Skip Bombing
Fri Jan 13, 2012 5:43 pm
When they were doing all of the skip bombing against the Japanese, what kind of triggering mechanism was used to detonate the bombs? I'm guessing it had to be something more than" if it hits something hard it will go off".
Re: Skip Bombing
Fri Jan 13, 2012 7:25 pm
3-4 second delayed fuse I imagine.
Re: Skip Bombing
Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:47 pm
In addition to the fuses,the 345th AIR APACHES started the soon common practice of fitting the bombs dropped on ground targets with a 5 ft cargo chute to retard the bombs decent and wrapping the bombs with cable to macerate whatever the bomb went off next to 'HEY! ..........CATCH!' 
Re: Skip Bombing
Fri Jan 13, 2012 9:05 pm
My dad's squadron VB-109, along with other Navy PB4Y squadrons, conducted skip bombing.
Re: Skip Bombing
Sat Jan 14, 2012 5:57 pm
Hi Chris..
Two different types of fuses when your talking skip bombing to parafrags. Delay fuses on the skip bombs to (theoretically) hit the ship, sink a bit then detonate below the water line. Of course, many bounced over their intended targets, and many went completely through the ships.. What's surprising is the different sizes of bombs used. In the 3rd, barge hunting meant a 250lb bomb. On the Nov 2 Mission to Rabaul to attack shipping, the 3rd had -25's carrying 500 and 1,000 lb bombs. BG (Ret) Bill Webster made comment about trying to "toss" a 1,000 pounder sideways into a transport ship!!
As to parafrags, they were mean little buggers with a very sensitive fuse that would detonate at the slightest touch once armed, hence the parachute to let the a/c get away from the blast. If you look at mission photo's involving parafrags, you'll quickly notice that most, (not all) were in a line abreast..
As to wrapping the bombs with wire, that was done quite frequently in the early days. Dad talked about it more than once..
It took much practice on the "Moresby Wreck" to hone their skills, but when on their game, the strafers and low level attackes sure put a pounding on their enemy!
Practice laps at Hollandia after slow timing some engines.
Two different types of fuses when your talking skip bombing to parafrags. Delay fuses on the skip bombs to (theoretically) hit the ship, sink a bit then detonate below the water line. Of course, many bounced over their intended targets, and many went completely through the ships.. What's surprising is the different sizes of bombs used. In the 3rd, barge hunting meant a 250lb bomb. On the Nov 2 Mission to Rabaul to attack shipping, the 3rd had -25's carrying 500 and 1,000 lb bombs. BG (Ret) Bill Webster made comment about trying to "toss" a 1,000 pounder sideways into a transport ship!!
As to parafrags, they were mean little buggers with a very sensitive fuse that would detonate at the slightest touch once armed, hence the parachute to let the a/c get away from the blast. If you look at mission photo's involving parafrags, you'll quickly notice that most, (not all) were in a line abreast..
As to wrapping the bombs with wire, that was done quite frequently in the early days. Dad talked about it more than once..
It took much practice on the "Moresby Wreck" to hone their skills, but when on their game, the strafers and low level attackes sure put a pounding on their enemy!
Practice laps at Hollandia after slow timing some engines.
Re: Skip Bombing
Sat Jan 14, 2012 7:43 pm
Skip bombing when I was at the Kooni-ni range in Korea ... during the early 50's
Re: Skip Bombing
Sat Jan 14, 2012 8:02 pm
Jerry..
My dad's Squardon/Group was at K-8. Mostly night flying in A-26's
My dad's Squardon/Group was at K-8. Mostly night flying in A-26's
Re: Skip Bombing
Sun Jan 15, 2012 6:18 am
i believe pappy gunn created / perfected the skip bombing technique.
Re: Skip Bombing
Sun Jan 15, 2012 8:21 am
Hemiman wrote:Jerry..
My dad's Squardon/Group was at K-8. Mostly night flying in A-26's
K-8 was Kunsan and south of the Kooni-ni Range ... we were attached to K-55 in Osan but lived out at the range with a Quanset, Outhouse and Generator.
While I was there, we never had any A-26 Invaders use the range ... it was mostly F-86 Sabres and occasionally the Marines would come in for a night drop with F-4's.
Re: Skip Bombing
Sun Jan 15, 2012 8:55 am
tom d. friedman wrote:i believe pappy gunn created / perfected the skip bombing technique.
Tom,
Skip Bombing in the USAAF was developed by the 43rd Bomb Group using B-17s at Port Moresby.
The pilot in charge was Major Bill Benn.
Helping to develope this technique was 1Lt. James T. Murphy, Capt Ed Scott, Lt. Glenn Lewis, Lt. Folme Sogaard and Capt. Ken McCullar.
McCullar was lost in a B-17 accident at Seven Mile Airdrome on April 12, 1943.
See the article in Air Force Magazine titled "Skip Bombing Pioneer."
See the book titled "Skip Bombing" by James T. Murphy.
Good luck.
TM
Last edited by TonyM on Sun Jan 15, 2012 12:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Skip Bombing
Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:14 am
tom d. friedman wrote:i believe pappy gunn created the skip bombing technique.
Ahhh yes, he instructed his student Giuseppe Cenni in his Stuka quite well.
Re: Skip Bombing
Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:22 am
TonyM wrote:tom d. friedman wrote:i believe pappy gunn created / perfected the skip bombing technique.
Tom,
Skip Bombing in the USAAF was developed by the 43rd Bomb Group using B-17s at Port Moresby.
The pilot in charge was Major Bill Benn.
Helping to develope this technique was 1Lt. James T. Murphy, Capt Ed Scott, Lt. Glenn Lewis, Lt. Folme Sogaard and Capt. Ken McCullar.
McCullar was lost in a B-17 accident at Seven Mile Airdrome on April 12, 1943.
See the article in Air Force Magazine titled "Skip Bombing Pioneer."
See the book titled "Skip Bombing" by James T. Murphy.
Good luck.
TM
http://www.airforce-magazine.com/Magazi ... valor.aspx