How does Norden bombsight work?
During missions, the Norden sight computed information fed in by the bombardier on bomb ballistics, ground speed, drift and trail (the airplane’s distance from the target at bomb impact). Using a telescopic attachment on the sight, the bombardier established and compensated for deflection to synchronize the instrument.
How many B 26s are flying?
Only seven B-26s are left in the world today while there are more than 100 B-25s. Polk City, Florida’s Fantasy of Flight collection maintains an airworthy B-26. Two B-26s are are currently being restored., one by the Hill Air force Base Museum in Utah and the other by the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
Does the Air Force still have bombardiers?
With the establishment of an independent US Air Force in 1947, USAF bombardiers were awarded the wings known as the Navigator badge, now known as the Combat Systems Officer badge. Commonwealth bomb aimers wore a single-wing aircrew brevet with the letter “B”….Notes.
| hide Authority control | |
|---|---|
| Other | National Archives (US) |
Why was the Norden bombsight so good?
Norden believed the device would lower the suffering and death toll from war by allowing pinpoint accuracy during bombing runs. “The device had an incredible moral importance to Norden, because Norden was a committed Christian,” Gladwell said.
What was flak?
Flak typically refers to the anti-aircraft fire coming at one from anti-aircraft guns, derived during World War II from the German Flugabwehrkanone, for “aircraft defence cannon” in turn derived from Flugabwehrgeschütz (flag).
Did the bombardier fly the plane?
On planes equipped with autopilot, signals went directly to the flight controls and the bombardier actually flew the aircraft on the bomb run.
What is a bombardier in military?
Bombardier (/ˌbɒmbəˈdɪər/) is a military rank that has existed since the 16th century in artillery regiments of various armies, such as in the British Army and the Prussian Army. It is today equivalent to the rank of corporal in other branches.
What did the B-25 bomber do in World War 2?
In the Mediterranean and European theaters, B-25s largely operated as strategic level bombers, missions memorialized in Joseph Heller’s novel Catch-22, a result of the novelist’s own service as a bombardier with the Corsica-based 340th Bomb Group. In the Pacific, however]
Why was the B-25 so hard to fly?
Unlike Martin’s B-26, which got a reputation for being hard to handle due to its high wing loading, the B-25 went to war with thousands of newly minted pilots flying it with no problem. Latter-day B-25 pilot Jim Harley knows why.
What was the crew of a B-25 Mitchell?
The crew were split into three stations – bombardier in the nose compartment, pilot, co-pilot and navigator in the main cockpit and the radio operation behind the bomb bay. The next forty aircraft were designated B-25A.
When did the B-25 take off from Japan?
On August 19, 1945, four B-25J gunships escorted a surrender-negotiation delegation aboard two Mitsubishi Betty bombers from Japan partway to Manila and back. Among American aircraft, only the Boeing B-17 had a longer combat career.