Typical B-1B Loadouts?

[ESzczesniak]

I'm building the Academy 1/144 B-1B and have some spare parts.  So I could make any load out from all 3 bays JDAMs, dumb bombs, or fuel tanks...or anything between.  Piecing together commentary, it seems the most typical loadout for a semi-contemporary BONE would be a fuel tank in the rear bay with JDAMs in the two forward bays.  I'm not finding this explicitly stated though and was wondering if anyone had more insight and/or could confirm what I think I'm seeing.

[Piker38]

I thought the fuel tank was usually carried in the front bay to reduce the risk of FOD to the engines when ordnance is dropped ?

[ESzczesniak]

13 minutes ago, Piker38 said:

I thought the fuel tank was usually carried in the front bay to reduce the risk of FOD to the engines when ordnance is dropped ?

 

It's quite possible you're correct.  I had heard it was the rear bay for center of gravity.

[Finn]

Here is one showing the forward and middle bays:

 

 

and the aft bay, may not be same a/c:

 

Jari

 

Edited December 6, 2020 by Finn

[Raptor01]

Looks like somebody's dip did not make the ground during load up, damn BB Stackers, get the crew dawg and some spray n wipe!😝

 

John

 

[ESzczesniak]

Thanks for the pictures! Unfortunately it seems hard to know what’s in all 3 bays based on one picture. I actually would like the idea of JDAMs in all 3, but want to be realistic as well. I’d have to assume the first pick is either fuel or bombs in the back bay. But I’m clueless as to which. 

[Specter1075]

If you have Facebook, check the B-1B Builder's Support Group. There are a bunch of very knowledgeable people on there, and you'll get a reply pretty quickly.

 

I am not one of those really knowledgeable people, but I am pretty sure the fuel tank goes in the front bay almost all the time, and I think it's less common that they go with 3 bays full of bombs. You should definitely ask the group there for a more authoritative answer.

 

https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=510129559386191&ref=content_filter

[Finn]

Here is a video showing the loading of a B-1B in the aft and middle bays, as for a fuel tank, it probably depends on the mission ie long range or tanker support, if the target is close and tankers are available then full bomb loads, if called for, would be okay:

 

Jari

 

[Finn]

Here are a couple more pics, looks like 6 bombs in the fwd and mid bays and maybe larger 2000lb size in the aft bay, you can see the fins and strakes on the side of the body:

 

 

and another one that may have 500lb JDAMS in the aft bay:

 

 

Jari

[ESzczesniak]

Those pics do look pretty convincing for all 3 bays being bombs. The Academy Ordnance looks all GBU-31ish, but that’s starting to be semantics in 1/144 scale.