[Milsurplus] APN 1 and generic WW 2 acft Nav setup

[C Whitaker]

de WB2CPN                                      2006.03.17

The way a bombardier explained the Norden to me back right
after WWII the autopilot  was not connected to the bombsight.
At least I remember it that way.  I don't recall when "Second
Station" started, but he explained that the bombardier loaded
the bombsight with all the data, and put the crosshairs on the
target after the pilot started his run from the IP.  The
bombsight had a big knob that controlled the crosshairs, and
the trick was to hold the crosshairs on the target.  Pretty soon
the bombsight would do its algorithms and the crosshairs would
pretty much stay on the target without any help.  When the angle
between the target and Vertical was just right, the bombs were released.
Azmuth guidance was passed to the pilot, or  when Second Station
came into being the bombardier had a small handle that connected
to the autopilot rudder control.  Or something like that.  Then
there was that "other bombsight" that never had a good PR.

73  Clete