A BOMB PATTER IS LIKE A FOOTBALL

A BOMB PATTERN IS LIKE A FOOTBALL: BOMB PATTERN ANALYSIS

One thing I never see in any WW II literature is bomb pattern analysis in
tactical bombing. There is a lot to it that we had to live with, and I thought
I would share it with those on this NG before it gets lost to history.

Think of a formation of 56 B-26 Martin Marauders in tight formation. If all are
in tight formation, and release on time and all functions are go the bomb
pattern on the ground will be shaped like a football.

After we fly a mission and the smoke has cleared a P-38 with guns removed and
fitted with cameras will over fly the target area and record the bomb pattern
damage on the ground. It should be a perfect football. But if there is a bulge
or hole in the football pattern, that is trouble.

A bulge in the pattern means someone was out of formation. And astute, well
trained., experienced photo analysis men can not only spot the bulge, they can
identify the pilot that was out of formation. And for that pilot there will be
hell to pay.

If there is a hole in the pattern it means someone dropped late, and there will
be more hell to pay. We didn't send 56 aircraft with 336 aircrews in harms way
for one pilot or bombardier to screw up the mission. And our CO never took
these screw ups lightly. But neither did the aircrews. When someone screwed
up, the aircrews made their displeasure known and friends became few and far
between even when the target was effectively hit.

But the photo guys could tell the difference between a screw up and a single
defective bomb. There were two reasons for a single defective bomb, one was it
was off weight and the other was bent vanes. There were some other causes; a
sticking A-2 shackle could cause a bomb to hang up momentarily and release
late. But that was very different than an entire bomb load going out late.

We lived with this analysis on every mission. And aft And after a mission no
news from ops was good news. And that is the way it was in tactical operations
in WW II. Moral of the story? Keep you head out of your ass and stay alert,
always alert.




Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

On 02 Mar 2004 00:41:43 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

A BOMB PATTERN IS LIKE A FOOTBALL: BOMB PATTERN ANALYSIS

One thing I never see in any WW II literature is bomb pattern analysis in
tactical bombing. There is a lot to it that we had to live with, and I thought
I would share it with those on this NG before it gets lost to history.

http://kalaniosullivan.com/KunsanAB/...owitwasay.html

Page down until you hit the round patch with the dice on it. Just
under that for some B-26 cep info from 1952..

Subject: A BOMB PATTER IS LIKE A FOOTBALL
From: Buzzer
Date: 3/1/04 6:48 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 02 Mar 2004 00:41:43 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

A BOMB PATTERN IS LIKE A FOOTBALL: BOMB PATTERN ANALYSIS

One thing I never see in any WW II literature is bomb pattern analysis in
tactical bombing. There is a lot to it that we had to live with, and I
thought
I would share it with those on this NG before it gets lost to history.

http://kalaniosullivan.com/KunsanAB/...owitwasay.html

Page down until you hit the round patch with the dice on it. Just
under that for some B-26 cep info from 1952..



Great stuff Thanks for posting it. Those were Douglas Invaders. We flew Martin
Marauders. Both were called B-26's finally.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

On 02 Mar 2004 02:59:21 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

Subject: A BOMB PATTER IS LIKE A FOOTBALL
From: Buzzer
Date: 3/1/04 6:48 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 02 Mar 2004 00:41:43 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

A BOMB PATTERN IS LIKE A FOOTBALL: BOMB PATTERN ANALYSIS

One thing I never see in any WW II literature is bomb pattern analysis in
tactical bombing. There is a lot to it that we had to live with, and I
thought
I would share it with those on this NG before it gets lost to history.

http://kalaniosullivan.com/KunsanAB/...owitwasay.html

Page down until you hit the round patch with the dice on it. Just
under that for some B-26 cep info from 1952..



Great stuff Thanks for posting it. Those were Douglas Invaders. We flew Martin
Marauders. Both were called B-26's finally.

I am reading that all the B-26s in Europe were destroyed in Germany
after the war and then here they are flying in Korea. Didn't make
sense to me.

Subject: A BOMB PATTER IS LIKE A FOOTBALL
From: Buzzer
Date: 3/1/04 7:34 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 02 Mar 2004 02:59:21 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

Subject: A BOMB PATTER IS LIKE A FOOTBALL
From: Buzzer
Date: 3/1/04 6:48 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 02 Mar 2004 00:41:43 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

A BOMB PATTERN IS LIKE A FOOTBALL: BOMB PATTERN ANALYSIS

One thing I never see in any WW II literature is bomb pattern analysis in
tactical bombing. There is a lot to it that we had to live with, and I
thought
I would share it with those on this NG before it gets lost to history.

http://kalaniosullivan.com/KunsanAB/...owitwasay.html

Page down until you hit the round patch with the dice on it. Just
under that for some B-26 cep info from 1952..



