I’ve been reading various books about RAF Bomber Command. Book titles such as Dresden, Mailey Le Camp, Lancaster etc. It would appear that an RAF Bomber Mission, lets assume a large scale raid, would comprise the following;
Master Bomber – an aircraft or aircraft that circle the target at low level and direct the Pathfinder squadrons.
Pathfinder Squadrons – One or more Pathfinder squadrons who mark the various targets with instructions from the Master Bomber.
The Bomber Squadrons – Aircraft that are ordered to bomb a particular colour of Marker TI’s from the Master Bomber, and / or Pathfinder squadrons.
What I am interested in is what happens (or did it happen?) if the Master Bomber (is this one or more aircraft) is destroyed?
Take this scenario. The Master Bomber is destroyed. How does the secondary Master Bomber (if he exists) take over control?
If all the master bombers are destroyed what happens to the Pathfinders? Do they just mark the targets randomly?
How does the Bomber Stream know what to bomb if the master bombers are destroyed. Are they just bombing targets of opportunity? Or does the Pathfinder Squadrons take command of the main force?
I gather this scenario may never have happened as I have not heard of the Master Bombers being destroyed but I guess it could have happened?
By: bazv - 31st December 2012 at 19:58
Yes it is titled ‘Night Bombers’
By: hampden98 - 31st December 2012 at 19:54
Malcolm has recently listed an interesting colour video of a typical Lancaster bombing raid which includes master bomber references:
That’s an amazing film. Particularly interesting that the engine change seems very `matter of fact`. Watch as the engine swings between the ground crew. I bet that crane driver has done that a few times.
Is the film available to buy?
By: BlueRobin - 31st December 2012 at 19:23
Looks a good book to get? Big difference in price between Kindle and iBooks.
By: Moggy C - 31st December 2012 at 19:13
Darmstadt centre was extensively damaged during one particular raid.
11 September 1944 – 226 Lancaster + 14 Mosquito of 5 Group
Moggy
By: SimonDav - 31st December 2012 at 17:19
Darmstadt centre was extensively damaged during one particular raid. Something I was reminded on occasion by my German colleagues during the many years I worked there. One of my farewell gifts was a ‘then and now’ book.
Malcolm has recently listed an interesting colour video of a typical Lancaster bombing raid which includes master bomber references:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujLVIlESNGE
DAI
Max Hastings profiles the Darmstadt raid that did the heavy damage in his book ‘Bomber Command’.
By: Arabella-Cox - 31st December 2012 at 17:17
Darmstadt centre was extensively damaged during one particular raid. Something I was reminded on occasion by my German colleagues during the many years I worked there. One of my farewell gifts was a ‘then and now’ book.
Malcolm has recently listed an interesting colour video of a typical Lancaster bombing raid which includes master bomber references:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujLVIlESNGE
DAI
By: WZ862 - 31st December 2012 at 16:30
According to Martin Middlebrook’s Introduction to “The Everlasting Arms -The War Memoirs of Air Commodore John Searby DSO DFC” Searby was the first master bomber when he directed the bombing at Peenemunde on 17 August 1943. Chapter eight of the book describes the preparation for the raid and the deputy master bombers W/C Johnny Fauquier and W/C John White. A “dry run” for Peenemunde was the 12 July 1943 raid to Turin where Searby was given the role of “master of ceremonies” so named by his AOC AVM Don Bennett. This raid is described too in the book which was published by William Kimber in 1988. ISBN 07183 0680 5.
By: Eddie - 30th December 2012 at 14:56
The Master Bomber concept came about in mid to late 1943. The idea was that he would circle the target to be in a position to establish which markers were correctly located, and when creepback was occurring. To keep control over what was going on, rather than confronting crews with scattered markers and no indication of which were accurately placed.
Given that the raids were fully briefed and timed, the absence of the Master Bomber was not necessarily going to stop the bombing, but it would likely have a negative effect on the results.
5 Group was a special case, in that it was something of a “force within a force” – they had their own tactics, and their own pathfinder units.
Different rules also applied when small forces were sent out to attack precision targets (e.g. V-1 sites).
By: hampden98 - 30th December 2012 at 14:44
Darmstadt:
An attack on the night of 25/26 August 1944 by No. 5 Group RAF was a failure. The Master Bomber had to return to base and his deputies were shot down en route. The pathfinder “Illuminating Force” flares were dropped too far to the west. As a result, most of the Main Force did not bomb at all, with a number diverting to bomb Russelsheim instead. 95 buildings were hit in Darmstadt and 8 people were killed by the scattered bombs which did hit the town.
This from Wiki – I haven’t the time right now to cross-check it
Moggy
Interesting. So if the Master Bombers are destroyed the bombing mission is effectively defeated.
By: Moggy C - 30th December 2012 at 14:21
Darmstadt:
An attack on the night of 25/26 August 1944 by No. 5 Group RAF was a failure. The Master Bomber had to return to base and his deputies were shot down en route. The pathfinder “Illuminating Force” flares were dropped too far to the west. As a result, most of the Main Force did not bomb at all, with a number diverting to bomb Russelsheim instead. 95 buildings were hit in Darmstadt and 8 people were killed by the scattered bombs which did hit the town.
This from Wiki – I haven’t the time right now to cross-check it
Moggy
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December 30, 2012 at 2:12 pm