DBWI: "Bouncing Bombs"

hammo1j

Donor
One of the more ASB ideas to come out of WWII was the "Bouncing Bomb". The idea was that a bomb could be skipped across the surface of some water by being dropped by a very low flying plane to hit targets that were protected by submarine nets such as ships at anchor or even dams.

The principle proponent of these ideas was Barnes Wallis who was actually a successful aircraft designer of the Wellington bomber, but probably fortunately his ideas were turned down as a "side show" that would detract from the main goal of flattening cities.

Given the technical difficulties and the almost suicidal nature of low flying against heavily defended targets I ask:

1. What would be the most likely targets?

2. Would the Mosquito be the best aircraft for the job given the impossibility of any heavier aircraft being effectively flown at the low altitude required to avoid breaking the bomb?
 
One of the more ASB ideas to come out of WWII was the "Bouncing Bomb". The idea was that a bomb could be skipped across the surface of some water by being dropped by a very low flying plane to hit targets that were protected by submarine nets such as ships at anchor or even dams.

The principle proponent of these ideas was Barnes Wallis who was actually a successful aircraft designer of the Wellington bomber, but probably fortunately his ideas were turned down as a "side show" that would detract from the main goal of flattening cities.

Given the technical difficulties and the almost suicidal nature of low flying against heavily defended targets I ask:

1. What would be the most likely targets?

2. Would the Mosquito be the best aircraft for the job given the impossibility of any heavier aircraft being effectively flown at the low altitude required to avoid breaking the bomb?

I nearly pissed myself laughing when I first heard about this. Apparently Wallis wanted to attack German dams with these things, but the bombs needed to be so big only specially modified Lancasters could carry them! Imagine that- sending heavy bombers in at low level against heavily defended targets- suicide:eek:
 
Then he had this crazy idea to make a bomb cause an earthquake with only seven or eight tons of Torpex, as if you could get explosives deep enough underground to do that from an aircraft, then they nearly locked him away when he said they could sink the Tirpitz with them.:rolleyes:
 
Bouncing bombs. Are we talking about some proto-rocket/torpedo supposed to allow attacks on ships from a distance? It makes no sence at all, there is no way you could accelerate the bomb enough. You need propulsion.
 

hammo1j

Donor
Apparently Wallis wanted to attack German dams with these things, but the bombs needed to be so big only specially modified Lancasters could carry them! Imagine that- sending heavy bombers in at low level against heavily defended targets- suicide

Yes, it would clearly need something fast to stand a chance. And another thing there would have to be sufficient visibility so that would suggest an operation carried out in the daytime which would be suicide for an unescorted Lancaster.
 
in WWII, the 5th Air Force uses "skip bombing" against Japanese shipping in the Southwest Pacific theater. My dad's unit used it frequently on targets in Rabaul harbor.

Bobindelaware
 

hammo1j

Donor
Sounds feasible, Bob, but what kind of plane was your Dad flying? We would be talking about something the size of a B17....
 
theres no physical reason you couldn't make a bomb bounce if you spun it up to a high speed. It'd kind of be like skipping stones across a pond :)

However I'm not sure how you'd actually go about using the things. I'd suspect important dams would be very well protected. It's be suicide as someone has said
 
The trouble with a bouncing bomb is that it would be completely unguided.

It's hard enough to hit a cricket stumps from 20 odd yards away, when you aren't moving too fast, and you're only bouncing once off a solid surface.... imagine trying to hit a target from hundreds of yards away, from a unmanoevrable heavy bomber moving at high speed, bouncing the bomb several times off water (which of course has currents, waves, etc.)

Thank god the bouncing bomb idea was rejected, and Pigeon-guided missiles were used instead for this type of mission: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Pigeon
 
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