8th Air Force 193 OBOE TEST

25 January 1944

Description

1 B-17 from 482BG is despatched over the city of Aachen, Germany in a test of the OBOE navigation system. Oboe was a British aerial blind bombing targeting system in World War II, based on radio transponder technology.[1] Using triangulation to determine relative location, the system consisted of a pair of radio transmitters on the ground, which sent signals which were received and retransmitted by a transponder in the aircraftt (typically a De Havilland Mosquito or Avro Lancaster). By comparing the time each signal took to reach the aircraft, its location could be calculated to a fair degree. In this way, an aircraft could be directed blindly over a specific target, all of which were pre-calculated and kept on file. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oboe_(navigation). The test equipment failed 3 minutes prior to the target, so the aircraft jettisoned the bomb on the German countryside. The aircraft was slightly damaged by AA fire. There were no losses or claims.

Mission Details

AACHEN

Description: OBOE TEST

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: OBOE Equipment failed 3 minutes prior to the target, but one B-17 dropped anyway.

Lieutenant John C "Red" Morgan of the 482nd Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Lt Red Morgan, Cong, Med of Hon.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 2.00
  • Aircraft sent: 1
  • Aircraft effective: 1
  • Aircraft damaged: 1

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 13-Jan-2016. Added Mission Narrative per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.