B7A2 Grace

[Schatten]

This Plane is, if i see correct a Torpedo and Divebomber in one, all Torpedo and Divbombers Squadrons can change to this.
I guess it depends than what for weapon you choose if it fly as Divebomber or Torpedo if attacking Ships.

My question is, what for Bomb it uses if Bombs choosen? 250, 500 or 800kg Bombs?
if 500 or 800kg than its a no brainer to replace all Judys and Jills on your carriers with them and speed up their research as much its possible as this plane outperforms all other japanese Dive and Torpedobombers.

Somehow looks too good to be true

[WEXF]

Looking at the editor there is no indication of the max size of the bomb the Grace could carry.
It is listed with an extended range load of 2x250kg bombs with the torpedo as the basic load.
Looking up the "real life" information of the Grace it was capable according to a Google search of:

"The B7A had a weight-carrying capacity stemming from its requirements, resulting in a weapons load no greater than its predecessors. The presence of an internal bomb bay with two high-load-capability attachment points allowed the aircraft to carry two 250 kg (550 lb) or six 60 kg (132 lb) bombs. Alternatively, it could carry a single externally mounted Type 91 torpedo, weighing up to 848 kg (1,870 lb)."

Perhaps the internal bomb racks limited the ability to carry the larger bombs.
Not sure what the game has as a main load. It could be different.
WEXF

[Schatten]

Yes that exactly why i ask, clear extended range is 2x250kg but that normal for all Bombers
Wiki says 800kg Bombs were possible as the Plane came only in use as there were basically no more operational Carriers and if had fly from Land Bases but i never researched this Plane in Game so not sure what the Plane takes ig. if you choose Bombs over Torpedos.

[12doze12]

I believe its bomb load for normal range is still 2x250Kg, I had this doubt a while back: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 3&t=376769

In my game I'm close to getting it and it seems to be advantageous to have a standardized dive and torpedo bomber instead of 2 different models, in your game it may be different.

[WEXF]

Perhaps the "load cost" of the different weapons plays a part in this.
The Grace has a "load" capability of 1764. That is the same as the load cost for the torpedo it can carry.
The 800 kg bombs have a load cost a bit higher than 1764 so it seems like the Grace could not carry them.
The 500kg bomb has a load cost of 1102 so at first glance it might look like that bomb could be carried. Two of them would exceed the load capable for the Grace. My guess is it the internal bomb racks that prevents the Grace from carrying the bigger 500kg bombs.
JMO!
WEXF

[Marc]

I set up a test scenario.
The B7A2 used constantly 250kg bombs against ship targets on normal range.

[WEXF]

Looks like we have the answer pretty well figured out.
WEXF

[Chris21wen]

This has been raised a few times before. The Kate and Grace could carry 800kg bombs, the Val could not. For the Judy it depends on mark with only the last being able, the early ones limited to the 500Kg. The Grace was disigned in 1941 to replace the both Kate and Val but engine problems delayed it. From what I read the consensous was that In all these models, except the last Judy, wether they carried them or not in game is a random thing usually limited to port attacks and also experieince plays apart.

If you want a carrier ac that will definely carry 800kg bombs than the D4Y4 (last) Judy is the one. Other ac that can carry it by default are the Kikka, Toka, Ki-115 Tsuruegi, D5Y1 Myojo and Ki-119.

As an interesting aside although the Betty etc could carry the load it could not carry the bomb probably something to do with the internal bomb bay but I'm no expert.

[BBfanboy]

Bomb bay limitations are no doubt the reason some weapons could not be carried. For example, certain marks of the Lancaster bomber could carry the 22,000 lb Grand Slam bomb but the bomb bay doors had to be removed. The bomb was partly in the bomb bay and partly hanging under the aircraft. The attachment points would have been reinforced to carry the weight.
I am not sure about the Tallboy bomb (12,000 lbs) fitting in the bomb bay or not, but it is notable in the game that a mark of Lancaster bomber that arrives in mid-1945 is the only one that can carry that bomb. American bombers may have been capable of carrying the weight involved, but did not have the bomb bay length and reinforced hard points to carry them.

Edit to add: Bomb bay placement would also have been critical. Such heavy weight would have to be carried directly under the wing to keep the aircraft from being too nose heavy or tail heavy to fly. The Lancaster had a high wing so the bomb bay was lengthy and centrally placed. The B-24 IIRC had two bomb bays (one ahead of the wing, and one behind the wing) and I presume the B-17 and B-29 were similar.

[Schatten]

Thanks, i already feared that its too good to be true. I would be ok with 500kg Bomb but 250kg is no way for a Dive Bomber, especially since the english CV immune to them and cannot take real damage and its already hard enough to go through US Flak 44/45 to get than only a small 250kg Hit.

So you need to stick with Judys for you Dive Bombers and there is no need to especially fasten the research of the Grace for your Torp Bombers as Jills do the Job well enough. If its arrives fine but no need to go crazy to research them, better to use majority of research facilities for Franks and Georges, the true gamechanger.