Yes this is what I wrote, the bomb was GUIDED with the rail to avoid the propellor.

I think people are saying the same thing, just in a different way :).

BTW, I had no idea any 0other aircraft had something similar. Advances made during the war never cease to amaze me. War is terrible, but it brings out a certain level of "inventiveness", just look at the aircraft development from pre-war through the end.

Splitter

I think this device was standard in most dive bombers, for example the SBD Dauntless: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A_...land,_1943.jpg

I'm not sure about the D3A Val however, the pictures i found were not clear enough. I didn't look thoroughly to be honest, just a quick search, so others might be able to find more information :-P

Of all the footage I have watched of WWII planes over the years, I have never noticed that before!

I guess it is true that it's what you learn after you know it all that really counts lol. Awesome find. You guys are WWII aircraft nerds and I mean that in the BEST way.

Splitter

It may have been the case in other dive bombers as well, but most of those could not dive in the same vertical (90 degrees)way the Stuka did, the guidance system was really necessary to avoid smashing the bomb in the propellor, in other dive bombers this was not completely necessary as they could not stabalize or get the plane in to a full 90 degrees position, more like a safety maganism for those divers.

Extract from wiki

"The Vengeance and Dantless were both very good but could dive no more than 60 or 70 degrees. The Stuka was in a class of its own"

Yeup, sounds like everyone was thinking the same thing, just using the wrong words! ;)

The SBD Dauntless used the exact same "trapeze" method as well.

PS, I heard it called a "cradle" :D

LOL, yeah!

"New Russian fighter" = Mig 15!!1!one!

Then showed new Stuaks, that looked much like He 111 and Bf 109! D'OH!

Yeah, I finally got to watch that with sound today....new Russian fighter. I've watched a few "All you want to know" on youtube....they leave a lot to be desired. Maybe it's just a function of limited time, but they leave some wrong impressions.

No excuse for the Mig though lol

Splitter

This one do ????



http://lh6.ggpht.com/_qJnzSrKGFs4/SE...E/DSC02305.jpg

No Val's currently exist - what you're looking at is a modified Vultee Valiant used to shoot movies :grin:

However, they did use a trapeze system.