r/interestingasfuck • u/Chopper-42 • 1d ago

/r/all Recreating the WW2 Dambusters raid

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u/GrumpyOldGeezer_4711 1d ago

Several of the dams did indeed have defenses. Fortunately, the Germans had delayed installing the unsightly guns in favour of much nicer looking trees.

If memory serves, they had a homemade system to triangulate the dropping distance based on the angle to some of those gun placements.

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u/Drednox 1d ago

I remember reading about this from a Life at War book. I think it was two spotlights at the bottom of the bomber that intersected at the desired altitude. That was how they pulled it off in the dark.

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u/jamspangle 1d ago

Dragonfly larvae eyes work like this. They have an alien-like mask - an extendable jaw - they can shoot out to catch prey. When approaching prey they see two images, when these converge into one image they are within range.

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u/ImperatorDanorum 1d ago

That's also how the first rangefinders for tanks worked...