World War Photos

Junkers Ju88A, German medium bomber

The Junkers Ju 88 was a versatile bomber capable of carrying a variety of offensive weapons, with the capacity to adapt to different mission requirements. The aircraft’s armament configuration allowed it to carry a considerable payload, either in its internal bomb bays or on external racks beneath the wings.

Bomb Load Configuration

1. Internal Bomb Bays:

   • The Ju 88 was equipped with two internal bomb bays. Each bomb bay housed 16 ITC 50/X racks, accommodating a total of 32 x 50 kg bombs. This configuration was typically used for smaller bomb loads.

2. Underwing Racks:

   • Center Wing Section:

     • The aircraft featured four external bomb racks mounted under the center wing section. These were either ETC 500/IXb, ETC 500/IXd, or Schloß 500/1000 racks.
     • These racks could carry a variety of bomb types:
       • 250 kg or 500 kg bombs.
       • 1000 kg bombs.
       • Mines (used for anti-shipping operations).

   • Outboard Wing Section:

     • An additional ETC 500 rack could be mounted under the outboard part of each wing, further increasing the aircraft’s payload capacity.

3. Torpedo and Special Equipment:

   • The A-4/Torp variant of the Ju 88 was fitted with PVC 1000B launchers, which were specifically designed for carrying and launching torpedoes, adding an anti-shipping capability to the aircraft.

4. Drop Tanks:

   • All external racks were also adaptable to carry drop tanks with capacities of 300 or 900 liters, extending the operational range of the Ju 88 for longer missions.

Common Bomb Load Configurations

• Standard Loadout:
  • A typical loadout for the Ju 88 consisted of:
    • Two 1000 kg bombs or
    • Four 500 kg bombs.
• Mixed Loadout:
  • An alternative configuration might include:
    • Two 1000 kg bombs along with
    • Two 250 kg or 500 kg bombs.
  • Alternatively, 10 x 50 kg bombs could be carried in the internal bomb bays, offering a more dispersed bombing capability.

Bombing Techniques

• Release Mechanisms:

  • Bombs could be released either singly or in a series using the RAB 14c or 14d release device, allowing for both precision and saturation bombing depending on the mission requirements.

• Bomb Sights:

  • For level bombing, the Ju 88 used the Lofte 7C bomb sight, which was standard for high-altitude precision bombing.
  • For dive bombing or low-level attacks, the aircraft was equipped with a BZA 3 bomb sight, paired with the Stuvi bomb sight, which was optimized for these more aggressive bombing techniques.

This combination of adaptable bomb racks, varied load configurations, and specialized bombing equipment made the Ju 88 a highly flexible and effective bomber, capable of performing a wide range of roles from strategic bombing to anti-shipping operations.