Dam Buster Lancaster Spotlights - Page 2 - Aircraft of World War II

ronl · 11-21-2008, 05:34 PM

I have a question regarding the FN5 nose turret on the Lancaster. When the .303 guns were fired, and they certainly were on the Damns Raid, were the empty cases and links collected somehow, or did they just fall to the floor? I have seen a pictures showing the nose full of spent cases and links, but I have also read that canvas bags or a flexible chute was used. I have not seen any photographic evidence of either.

In the case of the Dams Raid, I would think that the bomb aimer would not want a whole bunch of expended cases and links falling down on him during the bomb run.

I hope someone can provide a definitive answer to this question.

Thanks.

Ron

FlexiBull · 02-12-2009, 03:05 PM

The "Dam Buster" film was freebee in one of the Sunday papers in the UK. Never realised they were aimed at a beam angle as well.

I thought they were directly under the aircraft fore and aft.

FlexiBull · 02-12-2009, 04:16 PM

They are remaking the film of the Dambusters, it's due out 2009/2010, and is said to be as accurate as possible.

But there is only one problem, the call sign for the success of the mission was the name of Guy Gibson's dog, "n****r" and this is thought to possibly cause upset in certain parts of the world.

We shall have to wait and see how this is resolved.

Frank124 · 04-03-2009, 04:22 AM

1. Guy Gibson wouldn't have been in a "Strip Club" as the only naked ladies permitted at the time were at the Windmill (which was a variety theatre) and had to stand motionless. The story has a nice ring to it though, the theatre would have been darkened, the naked ladies would get in position then the spotlights would be turned on. Voila! Naked ladies and height keeping at a stroke...

2. I doubt the RAF or FAA would have developed such a means of attacking submarines on the surface at night before the war. Finding submarines on the surface at night required radar and, until ASV and the Leigh Light were developed later in the war, it simply wasn't possible to detect and attack surfaced submarines at night.

antoni · 04-03-2009, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian lanc

with the look of those drawings the tamiya's lights are in the wrong place ! well at least the rear one is

ian.

This is where they should be.

Airframes · 04-03-2009, 02:25 PM

Nice pic Antoni, confirms the A.V.Roe drawings I have somewhere. Incidentally, the idea that the lights were thought up by Guy Gibson isn't quite true. It is thought that he might have mentioned the use of lights, but the system was 'invented' and finalised by the RAE Farnborough. It is very possible that the notion of the lights being seen in a theatre could have been a cover, as with John Cunningham's night vision being attributed to carrots, and, of course, it made a good story line for the movie.

04-03-2009, 02:25 PM	#21
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 11,516	Nice pic Antoni, confirms the A.V.Roe drawings I have somewhere. Incidentally, the idea that the lights were thought up by Guy Gibson isn't quite true. It is thought that he might have mentioned the use of lights, but the system was 'invented' and finalised by the RAE Farnborough. It is very possible that the notion of the lights being seen in a theatre could have been a cover, as with John Cunningham's night vision being attributed to carrots, and, of course, it made a good story line for the movie. __________________

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11-21-2008, 05:34 PM	#16
ronl Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 17	I have a question regarding the FN5 nose turret on the Lancaster. When the .303 guns were fired, and they certainly were on the Damns Raid, were the empty cases and links collected somehow, or did they just fall to the floor? I have seen a pictures showing the nose full of spent cases and links, but I have also read that canvas bags or a flexible chute was used. I have not seen any photographic evidence of either. In the case of the Dams Raid, I would think that the bomb aimer would not want a whole bunch of expended cases and links falling down on him during the bomb run. I hope someone can provide a definitive answer to this question. Thanks. Ron

02-12-2009, 03:05 PM	#17
FlexiBull Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 142	The "Dam Buster" film was freebee in one of the Sunday papers in the UK. Never realised they were aimed at a beam angle as well. I thought they were directly under the aircraft fore and aft.

02-12-2009, 04:16 PM	#18
FlexiBull Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 142	They are remaking the film of the Dambusters, it's due out 2009/2010, and is said to be as accurate as possible. But there is only one problem, the call sign for the success of the mission was the name of Guy Gibson's dog, "n****r" and this is thought to possibly cause upset in certain parts of the world. We shall have to wait and see how this is resolved.

04-03-2009, 04:22 AM	#19
Frank124 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hatfield, England Posts: 2	1. Guy Gibson wouldn't have been in a "Strip Club" as the only naked ladies permitted at the time were at the Windmill (which was a variety theatre) and had to stand motionless. The story has a nice ring to it though, the theatre would have been darkened, the naked ladies would get in position then the spotlights would be turned on. Voila! Naked ladies and height keeping at a stroke... 2. I doubt the RAF or FAA would have developed such a means of attacking submarines on the surface at night before the war. Finding submarines on the surface at night required radar and, until ASV and the Leigh Light were developed later in the war, it simply wasn't possible to detect and attack surfaced submarines at night.