Even that minimum gives around 44 yards separation on a plane travelling at 180MPH. or 1/8 of a mile for a stick of 5 bombs.
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Even that minimum gives around 44 yards separation on a plane travelling at 180MPH. or 1/8 of a mile for a stick of 5 bombs.The intervalometer had a minimum 1/20 second sequence. The circuits closed in order so the bombs above wouldn't fall before the ones below were released. (Usually)
The point I was making was that looking at a picture of the bombs leaving the aircraft it is hard to imagine they would land so far apart, all based on identiacal ballistics of course which is impossible.Well, I wouldn't want to be 22 yards between two exploding bombs, unless I was in some really hard cover.
Keep in mind the indicated air speed on the B-17 during the bomb run was 150 mph. The actual ground speed could be more or less depending on the wind and crab. the trajectory of the falling bomb varied with each type of bomb. The intervelometer settings included settings for train release and ground speed. The height of the target above sea level also effects the bomb trajectory because of the lower densities encountered. So many factors affected the actual bomb impact distance on the ground.Even that minimum gives around 44 yards separation on a plane travelling at 180MPH. or 1/8 of a mile for a stick of 5 bombs.
Zipper may well still be a wee bit younger than most of us. I'm 67 and still get miffed at kids not knowing who Jimmy Doolittle, Douglas Bader,A Tad rude Zipper
Thanks Bill but I was cheating, 180MPH may or may not be close to the bombing ground speed, it is exactly 3 miles minute though.Keep in mind the indicated air speed on the B-17 during the bomb run was 150 mph. The actual ground speed could be more or less depending on the wind and crab. the trajectory of the falling bomb varied with each type of bomb. The intervelometer settings included settings for train release and ground speed. The height of the target above sea level also effects the bomb trajectory because of the lower densities encountered. So many factors affected the actual bomb impact distance on the ground.
It has to do with the issue of distance covered versus time: If you're doing 150 mph, you're covering 220 feet per second, so if one bomb comes off a second after, even if it's ballistic arc was exactly the same, it left the plane one second after, so will land 220 feet further downrange.The point I was making was that looking at a picture of the bombs leaving the aircraft it is hard to imagine they would land so far apart, all based on identiacal ballistics of course which is impossible.
I'll be 34 in 13 days...Zipper may well still be a wee bit younger than most of us.
I'm surprised they wouldn't know who Doolittle was, I know who Gabreski and Boyington are... I'm not exactly proud of not knowing who Douglas Bader is -- though after doing some googling -- I know he was a WWII ace who was shot down in 1941 and was held at Colditz castle until the wars end.I'm 67 and still get miffed at kids not knowing who Jimmy Doolittle, Douglas Bader, Francis Gabreski, Gregory "Pappy" Boyington or so many of my other childhood heroes are or were.
Bader had both legs amputated one above and the other below the knee. The movie was filmed in a deep rose tint, ignoring many of the controversies that surrounded Bader.I never knew about the movie. I read the book a number of times as child. I have a copy of "God is My Copilot" that I still read sometimes.
That is why I'm enjoying Bill's snippets of information so much. Thank you Bill for the first hand accounts.
Bader had both legs amputated one above and the other below the knee. The movie was filmed in a deep rose tint, ignoring many of the controversies that surrounded Bader.
I remember watching it as a starry eyed kid thinking everything on TV must be true. My father just remarked that "there were many people hated his guts" which confused me a lot. To me he was a man of his time, he isn't here to defend himself and there is no rule that says heroes have to be perfect in every way at all times.Aviations version of beer goggles?
Flt Lt Colin Hodgkinson RIPThere is one more RAF fighter pilot that was a double leg amputee but I can't remember if I read it in a book or on line just recently. I really hope someone doesn't destroy this great thread. Back to you Bill
Do you think I am an encyclopedia? Google is your friend, I just googled "RAF pilot amputee" and it is the third result.Thanks kindly, you saved me a ton of reading. If I post something I have to find the source and this would have consumed me