Did the Norden bombsight control the plane?
Did the Norden bombsight control the plane?
The AFCE linked to the autopilot enabled the bombardier to control lateral movement of the plane through his adjustments of the sight. Until late 1943, the Norden bombsight was always protected by exceptionally heavy security.
Why was the Norden bombsight so good?
During prewar testing the Norden demonstrated a circular error probable (CEP) of 75 feet (23 m), an astonishing performance for that period. This precision would enable direct attacks on ships, factories, and other point targets. Both the Navy and the USAAF saw it as a means to conduct successful high-altitude bombing.
How good was the Norden bomb site?
The actual performance of the Norden in combat was good some of the time, but rarely great, and often terrible. Several studies revealed that as few as 5 percent of Eighth Air Force bombs fell within 1,000 feet of the target and the average error for 500-pound bombs dropped in Europe was a whopping 1,673 feet.
What does a bombsight do?
A bombsight is a device used by military aircraft to drop bombs accurately. Bombsights, a feature of combat aircraft since World War I, were first found on purpose-designed bomber aircraft and then moved to fighter-bombers and modern tactical aircraft as those aircraft took up the brunt of the bombing role.
When was the Norden bombsight first used?
1932
The Norden bombsight was crucial to the success of the U.S. Army Air Forces’ daylight bombing campaign during World War II. Initially developed by Carl Norden for the U.S. Navy, the Army Air Corps acquired its first Norden bombsight in 1932.
How do bombs fall?
Gravity will accelerate the bomb downwards, and as its velocity increases so does the drag force. At some point (as speed and air density increase), the force of drag will become equal to the force of gravity, and the bomb will reach terminal velocity.
What plane can carry the most bombs?
The B-1B can carry up to 34 000 kg of missiles or bombs internally. The Lancer can carry more payload than any other US bomber.
How does an autopilot work on a Norden bombsight?
In U.S. Army Air Forces use, the Norden bombsight was attached to its autopilot base, which was in turn connected with the aircraft’s autopilot. The Honeywell C-1 autopilot could be used as an autopilot by the flight crew during the journey to the target area through a control panel in the cockpit,…
What kind of bombsight does the US Army use?
The Norden Mk. XV, known as the Norden M series in U.S. Army service, is a bombsight that was used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the United States Navy during World War II, and the United States Air Force in the Korean and the Vietnam Wars.
What is the best-known bomb sight ever?
The Norden remains one of the best-known bombsights ever invented. The Norden sight was designed by Carl Norden, a Dutch engineer educated in Switzerland who emigrated to the U.S. in 1904. In 1911, Norden joined Sperry Gyroscope to work on ship gyrostabilizers, and then moved to work directly for the U.S. Navy as a consultant.
Where can I see a real Norden bombsight?
The Norden bombsight at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. This example is only the bombsight itself; it does not include the associated autopilot that would normally connect to it on the bottom. Norden bombsight on display at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, with the stabilizer assembly attached.
