The Norden Bombsight B-17 Bomber integration

The intent of this part 3 video is to provide a review WWII B-17’s bombing systems and components, including the Intervalometer, Bomb Release Toggle Switch, and The Norden Bombsight.
B-17 Bombing 7 part Series:
B-17 Part 1 (Bombing Introduction): • B-17 Bomber, Aerial Bo...
B-17 Part 2 (Fuses, shackles): • B-17 Bombing, Fuzes, S...
B-17 Part 3 (Norden Integration): • The Norden Bombsight B...
B-17 Part 4 (Ballistics Math): • B-17 Bombing Ballistic...
B-17 Part 5 (Training Accuracy): • B-17 Bombing Accuracy ...
B-17 Part 6 (Combat Accuracy): • B-17 Combat Bombing Ac...
B-17 Part 7 (Norden Bombsight): • WWII B-17 Combat Bombi...

[@tristancrumpler400]

Just want to throw out that this is one of the most throughout and informative video series' about every facet of life AND operation of and on board the B-17 that I've seen. Keep up the good work.

[@WWIIUSBombers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@shakeydavesr]

I’d have to agree, I’ve watched and read most everything I could find about the Nordens and this has been the most informative. Love this channel along with Gregs and 1 or 2 others (can’t think of the names at the moment). Like children, you don’t dare say out loud that one or the other is your favourite,,,,, but I’ve secretly started a go fund me page to get Greg a better microphone ;),,,, lol.

[@724bigal]

Love the pistol 🔫 pointed at the Norden illustration! Lol

[@KapiteinKrentebol]

Hands up! 😂

[@billyponsonby]

Fascinating. I also enjoy the technical insights of Greg’s Aircraft and Automobiles channel.

[@berryreading4809]

100%! Definitely my two favorite WW2 aviation/technical data channels! Both are highly underrated/undersubscibed in my opinion... ESPECIALLY this incredible channel. 👍

[@Hopeless_and_Forlorn]

I learned this bombing system, except for the Norden, in aircraft weapons mechanic school at Lowry AFB in 1960. I recognize the intervalometer, but did not remember the one-minute warm-up requirement for bombing in trail. Must be vacuum tube or two on the system that I have forgotten. While stationed at Spangahlem AFB in Germany in 1963, my load crew was the first in Europe to reconfigure an F-105D with the new Multiple Ejector Racks and load sixteen 750 pound bombs. Sorta squashed the airplane's main tires, but it was a training exercise and did not fly. USAFE gunnery and heavy bombing was practiced at Wheelus AFB in Libya in those days.

[@dalecomer5951]

Not only did the Germans get the design of the Norden bombsight before the U.S. entered WW2 they built their own version correcting some of the obvious deficiencies of the design. They didn't use it because their operational doctrine was to drop bombs from lower altitudes where a less complex aiming system was adequate.

[@JGCR59]

Was about to post that too. The Lotfe 7 series were not direct copies of the Norden but had the same principle, but were much simpler to use. Ironically Israel used them on the 3 B-17s they had in the 1948 War of Independence

[@johnclayton7471]

Also the Germans set great store by dive bombing, even the He177 was designed to be capable of that. Later the Germans developed guided bombs such as Fritz.

[@raymondyee2008]

I dare say that this video should be mandatory for any PC games on B-17s even "B-17 The Mighty 8th".

[@AtechG35]

My new favorite channel. Keep it up man.

[@BillB23]

Thanks and have a happy Independence Day.

[@DRFelGood]

Great Details 🇺🇸 Thank you for sharing 🇺🇸

[@McRocket]

If I am the bombardier, bailing out? They want me to fire a handgun - at close range - at a large, metallic object? In a confined space? Pass. I will fire it out the window twice and tell the pilot that I shot the Norden. Fascinating stuff. Thank you. ☮

[@dutchloveRC]

this was really cool friend

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

I love this channel

[@scottdunkirk8198]

You need to make a run to historic Wendover airbase in Utah

[@СергейЧередниченко-ю6е]

Thank you for your work

[@СергейЧередниченко-ю6е]

Also I want to say big thanks from Ukraine for all US people for help with weapons. God bless the USA.

