I'd heard about this tactic probably a decade ago on the history Channel but couldn't find anything about it. Was about ready to belive id imagines it. Thank you for preserving this part of history
My Dad was a USMC pilot initially trained as a TBF Avenger pilot, including skip bombing as well as torpedo attacks. Before he was deployed, the Navy had completed their analysis of the Battle of Midway and realized that they needed fighter pilots more urgently than torpedo plane pilots. They then transferred my Dad to VMF-121 training with F4U Corsairs at Mojave California. They qualified for aircraft carrier operations using a new CVE cruising from the Puget Sound where it had just been built which was heading to San Diego. VMF-121 deployed to the Pacific, arriving at Peleliu once the airstrip had been captured.
Were the bombs set to explode on contact with the ship or was there a time delay? If there was a time delay did it start when the bomb hit the water and skipped or when it hit the ship?
Great question. Fuses were set before take-off for either 1, 2, 3, 4 or even 5 second delays. Theoretically, the delay would begin when the bomb hit the ship. However, if one dropped them too slow or from too high, they would go into the water closer to vertical. There was a chance that the impact of hitting the water would start the fuse timer.
Thank-You!
Very well done , thank you!
The details are very interesting, thank you for sharing
I'd heard about this tactic probably a decade ago on the history Channel but couldn't find anything about it. Was about ready to belive id imagines it.
Thank you for preserving this part of history
Fascinating information. I love military history, but I am not a pilot, so your description of flying a mission was VERY informative!
Always happy to see a new post by you and more so this one in that the B-26 is my favorite plane of the conflict.
My Dad was a USMC pilot initially trained as a TBF Avenger pilot, including skip bombing as well as torpedo attacks. Before he was deployed, the Navy had completed their analysis of the Battle of Midway and realized that they needed fighter pilots more urgently than torpedo plane pilots. They then transferred my Dad to VMF-121 training with F4U Corsairs at Mojave California. They qualified for aircraft carrier operations using a new CVE cruising from the Puget Sound where it had just been built which was heading to San Diego. VMF-121 deployed to the Pacific, arriving at Peleliu once the airstrip had been captured.
Were the bombs set to explode on contact with the ship or was there a time delay? If there was a time delay did it start when the bomb hit the water and skipped or when it hit the ship?
Great question. Fuses were set before take-off for either 1, 2, 3, 4 or even 5 second delays. Theoretically, the delay would begin when the bomb hit the ship. However, if one dropped them too slow or from too high, they would go into the water closer to vertical. There was a chance that the impact of hitting the water would start the fuse timer.