Country Specific Bombsights

[SmokinLoon]

This is just as much of a question and afterthought as it is a wish-

Just how different would the bomb sights be, or the mechanics used in sighting them in?  Would certain countries be at a disadvantage because their bomb sights were behind the time?  Currently, it is one sight fits all and I hope most of us understand that the process used now if far more elementary than it really was.  Now I'm not asking for the real deal, but having a more historically accurate bomb sight would be nice.  Thoughts?

[Nathan60]

This is just as much of a question and afterthought as it is a wish-

Just how different would the bomb sights be, or the mechanics used in sighting them in?  Would certain countries be at a disadvantage because their bomb sights were behind the time?  Currently, it is one sight fits all and I hope most of us understand that the process used now if far more elementary than it really was.  Now I'm not asking for the real deal, but having a more historically accurate bomb sight would be nice.  Thoughts?

or the option to manually calibrate

[Saxman]

This is just as much of a question and afterthought as it is a wish-

Just how different would the bomb sights be, or the mechanics used in sighting them in?  Would certain countries be at a disadvantage because their bomb sights were behind the time?  Currently, it is one sight fits all and I hope most of us understand that the process used now if far more elementary than it really was.  Now I'm not asking for the real deal, but having a more historically accurate bomb sight would be nice.  Thoughts?

We've already got different tank sight optics, so I think it would be nice to see the same thing applied to bomb sights, as well.

For that matter, I'd love to see functional torpedo sights on aircraft like the TBM added, as well.

[Karnak]

I suspect that nation specific bomb sights would not be friendly to Japanese bombers, Russian bombers (should any be added), Italian bombers (should any be added) and, perhaps, early war British and German bombers.

There are few things that will stop use of an aircraft faster than making it bad at its primary role in the game.  Recall the effect of requiring manual calibration of the bomb sight in the MA, something that wasn't even hard.

[gyrene81]

well considering the fact that you rarely find a bomber above 15,000ft...country specific bomb sights shouldn't be an issue. especially after some of the truly dedicated people around here create tutorials.

+1 to the OP.

[Karnak]

well considering the fact that you rarely find a bomber above 15,000ft...country specific bomb sights shouldn't be an issue. especially after some of the truly dedicated people around here create tutorials.

+1 to the OP.

95% of players never see a tutorial.  Requiring manual calibration caused most players to just give up on the bomb sight altogether and either use fighter bombers or simply dive bomb with the Lancaster or B-17.

[Saxman]

or simply dive bomb with the Lancaster or B-17.

Wonder what their excuse is NOW... 

[gyrene81]

95% of players never see a tutorial.  Requiring manual calibration caused most players to just give up on the bomb sight altogether and either use fighter bombers or simply dive bomb with the Lancaster or B-17.

always with the negative waves...then perhaps the elite 5% should make more of an effort to educate the 95%.

[Karnak]

Wonder what their excuse is NOW... 

In comparison to then they simply don't dive bomb in heavy bombers now.

always with the negative waves...then perhaps the elite 5% should make more of an effort to educate the 95%.

I deal with reality over fantasy.

[bustr]

This paragraph on the evolution of bomb sights lends credence to HTC's choice of easy mode bombing.

A more controversial aspect was how the American, British and German sights compared. The Norden, the SABS and the German Lotfe 7D or H were all tachometric sights used in the sitting position Norden and Lotfe 7D/H both had direct connections into the automatic pilot systems. so that in the run up to the target the bomb-aimer effectively flew the aircraft without the intervention of the pilot. Work on a SABS Mk lll was cancelled in 1943 which may have had this facility.

The SABS Mk llA uses a simpler system in that was connected to an instrument called the Bombing Direction Indicator(BDI) which was mounted on the pilot’s instrument panel. The BDI indicated to the pilot the amount of turn required left or right to bring the sight on to the target.
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Before the Norton and radar bombing. Most of the countries used some variation on this technology. The US and other countries purchased the British bomb sight shown here. Many guns sights and bombsights for japan were copies of German technology with a Japanese twist. Towards the end of the war japan started producing optical bombsights like the type 99 reflector bombsight. By that time they didn't have much of a bombing campaign.

British Course Setting Bomb Sight.







German





Japan G3M and G4M bombers

[bustr]

Don't forget Italy and it's "Typewriter".

[BuckShot]

"This paragraph on the evolution of bomb sights lends credence to HTC's choice of easy mode bombing."

Hey, I want Credence to play in my easy mode bomb sight. How do you enable that?

Nice post Bustr, I'm going to learn more about that Italian sight.

~S~ Buck

[SmokinLoon]

So was there much difference in the reticules? One can only assume the Germans had the best optical quality and the Soviets the worst.

[alpini13]

well if we get specific bombsights...shouldnt we have the proper planes set to use them in...i mean..the german plane set dosent have any late war bombers...like the he-177,do-217, he -219.ju-188. etc

[gyrene81]

well if we get specific bombsights...shouldnt we have the proper planes set to use them in...i mean..the german plane set dosent have any late war bombers...like the he-177,do-217, he -219.ju-188. etc

so the he-111 and the ju-88 didn't have bomb sights?