[@kimmoj2570]

American bombardiers were tasked to carry Norden sights to MP guarded bunkers between missions, and needed to fire sight with pistol in case of bailing out. Germans knew everything about Norden well before 7.12.1941 and had their own bombsight which could do the same, but was much cheaper to mass produce. All the effort for naught.

[@markharnitchek9205]

thanks -- another great video, actually one of your best ... do you have any data on how much better bombing accuracy got when the groups dropped on the lead a/c? And are you sure you weren't there in another life?

[@tripley66]

In your intro to this good video you say by the end of 1943 it was the lead bombardier making the decisions for the whole group. Do you know if this would have been in effect for the September 6, 1943, bombing mission to Stuttgart. There were 337 B-17s in that mission. By your comment it appears that it was each bombardier making that decision. Yes? Thanks for all your work.

[@JK-rv9tp]

The Norden could achieve its promised accuracy below 15000 ft and came into its own with the B-25 and B26 fleet. It was these airplanes operating 12-15000 ft that were able to hit small targets during the Normandy interdiction campaign with great precision.

[@dukecraig2402]

Intervalometer. Sounds like something you'd find on a Studebaker.

[@josem.2714]

New to the channel and finding the content great! What happened when the lead plane bombardier was incapacitated or the lead plane shot down? How did the toggliers proceed?

[@cascadianrangers728]

Always wondered how it worked!

[@ronaldhuff635]

please do some info on the consolidated b-24 liberator

[@mmartinu327]

I wonder how was it acurate compared to other methods

[@mlehky]

Is that the Renton plant you are bombing? :)

[@wahtx7717]

Do you have the list of sources for this video?

[@nickdanger3802]

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[@paulchukc]

This is a lot of useless information! Liked.

[@khaccanhle1930]

Norden bombsight. One of the biggest examples of BS marketing and PR ever done. How many lives did that overcomplicated piece of unreliable junk cost. Sperry made a much better sight, but didn't have the political connections

[@keithammleter3824]

Not correct. The Sperry was less accurate, and was more of a black box device. That is, if any any part failed, there was nothing the bombardier could do in-flight, and so the lives of a crew could be put at risk for nothing. The Norden's working was much more visible and accessible, and if part of it was not working, often the bombardier could work around the problem and still bomb with the same or some reduced accuracy. The Sperry had controls on both sides, so you needed both arms to work it. That was no good in turbulence, either natural turbulence or the plane shaking because of flak - bombardiers needed one hand free to hang on to something. The Norden had all variable settings on the right hand side, leaving the left hand free to hang on to something rigid. The Norden could run on any plane's battery - 12 volt, 24 V or 28 V. The Sperry needed 110 volt 400 Hz AC, which was initially only available on the largest bombers, and only available if an engine was running, complicating ground checkout. As it could run on low voltage DC, bombardiers could be trained and tested on the Norden in slightly modified light aircraft, freeing up costly heavy bombers for actual use against the enemy. In fact, the Norden was developed because the US military were not entirely happy with the older Sperry bombsight. The Norden proved to be easily adaptable as bomber speeds and altitudes increased beyond what was possible when the Sperry was developed. Despite its drawbacks, the USAAF in World War 2 actually used substantial numbers of the Sperry sight, and also another sight known as the Estoppey bombsight, mainly because the factories making the Norden couldn't make enough timely enough. USAAF experience was that the Norden was indeed the best of the three. The Norden however was indeed more prone to trouble and needed a lot of maintenance. Stipulated service interval was just 15 hours. Much has been made of the fact that achieved bombing accuracy in actual combat was a lot less than the technical accuracy of the Norden, however there were a lot of reasons that were not the fault of the Norden, eg German decoy & camouflage work, smoke or cloud obscuring the target, need to send many planes in tight formation to avoid high kill rate by enemy fighters.