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Bombs away over Neumarkt, Germany, February 23rd. The smoke was dropped by the lead aircraft, top, left of center. The flight characteristics of the marker is causing it to depart the stick of bombs it was dropped with. If you look closely, you'll note the bright dot at the bottom of the aircraft. This is the H2X dome for the radar used to bomb through overcast conditions. The operators of this equipment were called, "Mickey Operators", and their sets were called "Mickey Sets". The term "Mickey" for WWII airborne radar systems, specifically the H2X, originated from Major Fred A. Rabo of the USAAF, who renamed the MIT radar system (H2X or AN/APS-15) as "Mickey Mouse". He shortened it to "Mickey" and it became the common name for the system throughout the war. Main Gallery Copyright © 1998-2026, Paul Webber, Hank Schurwan and the 486th Bomb Group Association. |