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Technology protection units?

Discussion in 'Other Weapons' started by OpanaPointer, Apr 11, 2010.

  1. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Anybody know if specific units were assigned to retrieve "sensitive" technology from wrecked units such as downed aircraft. Things like the Norden bombsight and radar units?
     
  2. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

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    I do not know. I think everyone is aware of the "X" squadron in Australia that evaluated captured Japanese technology (Airplanes) that, or a form of it, lasted through the Korean War.

    Let me get back to you
     
  3. T. A. Gardner

    T. A. Gardner Genuine Chief

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    No, but the US and British did use commandos, rangers and, specialist technicians with them to capture and evaluate enemy electronics. The Bruneval raid is a good example of this sort of thing. The Germans and Soviets did evaluate techology that was captured in a conventional sense just as everyone else did.
    It is somewhat unique to the British and US that they actually went after enemy electronics specifically to capture and evaluate these.
     
  4. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Were any of the other parties equipped to exploit captured technology to any extent? Opinions solicited.
     
  5. T. A. Gardner

    T. A. Gardner Genuine Chief

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    Everybody examined enemy equipment they captured. But, as far as I know only the US and British in the field of electronics went out of their way to actually mount raids to specifically capture this sort of gear and test it.

    Japan for example test flew captured enemy aircraft regularly as did Germany, Italy, the US and Britain. Japan copied some of their radar systems from captured US and British equipment they found in the Philippines and Malaysia. Their sonar equipment was improved some by capturing several Allied warships that were either sunk in shallow water or abandoned in port after being damaged too badly to escape.

    The Germans discovered microwave radar from wreckage of RAF bombers (Rotterdam). Surprisingly, the Japanese already knew about this radar and were actively working on its operational deployment well ahead of the Germans. Yet, the Germans didn't learn of it from the Japanese.

    I remember reading for example, about Skorzeny showing some of the higher ups in the OKW a captured British Sten gun with a silencer. They were non-pulsed and thought little of it. Skorzeny wanted to copy the idea for his commandos use.

    Even post war this sort of thing has been the norm. During the Cold War both the West and Soviet Bloc regularly sought to get examples of the other side's equipment. The West seemed more interested in this than the Soviets in some areas but both did it.
     
  6. Sentinel

    Sentinel Member

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    Since the Norden bombsight was mentioned, I'd like to bring up a question that has puzzled me.

    This sight was so secret that it was not allowed to be photographed. B-17s on the ground had it covered by a drape so it wouldn't show through the glass nose.

    However, B-17s flew in strict formation, and dropped their bombs when the lead bombardier dropped his. This implies that only the lead plane and perhaps a backup actually needed the Norden sight.

    So, was it policy to send out all B-17s with the sight, and thus increase the risk of the enemy capturing it for no gain in accuracy? Or would the Norden sight have been restricted to only a handful of bombers? I haven't seen this discussed in any of the sources I've read about the B-17.
     
  7. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    I seem to recall that early on every bomber had one, but they weren't too good with using them, so the best bombardiers got the sights and the rest just pickled off when the lead plane did, without the need of a bomb sight.
     
  8. Sentinel

    Sentinel Member

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    Ah, that would clear up the issue. I could be looking at two different time periods.
     
  9. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    The procedures evolved as the war went on for almost everybody.

    Slightly related to this is the famous "bombs fell an average of five miles from the target" report that is quoted so much. The report in question did say this, but it wasn't an end-of-war report, it was a British report from, IIRC, January of 1941. The RAF determined a better system was needed and the "Pathfinders" were implemented. (If I've got that wrong, please advise.)
     
  10. brndirt1

    brndirt1 Saddle Tramp

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    As to the Norden, by the time of the war it had been dropped from "secret" to simply "confidential", and later yet to only "restricted" the lowest level of ranking in the secrecy business.

    Their plans had been stolen by a Norden employee named Lang, and sold to the Third Reich in 1937 for $3000. Goering and the Luftwaffe were dedicated to the dive bombing strategy, and never bothered with them even though they had the plans two years before they attacked Poland. They might well have incorporated some of the Norden workings into their own bombsight, but since they began bombing at night by the end of the Battle of Britain, that is unlikely to have been of much aid. They were using the "crooked leg" (knickebine?) radio guidance system by then.

    The Norden accuracy was another "myth", they were far from that in the conditions of war. In tests in the dry clear air of the American southwest, under perfect conditions of little wind, little cloud cover, and little humidity they were pretty good. In combat conditions in both the European and Pacific theaters even the best of bombardiers (using the Norden), from 20,000 feet, could only get 2/3 of their bombs to fall about 1/5 of a mile or more from their targets.

    See:

    No. 1004: Norden's Bombsight

    The myth of it being highly protected and having self-destruct mechanisms might also be a bit of a stretch.
     
  11. T. A. Gardner

    T. A. Gardner Genuine Chief

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    Don't forget the British STABS bombsight either. And in looking that up I found this:

    NORDEN BOMBSIGHT

    More than you probably wanted to know about the Norden bombsight....
     
  12. Biak

    Biak Boy from Illinois Staff Member

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    I haven't found a definitive answer but believe the recovery of "sensitive items" would fall under the OSS for the Americans. I did find this link on a Marine who could have been used for just this type of mission.
    Marines And The OSS
     
  13. urqh

    urqh Tea drinking surrender monkey

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    As to the evaluation of captured kit..have a look at the RAF TTU and Defford and Pershore bases. Yanks had a detatchment there also and of course Malvern within eyesight.
     
  14. urqh

    urqh Tea drinking surrender monkey

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    Target Force...or T Force...get the book...1945 ignored stoporders and raced into Denmark and German areas not in Allied hands..Some pretty famous names..Wreford Brown Brian Urquhart of Arnhem int fame Flemming of past and future fame ..hospital released guys..shell shock cases..and a mixed bag..R.Marines and Kings regiment. May be at ceseation but some info in there on history of war time missions.. Cold war was aided by this ww2 unit who ignored the allied movements and had but one mission.
     

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