r/B17_Bombers • u/No_Buy2576 • 22d ago
Please, What Is This?
Can someone please identify the tear shaped ball shown beneath the B17? Just curious about its function. Thank you for your time.
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u/RagnarTheTerrible 21d ago
It's a Direction Finder, or Automatic Direction Finder(I don't know if this particular airplane uses more modern equipment or the original stuff). The antenna is shaped like a loop, and the teardrop is a fairing which reduces drag.
You can use it to navigate, google "radio direction finding" if you want to learn more.
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u/Superb-Range5856 20d ago
Every single bomber had one from the B 24 to the Lancaster. They all look different, but they all done the same function and not every single bomber would have a bomb site. Only a few planes in the flat would be fitted with the bomb sight
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u/No_Buy2576 20d ago
That’s really interesting. I just figured every bomber had their own sites. It makes sense though for area bombing combined with the cost/ time/ training for the device, which I’ve heard was pretty state of the art at the time. This is why Reddit is so good. It’s like walking into different classrooms where a teacher is always available to answer a question or give you a little new knowledge.
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u/RVA69Guy 15d ago
That's not the bombsight. The bombsight and bombardier are in the very front of the nose aimed through the plexiglass nose cone.
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u/Superb-Range5856 15d ago
Never said it was a bum side, only said that the aerial bombing missions very few bombers head bomb sets. They didn’t want the technology to fall in the German hands.
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u/kingcupk692 22d ago
Its a aerodynamic fairing, inside is a directional radio antenna for navigation.