grand Slam just scaled up.



I've got a photo of one hanging under a B-29 and it almost has the same diameter as the B-29's fuselage

[rickshaw]

The "chip-cutter" fins were invented for the R-77 so that you could have relatively big, effective steering fins that still folded up neatly for internal carriage in the MiG 1.44.

I presume the same argument applied to the MOP: it must take a hell of a lot of force to steer it, so if the fins were conventional, they'd be big, awkward and vulnerable to damage during ground handling.

Actually they weren't.  Their chief advantage, according to the original patent bu Sukhoi who developed them was that they offered considerable "side force" for steering but relatively little drag at high super-sonic speeds.   It wasn't until much later someone suggested that they could easily be made to fold for stowage in stealthy weapons bays.

[James]

To carry this beast, how about bringing some C-141Cs out of retirement and turning them into a modern flying fortress.