Dose any body have photos or drawing of the b-26’s that were at Midway carring torpedos. I would love to build one of these plane but I have know idea what the torpedo rack or makings looked like.
B-25s and now B-26s carrying torpedos…I’m definately learning something new everyday.[:D] Try these sites:
http://hsgalleries.com/b26dm_1.htm
http://www.johngreavesart.com/b26.htm
http://home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b26_4.html
Here is one from the 77th Bomb Squadron, Cold Bay, 1942,
Here is one from the 69th showing the torpedo rack on the bottom.
and another shot showing the torpedo rack
While none of these are the planes used at Midway, it should give you an idea.
Well if you don’t learn something new from everyday.I would have never thought that they used the b-26 as torp.planes at Midway.Digger
I didn’t even know they HAD B-26s at Midway.[:)]
And now you know, the resssssst of the story!
And [#welcome] Michael. Looking forward to any information and experinces that you have. There is plenty of great advice and lots of talent on this site.
My Dad’s WWII outfit, the 22nd Bomb Group sent 2 of the 4 B-26’s to Midway.
http://www.redraiders22bg.com
Sadly, they got no hits. Only 2 crews made it back with airplanes that had been
reduced to flying wreckage.
If you go to the website, look in the “table of contents” for "in the battle of Midway.
Ray
Thank you for the History lesson . Learned something new today… [#welcome]
Glen S
Thanks guy’s I think I am going to like this form.
Mike
I’m going through the same research on the B-25/PBJ-1’s, which had to fly with their bomb doors open while carrying the fish, which the pilots apparently hated because of the tremendous drag/speed penalty making them sitting ducks on run-in to target. Robert from VMB-613 Assn., one of our brothers in plastic, has been invaluable help. I’m trying to tell if the doors on these B-26’s are partially open to allow for the fish to be suspended from the two cables that formed a sling. One end of each cable was let loose simultaneously and the fish dropped away. There was also a fore and aft sway brace in the bomb bay which consisted of a long metal pole that came down from the top of the bay and fit into a hole in the top of the torpedo, keeping it from swaying forward and backward in flight. I’d guess the B-26 mount wasn’t much different, since it was also used the TBM, A-20 (Not operationally, I don’t think) and anything else with a bomb bay.
Tom
Tom,
From the photos posted above, it doesn’t look like the bomb bay doors were open at all; could be artist intereptation/license. You’re right that a wire would probably be needed to arm the fuse prior or during release.
Carl
If I remember correctly torpedoes are not armed by a pin pulled by a wire as in a bomb, but rather by a count of the number of turns made by the propulsion propeller - I believe the wire was used to electrically start the motor in the torpedo prior to launch or dropping.
In fact, the Mk. 13 aerial torpedo did not fully arm until it hit the water and traveled about 300 yards, giving time for a salt-water sensitive plug to desolve and activate the switch that armed the warhead.
Modern dumb bombs, as most of us know, have a wire protruding from the front and rear fuses that runs through the rack to stop the fuse propeller from turning until the bomb is dropped free from the aircraft. The spinner has to turn a certain number of preset times, depended on the planned drop altitude, before the bomb will arm. I was always astonished at how the German scientists could determine exactly how many times the little prop on the front of the V-1 buzz bomb had to turn, while traveling 40 or 50 miles, before telling the motor to cut off and dive the bomb into a city. Of course, it was, thankfully, far from exact science. But just the fact that they got the count close enough to hit London at all amazes me. Does anyone know the formula they used, at least, in a form a liberal arts major could understand?
Tom