aerial minesweepers

[maxs75]

I read that during WWII RAF had some planes for minesweping. They were not entirely succesful because they weren't able to mark the swept path.
Can I have info about how that system worked and if possible have some images?

Thanks
Max

 

[timshatz]

I believe they are talking about magnetic mines. They could "sweep" them by flying an airplane over them with a large magnet at very low level. Put out the same field that a ship would produce if it went by the mine. The idea was to detonate them from the airborne platform. In theory, the mine explodes and nobody is hurt. I have seen pictures of Wellington's with the sweeping gear on them. Looks like a big circular pole that extends from the nose, out to both wingtips and to the tail.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

this is true, and the Americans and Germans nicked the idea for a bit as well

 

[Wildcat]

Weren't some Sunderlands equipped with this gear?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i believe it was only the Wellington.........

 

[maxs75]

Thanks for the answers.

Do You know if this work was done by entire squadrons, or maybe only by special planes part of ASW/patrol squadrons?

Thanks

 

[ChrisMAg2]

As for the germans: by entire squadrons. Best known plane for this task was Ju 52 (MS) "Mausi-Staffel". But also BV 138 and Ju 86 and others were used.

 

[timshatz]

All that metal hanging off the airframes must've made the airplanes a bear to fly. Most of the early war aircraft weren't particularly good with the power involved anyway. To add to it all, I imagine there was the odd mine that went off under the airplane. Not good.

 

[Wurger]

Two pic of Ju52.
source unknown:

 

[R-2800]

they also had "anti barrage ballon" type setup that also used the metal beams in front of the aircraft that looked sort of similar i'v heared of a Ju-88 and JU-52 that had this done

 

[Wurger]

And there two pics of Wellington MkIc equipped with DWI

source :Squadron/signal publications,Aircraft no.76,Wellington in action.

 

[Bullo Loris]

Hi Wurger, it's possible for you scanner the first 10 pages of Wellington MkIc squadron signal (the book), because I searched for many time this book, I haven't find this (attention: If possible ).

Thanks.

Bullo Loris

 

[ChrisMAg2]

they also had "anti barrage ballon" type setup that also used the metal beams in front of the aircraft that looked sort of similar i'v heared of a Ju-88 and JU-52 that had this done

Something like this?
Ballonabweiser

 

[Concorde247]

heres two images - one has already been posted...

 

[HealzDevo]

Interesting aircraft. It looks like the Ju-52 is inside a hula hoop...

 

[Wurger]

A good joke HD.!

 

[Wurger]

There is a pic of fixed ring at a front part of the Ju-52 fuselage.
Source unknown.

 

[HealzDevo]

No really, it looks like a huge hula hoop hanging on the Ju-52 in a few of those photos. They even call it a ring in one of the things though the rest is in German so unsure of the rest...

 

[Wurger]

You are right, it looks exactly like a huge hula hoop.A good expression. This has made me jolly

 

[Njaco]

Didn't the Allies try this on a B-24?