Aces High optical easy mode bomb sight.
Lotfe 7 - Junkers Ju 88
Lotfe 7A - Heinkel He 111H-5
Lotfe 7B - Heinkel He 177A
Lotfe 7C - Arado Ar 234, He 177A, Ju 88
Lotfe 7D - Ar 234, Focke-Wulf Fw 200, Ju 88
Lotfe 7H - Ju 88, Fw 200 Messerschmitt Me 262A-2a/U2
Lotfe 7K - Ar 234, Me 262A-2a/U2
Lotfe 7K-2 - Me 262A-2a/U2
Operation was fairly similar to the Norden. The bombardier would first locate the target in the bombsight and continue to adjust the dials until it remained motionless in the eyepiece. This allowed the bombsight to calculate the wind speed from the cancelled out drift rate, which in turn allowed to make an accurate calculation of groundspeed. Unlike the Norden, the Lotfe 7 could view targets directly in front of the aircraft, so the bombardier could use the real target for adjustments, rather than having to "tune" the instruments on a test target located closer to the aircraft. The bombsight could be used against targets 90° to 40° in front of the aircraft, and up to 20° on either side. On final approach, the autopilot was engaged, while the bombsight adjusted the flight path in response to last-minute changes by the bombardier. Bomb release was normally automatic in order to reduce timing errors.
The Lotfe 7 was normally installed near the nose of the aircraft with the mirror tube projecting through the fuselage to the outside of the aircraft. In most installations, like those in the Junkers Ju 88 or Heinkel He 111, the tube ended in a fairing under the fuselage with a flat window in front. In other cases, like the Arado Ar 234 or the prototype bomber conversions of the Messerschmitt Me 262, the tube was open to the air, mounted so the mirror window was almost flush with the fuselage line. In the case of the single-seat Ar 234, the bombsight was difficult to access, so the autopilot was engaged first, allowing the pilot to remove the control yoke and access the bombsight.
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Update: Russia made a copy of the Lotfe 7B designated the SP-1 for level bombing after testing captured Ju88 and Do215. Other wise the PBP1 was used for dive bombing or a number of telescope style sights for low level bombing.
