Came across this footage as a result of following a link from another thread. It’s just over 4 mins long and quite interesting, in particular the line up of captured aircraft. However at the 3:45 – 3:55 mark there is a shot of three B17’s taxiing and then taking off, any idea what the item is that is clearly bolted to the underside of the fuselage/wing.
By: SqL Scramble. - 12th January 2009 at 20:58
This is the video cover
By: SqL Scramble. - 12th January 2009 at 20:38
That clip comes from a video entitled ‘The Doc Furniss War’. It runs for about an hour or so.
A compilation of clips taken by Capt Furniss on his 16mm cine camera.
An Abbey Collection Video, I don’t think it was a general release, there is a phone number on the casette label, I can’t remember where I got my copy, it was about 10 years ago.
Captain Willam E. Furniss, MD
Flt Surgeon. USAAF
He served with the 327th Sqd. of the 92nd BG at Podington, Bedfordshire 1943 to 1945
I don’t know if it’s available on DVD
By: Mark12 - 11th January 2009 at 17:20
The word from Phil Butler, author of ‘War Prizes’:-
Definitely a 109 belonging to 1426 Flight, as did the Ju 88….
Mark
By: Mark12 - 11th January 2009 at 15:52
“There’s a Spitfire, then another….” Why is it that some narrators/commentators really like the sound of their own voices. He really needs to do some research:diablo:
C6
On freeze frame, that other Spitfire looks more like a captured Me109 in RAF markings to me.
Mark
By: EN830 - 11th January 2009 at 14:28
“There’s a Spitfire, then another….” Why is it that some narrators/commentators really like the sound of their own voices. He really needs to do some research:diablo:C6
I missed the Disney Rocket reference, actually I had the sound turned off as he was sending me to sleep 🙂
By: *Zwitter* - 11th January 2009 at 08:28
This footage is taken from the ‘Doc Furniss War’ the 8mm films of a flight surgeon stationed at Podington, The whole tape can be ordered from East Angia Books. I ‘ve got it but prefer to watch it with the sound off so you don’t get the ‘Harry Enfield annoying man’ commentary!
By: CIRCUS 6 - 11th January 2009 at 07:52
“There’s a Spitfire, then another….” Why is it that some narrators/commentators really like the sound of their own voices. He really needs to do some research:diablo:
C6
By: Wallace - 11th January 2009 at 07:47
Disney swish bomb
Have a look at this from You Tube on the Disney Bonb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3IgDYs9MSk
By: GrahamSimons - 11th January 2009 at 07:31
They are ‘Disney’ rocket bombs and were originally developed by the Royal Navy for use in penetration and destruction of U-boat and E-boat shelters. Weighing 4500 Ib, the Disney bomb was to free-fall after release until the rocket motor ignited at 5,000 feet, propelling the missile to a speed of 2400 feet per second at impact. In tests, a penetration of 20 feet was recorded before detonation.
As the bomb was 14 feet long there was no suitable British aircraft to deliver them. The USAAF was approached for help and in the autumn of 1944, trials were conducted by Operational Engineering from Bovingdon using a B-17G carrying a pair of Disney bombs on the little-used, external hard point wing racks. To prevent oscillation of the bombs on their racks it was necessary to for the pilot to make only gentle manoeuvres – the weight also meant that the aircraft was well above it’s usual bomb-load carried, so a trade-off hand to be made – thus less fuel could be uplifted, so that put the B-17 down on range. Disney Bombs were first used operationally by 92nd Group on 14 March 1945 and in later missions by 305th and 306th Groups as well.
They feature in a number of editions in our Airfield Focus series and in the hardback John Burn One Zero Five which we published a few years ago (copies still available on remainder to forum readers!) 😉
By: stangman - 11th January 2009 at 01:11
According to the audio track they are “Disney Rockets”
http://www.303rdbg.com/bombs.html [halfway down ]
By: Creaking Door - 11th January 2009 at 00:24
Good question…..never seen anything like that before on a B-17!
Since all the aircraft in that take off sequence are carrying them surely they must be either bombs (mines?), fuel tanks (doubtful) or possibly some sort of (flak) radar jamming gear?
Honestly, no idea! :confused:
Sign In
January 10, 2009 at 11:52 pm