[Brian Bines]

Basic figures I have for 21/22 Jan is around 480T of bombs between 444 aircraft sorties (including Fighter-bombers and Pathfinders) giving av. bomb-load of 1.08T . File PRO WO199/912 estimates 27 bombers dropped 30T of bombs on London (av 1.11T each) and another 140-150 a/c dropped 230T elsewhere (av 1.5 to 1.65T per a/c.) The file continues '' Average bombload of aircraft excluding Fighter-bombers is 1610kg for Jan. 21/22 to 1120kg for Feb.24/25. These bomb-loads appear remarkably light but a large proportion of I.B's were carried reducing the average considerably''.

To expand on Remi's information 'K' reports give the following bomb-loads :-

Jan 21/22 He177 1/KG40 2x2500 kg bombs
Do 217 KG2 2xABB1000
Ju 88 3/KG76 2xAAB500 and 12 50kg IB's

Jan 29/30 Ju 88 3/KG 54 1x AB1000, 1AAB500 and 8x70kg

Feb20/21 Ju 88 6/KG54 2x500 HE, 10x50kg IB's
Ju 88 3/KG54 2xAB1000
Ju 188 5/KG2 2xAB1000 and 10 50kg IB's

Feb 23/24 Do 217 I/KG2 1xAB1000 and 2 AB500 (11 aircraft)
Do 217 I/KG2 4xSC500 and 4BC50

Feb24/25 Do 217 3/KG2 1xAB1000 and 2xAB500
Do 217 3/KG2 4XSC500 and 4xBC50
Ju 188 6/KG2 2xSC500 and 10xBC50
Ju 88 8/KG6 2xAB1000
Ju188 2/KG66 2xSC500 and 10x50kg flares
He 177 2/KG100 4x1000kg HE

April18/19 Ju 188 5/KG2 1xAB1000, 2x500HE and 6xLC50
Ju188 5/KG2 10xBC50, 4xLC50 (acting as Marker)
Ju 88 6/KG6 2x500kg HE, 10x50kg HE
Ju 88 3/KG54 3x500kg HE
He177 3/KG100 12x 250kg HE

It would appear most aircraft were carrying well beneath their quoted max.loads. From 'K' reports it would seem quite common for new crews to start operations with a lighter load than the older crews.