Great stuff Thanks for posting it. Those were Douglas Invaders. We flew
Martin
Marauders. Both were called B-26's finally.

I am reading that all the B-26s in Europe were destroyed in Germany
after the war and then here they are flying in Korea. Didn't make
sense to me.


Different planes. We flew the B-26 Marauder. After the war ended they took away
our Marauders and replaced them with A -26 Douglas Invaders.later renamed B-26
Invaders. Truth be known I enjoyed the Invaders better than the Marauders, You
might want to go to my website and read " In Remembrance of Willie The Wolf"
for the sad time that we lost our Marauders. I feel as though I had lost a
friend.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"Buzzer" wrote in message
...

I am reading that all the B-26s in Europe were destroyed in Germany
after the war and then here they are flying in Korea. Didn't make
sense to me.

During WWII something like 4700 Martin "Marauder"s were
designated B-26. After the war the Marauder was retired from
service and the Douglas A-26 "Invader" was renamed B-26
"Invader" in 1948 when the Air Force dropped the "A-" (for Attack)
series of designations.
Come the Vietnam war the Air Force wished to base some
Invaders in Thailand. To over come Tai rules against basing
bombers in their country the Invader was once again designated
the A-26.

"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
A BOMB PATTERN IS LIKE A FOOTBALL: BOMB PATTERN ANALYSIS

One thing I never see in any WW II literature is bomb pattern analysis in
tactical bombing. There is a lot to it that we had to live with, and I
thought
I would share it with those on this NG before it gets lost to history.


Every RAF Bomber Command Aircraft was fitted with a
camera and photoflah to record individual bombing accuracy.

The pilot had to continue to fly straight and level AFTER
bomb release until the camera flashed. When Radar bombing was used
the camera recorded the image on the radar scope. If there was no picture
it didnt count as a mission.

Keith

Keith

Subject: A BOMB PATTER IS LIKE A FOOTBALL
From: "Keith Willshaw"
Date: 3/1/04 11:44 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:


"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
A BOMB PATTERN IS LIKE A FOOTBALL: BOMB PATTERN ANALYSIS

One thing I never see in any WW II literature is bomb pattern analysis in
tactical bombing. There is a lot to it that we had to live with, and I
thought
I would share it with those on this NG before it gets lost to history.


Every RAF Bomber Command Aircraft was fitted with a
camera and photoflah to record individual bombing accuracy.

The pilot had to continue to fly straight and level AFTER
bomb release until the camera flashed. When Radar bombing was used
the camera recorded the image on the radar scope. If there was no picture
it didnt count as a mission.

Keith

Keith


The problem with the Brit system was that the target was still smoking when
the pictuere was taken so less information was recorded. But it saved them that
second recon flight If you check my website you will see impact shots taken
with the bombay camera recorded at the detonation moment. Now click on " Death
of a marshalling yard" to see the reults of the recon mission.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...


The pilot had to continue to fly straight and level AFTER
bomb release until the camera flashed. When Radar bombing was used
the camera recorded the image on the radar scope. If there was no picture
it didnt count as a mission.

Keith



The problem with the Brit system was that the target was still smoking
when
the pictuere was taken so less information was recorded. But it saved them
that
second recon flight If you check my website you will see impact shots
taken
with the bombay camera recorded at the detonation moment. Now click on "
Death
of a marshalling yard" to see the reults of the recon mission.


The recon flights were still made Art. Since the RAF were flying tight
formations
comparing the in-aircraft camera pictures with the after strike recon
photos was the only way of establishing individual accuracy

Keith

On Tue, 2 Mar 2004 02:12:27 -0500, "John Keeney"
wrote:


"Buzzer" wrote in message
.. .

I am reading that all the B-26s in Europe were destroyed in Germany
after the war and then here they are flying in Korea. Didn't make
sense to me.

During WWII something like 4700 Martin "Marauder"s were
designated B-26. After the war the Marauder was retired from
service and the Douglas A-26 "Invader" was renamed B-26
"Invader" in 1948 when the Air Force dropped the "A-" (for Attack)
series of designations.
Come the Vietnam war the Air Force wished to base some
Invaders in Thailand. To over come Tai rules against basing
bombers in their country the Invader was once again designated
the A-26.

Checking further they were up at NKP when I was at Ubon in 1966-67.
Glad none of them diverted to Ubon where I could see them. I would
have thought I was in the Twilight Zone. Might be what the C-130 flare
drops from Ubon were supporting.