Bombsight
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A bombsight is a device used by bomber aircraft to assist in the task of accurately dropping bombs on a ground target. Although it could be as simple as a set of crosshairs, the term generally refers to more complicated devices that allow correction for various factors that affect the ballistic trajectory of the dropped ordnance. These include, but are not limited to, the altitude, airspeed, and heading of the aircraft, the wind, and the aerodynamic properties of the specific bomb. The Norden bombsight, used by the Allies in World War II, brought all of these factors together and was a major technical achievement that for the first time enabled high-precision, high-altitude bombing under certain conditions.
Beginning in the 1950s, more modern bombsights replaced the analog computer in the Norden with electronic ones, and became increasingly integrated into the weapons system of the host aircraft. They may be controlled by the pilot directly and provide information through the heads-up display or a video display on the instrument panel. The specific functions of the bombsight are further blurred as bombs with in-flight guidance, such as laser-guided bombs or those using GPS replace "dumb" gravity bombs.
 |
This weapon-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
