SD-2 and SD-10 Luftwaffe Losses

[James A Pratt III]

I understand in the opening days of operation Barbarossa a number of Luftwaffe aircraft were lost because the SD-2 and SD-10 bombs they were using either stuck in their containers or racks and exploded in the aircraft on the way home. I would say it resulted in the loss of a number of KG 51s Ju 88s. Any one have any more info on these losses I understand JG 27 and JG 77 also dropped some during this period. Any one have any more info on this?

Also on 4 May 1941 the Italian cargo ship Birmania had some of these bombs as part of it's cargo when one or more of them exploded which detonated it's cargo of bombs ect which destroyed the ship and the nearby cargo ship the Citta de Bari and doing a lot of damage to the port of Tripoli.

[Reiner]

I am not aware that KG51 aircraft were destroyed by own SD2 bombs at the beginning of the Russian campaign. SD2s stuck in the Vemag 90 cannot explode because the fuze are not unlocked. Airplanes can land safely with filled Vemag . Take a look at the operating instructions for SD2 and Vemag 90. Rene

[James A Pratt III]

My sources on the SD-2 and SD-10 are:
The Luftwaffe War Diaries Cajus Becker
The Complete History of KG 51 in World War II Wolfgang Dierich

BCRS Vol 1 has I-16s of 164 IAP and I-153s and I-15s of 66 Shap taking off after KG 51 and the unit losing 15 Ju 88s and others damaged this day which seems unusually heavy. Some one with more knowledge of these bombs ect needs to look into this.

The Tripoli explosion if from "The Foxes of the Desert" Paul Carell

[Bombphoon]

Originally Posted by Reiner

I am not aware that KG51 aircraft were destroyed by own SD2 bombs at the beginning of the Russian campaign. SD2s stuck in the Vemag 90 cannot explode because the fuze are not unlocked. Airplanes can land safely with filled Vemag . Take a look at the operating instructions for SD2 and Vemag 90. Rene

I believe the problem lay in that the SD2 could get stuck near the exit of the Vemag and when coming into land shook free under the aircraft and detonated as it taxied etc. There are also cases of Luftwaffe bombers getting caught up in the explosions of SD2 dropped by other bombers when the 41 fuze was set on airburst (Zeit).

The open Bf 109 rack for the SD2 was also precarious with cases of the SD2 getting stuck on them or simply falling off on landing.

Also, before the use of drop containers, the dispensing aircraft had to fly ridiculously low to drop the SD2 - also making it within SAA fire and light flak range - and some of the aircraft again got caught in the airburst explosions of SD2 dropped by other accompanying bombers.

There was a reason Luftwaffe armourers called the SD2s 'devil eggs'.

[Reiner]

As far as I know, the loss of 18 Ju88s from KG 51 on June 22, 1941 has nothing to do with the SD2. Some were shot down by Russian fighters and most were victims of flak and ground defenses over the target. When the SD2 was dropped, the Ju88s were flying at an altitude of 20-50m and were therefore an easy target. The Ju88 of KG51 attacked their targets in the Rotte/pair that day, which reduced the risk of their own bombs hitting them. The SD2 with Dopp.Zdr.41 was only armed when the opened wing rotated 5-6 times. How is that supposed to work if the bomb gets stuck in the Vemag. If a stuck one still falls out of the Vemag when landing, how is it supposed to be armed? The SD2's biggest problem was the duds. These were located on the attacked airfields and advance roads, which they later used themselves. These unexploded bombs cannot be defused and often detonate at the slightest movement.
Rene

[Richard Aigner]

German Wikipedia entry for "SD-2" states that 15 planes were lost w/o enemy influence on June 22, 1941, due to the premature explosion of their own bombs. Wiki and gives

Lonnie O. Ratley III.: Lesson of History: The Luftwaffe and Barbarossa, Air University Review Vol. 34 No. 3 (März / April 1983), p. 50–65

as source.
HTH, Richard

[Reiner]

Originally Posted by Richard Aigner

German Wikipedia entry for "SD-2" states that 15 planes were lost w/o enemy influence on June 22, 1941, due to the premature explosion of their own bombs. Wiki and gives

Lonnie O. Ratley III.: Lesson of History: The Luftwaffe and Barbarossa, Air University Review Vol. 34 No. 3 (März / April 1983), p. 50–65

as source.
HTH, Richard

The KG51, as far as I know, none of the 18 Ju88s were lost on June 22, 1941 due to our own SD-2. I can't say anything about other units that used these bombs. Wikipedia?? I quote: Shortly after the start of the Russian campaign, the carrying of SD bombs in internal bomb bays was banned. The SD-2 was no longer used because its use in low-level flight led to great losses. The Ju88 was used “normally” again and the losses decreased.
Rene

[Bombphoon]

Originally Posted by Reiner

The KG51, as far as I know, none of the 18 Ju88s were lost on June 22, 1941 due to our own SD-2. I can't say anything about other units that used these bombs. Wikipedia?? I quote: Shortly after the start of the Russian campaign, the carrying of SD bombs in internal bomb bays was banned. The SD-2 was no longer used because its use in low-level flight led to great losses. The Ju88 was used “normally” again and the losses decreased.
Rene

The technical logic of how the SD2 works does make this puzzling how this could have happened but on p.220 of Bekker, it goes into greater detail, including of how Bf 109 pilots and groundcrews hated carrying them as the first row on the carrier often hung up and dropped off on taxiing.

The case is stronger against the SD10: other pilots record seeing Ju88s and Do17s 'suddenly fold up and crash' when there were no Russian fighters or flak due to SD10s coming loose and exploding. I can believe that, as the No.3 fuze was very sensitive.

Perhaps the case for the SD2 and SD10 have been mixed up over the years as both were anti-personnel bombs?

[Nick Beale]

A document of 17 September 1941 from the RLM's "Abt. Chefing. Verb. Ing." makes a number of points about using the SD 2 at night, including Luftsprengpunkten (which I take to be air bursts) arising from rapid acceleration and turning toward the target during low-level attacks.

Also, "When dropping from 600–1500 m in a turn to better recognise the target, apart from air bursts the SD2 [plural] become stuck in the Vemag. (The Vemag in use are intended for low-level flight, straight ahead) … The ballistics of the SD 2 from medium altitudes (1000–2000 m) are currently being established by [Department] LC 7. From experiences to date with one Vemag 90 from 1500 m a surface 300–400 m long by 90 m wide can be covered."

Source: Bundesarchiv RL 7-3/715, Verwendung von Bomben und Zünder (1941)

[Bombphoon]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

A document of 17 September 1941 from the RLM's "Abt. Chefing. Verb. Ing." makes a number of points about using the SD 2 at night, including Luftsprengpunkten (which I take to be air bursts) arising from rapid acceleration and turning toward the target during low-level attacks.

Also, "When dropping from 600–1500 m in a turn to better recognise the target, apart from air bursts the SD2 [plural] become stuck in the Vemag. (The Vemag in use are intended for low-level flight, straight ahead) … The ballistics of the SD 2 from medium altitudes (1000–2000 m) are currently being established by [Department] LC 7. From experiences to date with one Vemag 90 from 1500 m a surface 300–400 m long by 90 m wide can be covered."

Source: Bundesarchiv RL 7-3/715, Verwendung von Bomben und Zünder (1941)

Very interesting Nick. The official instruction for the dropping of SD2 stated level flight, so it could be to do with trying to drop the ordnance whilst banking that caused jams/hang-ups.