About "Bombs Away"

[Daniel BASTIEN]

Hello, I have 3 questions about WWII B-17 bombing procedure. During the last final approach to the target, the bombardier , in the glass nose of the lead aircraft, was aiming in his Norden visor. He was the one, I guess, who actived the bombs release (if so, what kind of device did he use to release the bombs ?). In the aircraft, who said "bombs away " ? The bombardier himself, or a nother crew member ? And , finaly, this message was passed through the interphone or the radio frequency used within the box. Regards

 

[bse7entn]

Q: What kind of device did he use to release the bombs?
A: The Norden Bomb Sight had an option to automatically activate the bomb racks to release. Additionally there was a manual switch at the Bombardier's station.

Q: In the aircraft, who said "bombs away " ?
A: Bombardier as he was in front of the controls.

Q: This message was passed through the interphone or the radio frequency used within the box?
A: Interphone for Pilot to know payload was gone.

 

[pbehn]

The Norden site wasnt always used, sometimes when bombing through cloud or smoke they used RADAR.

 

[bse7entn]

I think that's part of when the manual switch was used. I'm still researching and looking for information on Pathfinders and RADAR.

 

[Daniel BASTIEN]

Q: What kind of device did he use to release the bombs?
A: The Norden Bomb Sight had an option to automatically activate the bomb racks to release. Additionally there was a manual switch at the Bombardier's station.

Q: In the aircraft, who said "bombs away " ?
A: Bombardier as he was in front of the controls.

Q: This message was passed through the interphone or the radio frequency used within the box?
A: Interphone for Pilot to know payload was gone.

Thank you for the answer.
Best regards

 

[Daniel BASTIEN]

The Norden site wasnt always used, sometimes when bombing through cloud or smoke they used RADAR.

Thank you

 

[pbehn]

Thank you

There was a gentleman who posted here who was a bombardier with the 8th, sadly he is no longer with us but his posts are. billrunnels , some interesting anecdotes and technical stuff.

 

[bse7entn]

It's worth noting that not every B-17 carried a Norden. Lead aircraft did. Part of the C-1 Autopilot and Bomb Release systems, the tail section had two lights. I think one indicated aircraft was beginning its bomb run, the other indicated, "we dropped, everyone else drop."