How can you achieve an airburst with a general-purpose bomb?

Achieving an airburst with a general-purpose bomb involves timing the detonation so that the explosion occurs at a predetermined height above the target. This can be effectively accomplished through the use of a time action high-explosive (HE) train. A time action mechanism can be programmed to ensure that the bomb detonates after a specific delay once released from the aircraft, effectively causing it to explode in mid-air rather than upon contacting the ground. This maximizes the blast radius and fragmentation dispersal, thus enhancing the bomb's effectiveness against soft or dispersed targets located on the ground.

Employing a proximity fuse also allows for an airburst detonation but is not the primary method when considering the options. While proximity fuses detect the distance to the target and can trigger an explosion based on that, the question specifically mentions a time action explosive as a direct method for planned airburst.

Detonating on impact with the ground would not produce an airburst effect but rather a ground burst, which is less effective for certain targets that may benefit from a dispersed area of effect created by an airburst. Increasing the bomb's weight does not inherently facilitate an airburst; rather, it may impact the bomb's drop characteristics and performance but does not influence how or when