Doolittle Raid tech question (B-25)

[Nikademus]

Found this interesting passage in John Tolland's book "The Rising Sun (the decline and fall of the Japanese Empire 1936 - 1945)

At exactly 12:30pm, Doolittle was over his target. Using a twenty-cent "Mark Twain" bombing device, which was more accurate for a low altitude attack than the overrated Norden bombsight, Fred Braemer released the first bomb.

Does anybody have any information on this bombing device? Curious.

thx

 

[T Bolt]

Here's a link with some info on it:

The Mark Twain Bombsight - World War II Forums

 

[mudpuppy]

That was an impressive grab on that obscure tidbit of aviation history, tbolt! Now that I've learned somethign totally new today, I'm a happy camper.

It does remind me of the altitude / direction finders used by the British aircraft spotters out in the fields (Home Guard, maybe?). Simple enough for my use, even.

Thanks
db

 

[Nikademus]

thx!

odd looking thing.

 

[diddyriddick]

How very strange....I read that same passage earlier this morning.

 

[cptsmith]

If you ever see the B-25 "Panchito", it has one mounted in the nose.