Blockbuster bomb
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Date: 2022-01-24

Blockbuster bomb, by Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=1012855 / CC BY SA 3.0

#World_War_II_aerial_bombs_of_the_United_Kingdom
A Lancaster drops first "Window" to disrupt enemy radar, then a 4,000 pound blockbuster bomb and incendiary bombs during Operation Hurricane against Duisburg
on 14/15 October 1944 A blockbuster bomb or cookie was any of several of the largest conventional bombs used in World War II by the Royal Air Force （RAF）.
The term blockbuster was originally a name coined by the press and referred to a bomb which had enough explosive power to destroy an entire street or large building through the effects of blast in conjunction with incendiary bombs.
Diagram of a 4,000-lb HC Mark I bomb Standard American AN-M56 4,000 lb （1.8 t） general-purpose bomb The bombs then called Blockbusters were the RAF's HC （high capacity） bombs.
These bombs had especially thin casings that allowed them to contain approximately three-quarters of their weight in explosive, with a 4000 lb bomb （nominal weight） containing about 3,000 lb （1,400 kg） of explosive （Amatol, RDX or Torpex）.
Most general-purpose bombs, termed "medium capacity'" （MC） by the RAF, contained 50% explosive by weight, the rest being made up of the fragmentation casing.
Larger Blockbusters were made later in the war, from the original 4,000 lb （1,800 kg） version, up to 12,000 lb （5,400 kg）.
The 4000 lb High Capacity Mark I bomb – actual weight around 3,930 lb （1,780 kg） – was a welded, cylindrical shell of 0.
31 in （7.9 mm） thick steel.
The body of the bomb was 30 in （76 cm） in diameter and 88 in （2.24 m） long.
The nose of the bomb was conical and a 27 in （69 cm） long lightweight, empty cylindrical tail with a closed end was fitted, for a total overall length of 115 in （2.92 m）.
A T-section steel beam was welded to the inner surface of the bomb to strengthen it.
Subsequent Mark II and Mark III HC bombs differed in detail; the conical nose was replaced with a domed nose and the number of fuzes was ...