Light Bomber - History

History

Light bombers of World War I were single-engine aircraft with a bomb load of about 50–400 kg. One of the most famous was the Airco DH.4 designed by Geoffrey de Havilland. They could often also serve as reconnaissance aircraft (for example the Avro 504).

Towards the end of the 1920s the Technical Aeronautic Service (Service Technique de L'Aéronautique) of the French government issued a specification for a four-seat light bomber, reconnaissance plane and long-range escort fighter type which was designated as "multi-seat combat aircraft" (French: Multiplace de Combat), based on which planes such as the Amiot 143, Blériot 127, Breguet 410 and the SPCA 30 were built. Prior to World War II, engine power was so meager that there were several types of bombers: light, medium, and heavy, each tuned to a particular performance and mission niche. As fighters grew in size and power to be able to carry the same sorts of loads at even greater speeds, light bombers were replaced around the 1950s and the term fell from general use.

Light bombers of World War II were single-engine or, less commonly, twin-engine aircraft with a bomb load of about 500-1,000 kg. Designs included the Fairey Battle, Mitsubishi Ki-51 (known to the Allies as "Sonia"), Lockheed Hudson, and Martin Baltimore. They could also be used in the reconnaissance role.

Some of them were dive bombers, such as the Vultee A-31 Vengeance and multi-role Petlyakov Pe-2, or ground-attack aircraft like the Breda Ba.65 and Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik. Light bombers, naturally suited for shorter landings, were also frequently designed for aircraft carrier operations. A few twin-engine light bomber designs were also successful when converted into heavy fighters or night fighters; examples of these would be the Bristol Blenheim and Douglas A-20 Havoc.

The light bomber was tasked with missions similar to those of modern attack aircraft and strike fighters.