Bombs
During the Second World War, the
Luftwaffe, like the other air forces involved in the conflict, adopted a remarkable range of
bombs, of different types and weights. In total, the devices employed, experimentally or routinely, amounted to 65/70, approximately half of which were
routinely used.
We can divide the bombs into three basic types:
1 - SC (Sprengbombe Cylindrisch = cylindrical explosive bomb), of 10, 50, 250, 500, 1000, 1800,
2000, and 2500 kg.
2 - SD (Sprengbombe Dickwändig = thick-walled explosive bomb), 1, 2, 4, 9, 10, 50, 70, 250,
500, 1,000, 1,400, and 1,700 kg.
3 - PC (Panzersprengbombe Cylindrisch = cylindrical explosive bomb), 20, 500, 1,000,
1,400, 1,600, and 1,800 kg.
To these we can add other, generally
less known, types, including:
4 - SB (high-charge bombs), 800, 1,000, 1,800
and 2,500 kg.
5 - PD (Panzerdurchschlagbombe = armored armored bomb), 500 and 1,000 kg.
6 - ZC (Zielbombe Cylindrisch = cylindrical training bomb), 50, 250, and 1,000 kg.
7 - B (incendiary), 1, 2, 4, and 11 kg.
8 - FLAM (Flammbombe = fire bomb, i.e., incendiary), 125, 180, 210, and 225 kg.
9 - AB (containers for incendiary bombs and/or fragments) of types 23, 42, 250/2, 500/1, and 1,000/2.
Many of the above-mentioned devices, particularly those in the first three categories, could be modified, distinguished by prefixes or suffixes indicating their particular function.
For example, SC 250 ZAR indicates the addition of a spacer rod (Ziinder-Abstandrohr) to the tip of an SC 250; this bomb, thus modified, was also called SC 250
Din. St. (Dinort Stab = Dinort rod) after the name of the officer who designed it. Similarly, SC 250 Stabo (Stachel-bombe = pin bomb) means that a
"pin" was welded to the tip of an SC 250 to make it more effective against railway installations, while PC 1000 RS indicates that
it is a rocket-ignited bomb (Riickstoss Antrieb), to increase its penetrating force.
Naturally, the list is not complete, as there were an infinite number of such prefixes or suffixes, just as there were other categories of bombs.
Luftwaffe, like the other air forces involved in the conflict, adopted a remarkable range of
bombs, of different types and weights. In total, the devices employed, experimentally or routinely, amounted to 65/70, approximately half of which were
routinely used.
We can divide the bombs into three basic types:
1 - SC (Sprengbombe Cylindrisch = cylindrical explosive bomb), of 10, 50, 250, 500, 1000, 1800,
2000, and 2500 kg.
2 - SD (Sprengbombe Dickwändig = thick-walled explosive bomb), 1, 2, 4, 9, 10, 50, 70, 250,
500, 1,000, 1,400, and 1,700 kg.
3 - PC (Panzersprengbombe Cylindrisch = cylindrical explosive bomb), 20, 500, 1,000,
1,400, 1,600, and 1,800 kg.
To these we can add other, generally
less known, types, including:
4 - SB (high-charge bombs), 800, 1,000, 1,800
and 2,500 kg.
5 - PD (Panzerdurchschlagbombe = armored armored bomb), 500 and 1,000 kg.
6 - ZC (Zielbombe Cylindrisch = cylindrical training bomb), 50, 250, and 1,000 kg.
7 - B (incendiary), 1, 2, 4, and 11 kg.
8 - FLAM (Flammbombe = fire bomb, i.e., incendiary), 125, 180, 210, and 225 kg.
9 - AB (containers for incendiary bombs and/or fragments) of types 23, 42, 250/2, 500/1, and 1,000/2.
Many of the above-mentioned devices, particularly those in the first three categories, could be modified, distinguished by prefixes or suffixes indicating their particular function.
For example, SC 250 ZAR indicates the addition of a spacer rod (Ziinder-Abstandrohr) to the tip of an SC 250; this bomb, thus modified, was also called SC 250
Din. St. (Dinort Stab = Dinort rod) after the name of the officer who designed it. Similarly, SC 250 Stabo (Stachel-bombe = pin bomb) means that a
"pin" was welded to the tip of an SC 250 to make it more effective against railway installations, while PC 1000 RS indicates that
it is a rocket-ignited bomb (Riickstoss Antrieb), to increase its penetrating force.
Naturally, the list is not complete, as there were an infinite number of such prefixes or suffixes, just as there were other categories of bombs.
