u/ElBrng

I realized I could solve several problems with my previous attempts at making deployable bombs by just deploying them off the bottom of the plane. The flying wing design is still a work in progress. It has no self stabilization, is hard to turn, and lacks sufficient engine power. A jet powered version is possible though more testing is required for that.

I saw a post the other day detailing a method of creating bombs using Aeronautics and Big Cannons (u/Foreign-Resident-871). A few days later I found another post that automated the process (u/Thatisjake). So, I decided to do some testing to see what was possible.

After a few days, here are some key takeaways:

1. The process uses deployers to build the bomb and a retracting piston to release it. This only works if the structure itself is a physics object and the bomb is not connected to anything else.
2. A bomb is composed of TNT, a High Explosive Shell, and a Symmetrical Sail. The TNT triggers the HE which acts as the main explosive and the sail directs it downward. One of each is the most efficient payload. TNT is only a trigger so more is inefficient, extra HE is flung everywhere unpredictably, and lots of sails make it too slow.
3. Releasing the bomb is dangerous. If the TNT collides with any other block, it will explode. Due to this and factoring in vehicle movent, building the bomb horizontally decreases the risk of premature detonation as the bomb leaves the bay sooner. I haven't experimented with the positioning of the release mechanism yet
4. Since creating larger bombs is out of the picture, producing and releasing sufficient amount automatically has been my primary goal. However, if they are produced too fast, a ground explosion may travel back up the chain of bombs. If the deployers are too fast, they will place parts on top of bombs already dropping. I'm still experimenting with release timing and optical sensors so I haven't found a balance between speed and reliability.
5. I have yet to test the setup in a moving vehicle. Building a test plane large enough has been difficult, so I've just been moving them with the physics staff. I've tried my hand designing bombers, though it occurred to me that these would be more effective on a slow moving airship.

More testing is being conducted. Any suggestions or ideas are much appreciated.