Question About Ballistic Missiles

Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
223
Reaction score
20
Location
Northern California
What is the explosive radius of a Battlefield ranged ballistic missile that has 1,500 pounds of explosives in it?

I'm asking because I want to avoid the Trope "writers can not do the math" on TV Tropes.
 

Drachen Jager

Professor of applied misanthropy
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 13, 2010
Messages
17,171
Reaction score
2,284
Location
Vancouver
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
223
Reaction score
20
Location
Northern California
What kind of explosive radius are you looking for? Shrapnel, blast damage, what range it would take out windows, or knock down buildings?

Enough to knock down homes in about a half mile radius. And what range it would take out windows as well.
 

Duncan J Macdonald

Plotting! Not Plodding!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
1,882
Reaction score
455
Age
66
Location
Northern Virginia
A Scud Tactical Ballistic Missile (at least one variant) has a payload of approx 3,000 lbs of HE. That produces a blast radius of around 750 yards (half mile is 855 yards). You aren't going to be destroying houses throughout that entire radius. Depending on the density and construction, you might not even get 200 yards.
 

Kenn

New kid, be gentle!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
542
Reaction score
62
Location
Gloucestershire, UK
A Scud Tactical Ballistic Missile (at least one variant) has a payload of approx 3,000 lbs of HE. That produces a blast radius of around 750 yards (half mile is 855 yards). You aren't going to be destroying houses throughout that entire radius. Depending on the density and construction, you might not even get 200 yards.

That's sounds about right (apart from the mile bit - a mile is 880 yards!).

Knocking houses down for a radius of half a mile would take a phenomenal blast (of nuclear proportions). The V1 flying bombs carried a couple of thousand pounds and this is the sort of damage they did:
http://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/pl...lying+bombs+out+of+the+skies+in+LondonEngland.
 

Kenn

New kid, be gentle!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
542
Reaction score
62
Location
Gloucestershire, UK
Gaaaah! *pounds head on desk*

A half mile is 880 yards.

*pounds head on desk*

My problem is I think in furlongs and chains;) - a chain is the distance between the stumps on a cricket pitch, incidentally. A good illustration of why it's always a good idea to have a proof reader. You know, I read that several times and still didn't spot it! A half mile is definitely 880 yards (or 4 furlongs).
 
Last edited: