Norden Bombsight Vaults

Norden Bombsight Vaults. . , The concrete vaults in front of you were used to secure the TOP SECRET Norden Bombsights used to train the bombardiers in bomb sight operation and maintenance. The Norden was a computerized bomb sight that was an important part of World War II strategy to defeat the Axis forces. The vaults were listed in the National Register of Historic Places on September 25, 2012 and restoration is in progress by the B-29 Museum. Photos show a close up picture and the Norden Bombsight mounted in the nose of a B-29. , These vaults, which were constructed during the build-up of the Pratt Army Air Field in 1942-43, are an important remnant of the war as they provide an example of how the US Military secured equipment classified as secret during World War II. The first two-vault building was built to support a squadron with twelve aircraft. When the squadron expanded to a bomb group of four squadrons, five vaults were built and enclosed in a wood-frame building which is no longer standing. , Developed in the 1920's by American engineer Carl L. Norden for the US Navy, these instruments were a key component in conducting precision strategic bombings during the war. As noted by author Charles Bright, "Precision bombing required meticulous control; to accomplish this, the Norden incorporated a gyro stabilized automatic pilot. The mechanism was modified in 1941 by the Minneapolis Honeywell Company and designated the Army C-1 autopilot. This modification enabled a bomber to be flown on a straight, level course, giving the bombardier a steady platform on which to operate the bomb sight during the bombing run. Also known as the 'Blue Ox', the Norden could quickly calculate and correct directional changes due to wind drift. Flying at a preset altitude, it could rapidly compute the correct bomb release angle for a constant speed of closure to the aiming point." This was one of the first uses of the computer in world war two. Under optimal conditions on an undisturbed run, the accuracy of the device was excellent. However, any last-second changes in the altitude or angle of the bomber, such as those encountered during battle, could markedly influence the accuracy of the sight. , Text by David Stitt, Virginia Hoover and Jim Bowman , Photos from, avweb.comShare, en.wikipedia.orgShare, freepages.rnilitary.rootsweb.anestry.comShare , Credit: Charles D. Bright, Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Air Force (New York Greenwood Press, 1992) , Funded in part by a grant from the Recreational Trails Program, administered by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. , Sign frame by Pratt Well Service, Skaggs Ace Hardware and B29 Museum , Sign by Lowen Sign, Hutchinson, KS