PBS Nova "Bombing Hitler's Supergun"

[ryoder 1,390]

Fascinating history on the supergun complex Hitler was building in France to attack London, the English attack on it, (using penetrating bombs developed by Barnes Wallis), and the American mission to attack it which killed Joseph Kennedy Jr.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/military/hitlers-supergun.html

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[quade 3]

Thanks! I'm going to have to watch this.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[wolfriverjoe 1,346]

Saw that last week. Fascinating.

The principles behind the supergun (boosted combustion through multiple charges along the barrel) were very interesting.

The issues and concerns with the drone were new to me. I knew much of it (TV operated, pilots controlled takeoff & bailed out, that sort of stuff), but the reasons behind the explosion were always "a mystery."

Turns out there was a known fault, identified and made known to the chain of command, but ignored. Go figure.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[skyjames 2]

Spoiler alert..

Saw it ... Liked the gun they made in the shop to prove super gun could be real.
Earthquake bombs and Joe K going poof! verrryy interestinggg.

for the want of a fire proof relay, a plane was lost.


Worth watching

"exit fast, fly smooth, dock soft and smile"
'nother james

[jakee 1,257]

Quote

Turns out there was a known fault, identified and made known to the chain of command, but ignored. Go figure.

It must work therefore it does work, and don't tell me otherwise!

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[ryoder 1,390]

wolfriverjoe

Saw that last week. Fascinating.

The principles behind the supergun (boosted combustion through multiple charges along the barrel) were very interesting.

The issues and concerns with the drone were new to me. I knew much of it (TV operated, pilots controlled takeoff & bailed out, that sort of stuff), but the reasons behind the explosion were always "a mystery."

Turns out there was a known fault, identified and made known to the chain of command, but ignored. Go figure.

I wonder how close the control plane was when Kennedy's plane exploded.
Seems like that much high explosive might have put out a shockwave that could have broken it up.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[sundevil777 94]

It seems they could have just rigged some way to know whether a signal had been received (intentional or not) to arm the system, and then provide some way to disconnect the solenoids. As they explained, it took a long time for the overheating to occur, plenty enough to break the circuit, even to reconnect just before jumping out. They wouldn't really have to redesign it, just make it possible to tinker with it a bit.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[skyjames 2]

They could have put fuses in the relay circuits.
The locking pin showed they knew errant sigs could set it off.
Who knows why they wouldn't listen, never been to college reason seemed odd.
Then again his two brothers were killed. Who knows.
Still a good watch.

"exit fast, fly smooth, dock soft and smile"
'nother james

[jakee 1,257]

skyjames

Who knows why they wouldn't listen, never been to college reason seemed odd.

"It must work therefore it does work, and don't tell me otherwise!"

This is a well known phenomenon. It's taken down 2 space shuttles.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[BillyVance 34]

wolfriverjoe

Turns out there was a known fault, identified and made known to the chain of command, but ignored. Go figure.

If you were one of Hitler's stooges, would you really want to tell him it's not going to work?

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[wolfriverjoe 1,346]

BillyVance

***

Turns out there was a known fault, identified and made known to the chain of command, but ignored. Go figure.

If you were one of Hitler's stooges, would you really want to tell him it's not going to work?

No, the fault was in the detonating circuit for the Allied drone (B-24 packed with explosives and flown by TV camera).
It was recognized by a technician and when passed up the chain of command, ignored (see jakee's post regarding the Space Shuttle).

The drone blew up shortly after takeoff, killing Joe Kennedy Jr (JFK's older brother).

As it turns out (I looked around a bit), the drones were unmitigated failures. Only one did any real damage, and that was because the controllers lost control of the plane at the last minute and it crashed into the target purely by coincidence.

Ryoder asked about separation (that's what I was looking for). I found that the drone would be at or below 2000ft and the control plane would be up at 20,000. I don't know if that was protocol for the entire flight, so I don't know where the control plane would have been when JKjr's plane blew. But if I was flying a full scale radio control B-24 full of high explosives, I'd be a good safe distance away the entire time.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[BillyVance 34]

Ah... lost my train of thought for a minute... thought you were referring to Hitler's super gun.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Amazon 7]

BillyVance

***

Turns out there was a known fault, identified and made known to the chain of command, but ignored. Go figure.

If you were one of Hitler's stooges, would you really want to tell him it's not going to work?

Breaking my rule.... but here goes....


WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH

[dthames 0]

wolfriverjoe

******

Turns out there was a known fault, identified and made known to the chain of command, but ignored. Go figure.

As it turns out (I looked around a bit), the drones were unmitigated failures. Only one did any real damage, and that was because the controllers lost control of the plane at the last minute and it crashed into the target purely by coincidence.


I saw this in the Navy museum and was surprise. I didn't know it existed. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Interstate_TDR-1_on_display_at_Naval_Aviation_Museum.jpg

It appears that they had some measure of success. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_TDR

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[Rick 67]

very interesting I never new that we had drones way back in the early '40's

You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

[Croc 0]

That was a fascinating show. I find it interesting that we are still finding out things about WWII. The Germans, particularly, were astonishingly adept at warfare, and we Yanks, by contrast, were very clumsy, at first. For example, the Americans couldn't drive Rommel's corps from Africa until we out numbered them 3 to 1 and they ran out of ammo and fuel. Even then we let the Germans get away with all their tanks.

"Here's a good specimen of my own wisdom. Something is so, except when it isn't so."

Charles Fort, commenting on the many contradictions of astronomy