205th BG 150 Sqd night shots

[MW Giles]

Interesting but the method used in RAF night bombers was simpler.

The photoflash was dropped with the first bomb and because of its ballistic properties trailed behind the a/c further than the bombs did. Therefore if the aircraft was flying level the actual flash would not appear on the film, just the reflections from the ground. The photoflash was on a time fuse, which like everything, was subject to an error. Rule of thumb was +/- 3.5 seconds at 20,000ft.

Once the camera control was activated, approx 8 sec before the flash was due to go off two new frames were exposed and wound into the camera magazine taking 3 or 4 seconds and leaving frame 4 to capture the image from the photoflash with an 8 second exposure time. Two more frames were then wound through automatically, hopefully getting the image of the flash from the bomb bursts on frame 6. The sequence was then repeated to ensure that frame 6 was safely in the camera magazine. The exposure time allowed for the error in the timing of the fuse.

The 8 sec length of exposure of each of the wanted frames (4 and 6) is why we get the fire tracks and swirling lights on the image from flak and search lights and the aircraft moving about.

If you want to read more there is a chapter in "Bomber Intelligence" by WE Jones, he was an Intelligence Officer in 1 Group

Regards

Martin

[RSwank]

These photoflash bombs only burned for 1/5 of a second or so. They were like a flash bulb. They were not used as target markers. Each was only used for taking a single night picture. They were dropped from 10,000 feet and exploded at a lower altitude.

The bombers stayed on course so they were "over" the target when the flash went off, which was "timed out" to be at the same time that the explosive bombs exploded on the target. I think they were essentially trying to get a single "Strike Attack Vertical" shot, but taken at night.

Here is the location showing the rather distinctive shape of the spit of land.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/43...99!4d25.970413

The oil tank targets were located a little to the NE, right along the river bank starting where the "spit" meets the main bank of the river. It looks like today it is just a long narrow field with a series of circular patterns on the ground where the oil storage tanks were.

[edwest2]

Interesting. The cameras used are identified here:



"In Britain, the small F24 (5x5 image) and the derivative but much larger F52 (8.5x7) aerial cameras dominated, the former being used mostly for night photography with the aid of flash bombs. Up to 40-inch lenses were fitted. These cameras had shutter-in-focal-plane, whereas U.S. cameras standardized on shutter-between-lenses, claiming this reduced distortion."





Ed

[researcher111]

Martin,Swank

Interesting mehods , was this method used by the 2nd SAAF Wing as
well ? Going into pure stats during the summer months of June and July
when the WX was suitable for such ops the 205th lost 13 bombers
mainly to Luftwaffe night fighters based in Bucharest and Bulgaria which
brings me to the conclussion that the use of such flare enabled the German
and Romanians to easely aquire and track their hunt .

Two things which I am still not clear on, is regarding the 60th SAAF recon
squadron which also flew some PR missions and yet did not use the method
probably due inability for the Mosquitos to carry such type of payload .I am
even not certain if the 15th AF on their very rare night B-24's and B-17 PR
missions ever used this British method. The night shot attached is this of
Toretta taken at night by the same group of rather very good quality.

Second attachment is a excellent recon night shot of a bridge in Craiova
Rom , by the 60th SAAF Sqd and relatively at lower alt prob 2000 ft aprox
at 23:30 hrs ,it gives the feeling was taken with modern nowadays NVG
recon cam which make me conclude they may have used similar systems.

Can anyone locate and overlap this Craiova bridge with google map ?

Cheers
Alex K

PS : Edwest ,thanks for your contribution

[edwest2]

You're welcome, Alex.


The Mosquito was equipped with the photoflash bomb.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...IWM_C_4998.jpg





Ed

[researcher111]

Thanks Ed !!!

[RSwank]

Your 2nd Photo above is labeled Filiasi not Craiova. On the night of 7/8 May, two Wellingtons, each carrying one 4000 lb bomb tried to attack the RR bridge af Filiasi. One plane was shot down, this photo must be from the other plane. I think location is the older RR bridge here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/44...95!4d23.454995

I looks like today there are two adjacent RR bridges and a new highway bridge to the south.

[researcher111]

You are definitely right my error is Filiasi and thanks for the Google stuff ,however Filiasi is very near to Craiova. On night of 7/8 May 44 5 x Wellingtons and one SAAF B-24 were lost out of which one over Yugoslavia on the leg back .Do you by chance know who was the crew of the downed aircraft and where exactly was it shot down, this because the crash sites on my data base are not in proximity of Filiasi . Also note the PR shot was taken rather low at about 2'000 ft . My data base shows that indeed 60th PR Sqd did not fly on that night to Romania therefore I had to rectify the shot's origin.

[edwest2]

Perhaps this book can offer additional insight. Interesting how name changes occurred.


http://www.amazon.com/Mosquito-Photo.../dp/1855328917


I do not own it, but use the Look Inside feature.



Best,
Ed

[stefaan]

Hi.
60 sqn SAAF did not operate at night.
Stefaan