Conventional — blast · USSR · 1943
FAB-5000NG
FAB-5000NG
The largest Soviet bomb of World War II, intended for industrial and fortified targets.
See FAB-5000NG in the 3D simulator- TNT equivalent
- 4 tUncertain
- Energy
- 16.7 GJ
- Mass
- 5 tDocumented
- Explosive charge
- 3.2 tDocumented
- Type
- Thin-walled demolition bomb
- Period
- World War II
- Status
- Historical
FAB-5000NG releases about 3,800 times less energy than Little Boy (Hiroshima, 1945).
Key points
- During a test, about 600 trees were uprooted within a radius of 70 m.
History
Developed from 1942 to strike hardened installations without scattering hundreds of medium bombs.
- 1942 Development begins.
- 1943 First uses.
How does it work?
A conventional bomb releases chemical energy: the explosive decomposes into very hot gases in a few microseconds (detonation).
Order of magnitude: a few megajoules per kilogram of explosive (1 kg of TNT ≈ 4.2 MJ), millions of times less than nuclear reactions for the same mass.
The expanding gases violently compress the air: the shock wave weakens very quickly with distance.
Estimated TNT equivalent = mass of explosive × relative effectiveness factor of that explosive (≈ 1.3 for Torpex or H-6, ≈ 1.05 for Tritonal).
Deliberately general explanations: the application provides no design or manufacturing information.
Frequently asked questions
How powerful is FAB-5000NG?
FAB-5000NG has an estimated yield of 4 t of TNT equivalent, about 16.7 GJ of energy.
What is the history of FAB-5000NG?
Used in small numbers by the Soviet air force from 1943. Developed from 1942 to strike hardened installations without scattering hundreds of medium bombs.
What does the FAB-5000NG explosion look like?
The Bomb Simulator shows the fireball, shock wave and cloud of FAB-5000NG at real scale, over Paris, London or New York, with the sources and reliability of each value.
Sources
- FAB-5000 — Wikipedia (overview, to be cross-checked)
Other weapons
- Tallboy — 3.1 t
- Grand Slam — 5.5 t
- FAB-9000 — 4.3 t
- BLU-82 — 5.7 t
- GBU-28 — 0.3 t
- Mk 84 — 0.5 t
- GBU-43/B MOAB — 11 t
- FOAB — 44 t
- FAB-3000 — 1.4 t
- GBU-57 MOP — 3 t
This application is an educational tool. The animations and effect zones are simplified representations meant to illustrate orders of magnitude. They are neither a prediction of the effects of a real weapon nor a military planning tool.