The Norden Bombsight

This is the bombsight that some would say won the war. Inside the glass window on the left is the gyro. The knob directly above is the caging knob. Its purpose is to lock the gyro's gimbles when the sight was not in use. The silver knobs at far left are for leveling the gyro. The eyepiece is top, right of center. The silver vernier to the right of the eyepiece has two markers. One marker remains set once the target is locked and indicates the bombing angle (or time of release), while the other slides towards it as the aircraft approaches the release point. When the two markers meet, the bombs are released if the bomber has set the trigger. The silver wheels bottom right, are the turn and shift knobs. The yellowish wheel above it is the disk gear shift knob. The silver toggle attached to it is the search knob.

Simulated view through the site.

Back

Copyright © 1998-2024, 486th Bomb Group Association.