Tallboy Bomb – The “Earthquake Bomb” The Tallboy bomb was a British heavy bomb developed during World War II by engineer Barnes Wallis. Unlike conventional bombs, it was designed not just to explode on impact—but to destroy targets through massive underground shockwaves. Weighing around 5.4 tons (12,000 lbs), the Tallboy was one of the so-called “earthquake bombs.” Dropped from high altitude by aircraft such as the Avro Lancaster, its streamlined shape allowed it to reach extremely high speeds.