Bomber War Ep.2 - The Bomber Mafia & The Norden Bombsight

Comments · 1.1K

• TH

  @Thehistoryslob · 2 years ago

  I read a story about the Doolittle raid.  The army brass came up with an objection fairly well into the planning in that they would not allow the b-25s carry the ultra top secret Norden Bomb sight with them as it was considered a near certainty the planes would fall into enemy hands.  The bombers were then fitted with makeshift sights thrown togather at a moment's notice and precious little time- I only recall they used rifle gun sights jerry rigged with gyroscopes or somesuch.  In training they proved nearly as accurate as the Norden.  That should have raised some eyebrows, if not some red flags.

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• MI

  @michaelimbesi2314 · 2 years ago

  The bit about strategic bombing being a religion more than a theory was spot on.

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• TH

  @thehighground7732 · 2 years ago

  If you thought the American armed forces bickered, you need to look at the Japanese militaries. You can argue they were engaged in a civil war throughout the entirety of the Second Sino-Japanese war and WW2.

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• JO

  @johnnybobonny9306 · 2 years ago

  “I have a dream, but oh my god is it so white.” Is the best way to describe Wilson. BRAVO.

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• MS

  @MsZeeZed · 2 years ago (edited)

  Norden was properly tested and assessed by the Nazi’s in 1938 (easy if your spy is one of their draftsman) and they said “its ok, but overcomplicated, we have something a much cheaper and just as average thanks”.

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• MI

  @mitchellminer9597 · 2 years ago (edited)

  I know the secret of the Norden bombsight. See, back in the 80s, my dad worked for a gearbox manufacturer as their product designer. One time he came up with some clever reduction gearing, and he took a demonstrator model down to the patent attorney. Turned out it wasn&apos;t patented ... or patentable. It was the secret of the Norden bombsight.<br><br>It&apos;s a variation on planetary gears that gives extreme reduction and is self-locking. It&apos;s inside those boxy control knobs on the sight. The bombardier could crank in a set number of turns to get the angle needed, or refine the tilt minutely.<br><br>My dad kept his demonstration model on his bookshelf. One time an older guy saw it and said his job during WWII was to go around to all the gear factories and ensure they were not re-inventing the secret.

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• CO

  @Corn-y3u · 2 years ago

  “Europes wind speed can be described as “yes”” my favorite line of the video

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• BR

  @brianetchieson5958 · 2 years ago

  My grandfather (who fought with Patton) on the bombers:<br>&quot;...they just <b>**</b> those damn things wherever, they had no <b>******</b> idea what they were aiming at....&quot;

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• YO

  @youdontneedtoknow6621 · 2 years ago

  I still don’t know how I didn’t find this channel until the pig pointed me in the right direction. All hail lord Hard Thrasher, long live his glorious series. Also send Jenkins my regards

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• AN

  @andrewdurand339 · 2 years ago

  The Norden Bombsight was like putting a telescopic sight on a smoothbore musket and expecting the weapon to be able to make sniper hits from a mile away. Unguided level bombing from high altitude wasn&apos;t going to be accurate regardless of how advanced the sight supposedly was. The USAAF was expecting accuracy with it precision missiles from decades later couldn&apos;t even achieve.

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• AB

  @AbsoluteAmoeba · 2 years ago (edited)

  Hardthrasher putting out more documentary quality videos yet again.<br><br>In relation to your “shit Nazi kit” series, is there any plan for a follow up to the Grief? It’s always a pleasure to watch the myth the Nazis were brilliant get torn to shreds.

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• LE

  @leakycheese · 2 years ago

  From my Uncle (WW2 vintage) sing to the tune of &quot;Battle Hymn of the Republic&quot;:<br><br> Flying-Flying Fortresses at thirty thousand feet,<br>The Flying-Flying Fortresses at thirty thousand feet,<br>The Flying-Flying Fortresses at thirty thousand feet,<br>With tons of ammunition and tiny little bomb<br><br>Chorus<br>Glory-glory what a hell of a way to die,<br>Glory-glory what a hell of a way to die,<br>Glory-glory what a hell of a way to die,<br>With tons of ammunition and tiny little bomb<br><br>The Avro-Avro Lancasters at zero-zero feet,<br>The Avro-Avro Lancasters at zero-zero feet,<br>The Avro-Avro Lancasters at zero-zero feet,<br>With no ammunition and a bloody great bomb<br><br>Chorus<br><br><br>Thanking your good Sir for another great piece of history-thrash.

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