Simviation Forum - World War II Navigation

Jul 14^th, 2003 at 5:55pm

Scorpiоn Offline
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Quite simply, how did the combat pilots navigate in World War II? I'd like to fly in CFS3 the real way, without that tacky radar in the corner using only my pencil, compass, ruler and map! I tried it before but... you know what happened! Roll Eyes

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Reply #1 - Jul 14^th, 2003 at 6:18pm

ozzy72 Offline
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Most seem to have had a map, the aircraft compass and a good watch (or a clock in the panel).
They worked out their routes and timing beforehand, try reading First Light by Geoffery Wellum, it'll give you an incredible insight. Brave men on both sides doing what they did, and how.

Ozzy

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Reply #2 - Jul 14^th, 2003 at 7:20pm

Crumbso Offline
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almost exactly as most light aircraft pilots have to. As has been mentioned is that you need a map, pencil, watch and a radio. Its not as hard as it looks unless you want to start trying to calculate winds that may affect the timings which in turn means to change your heading. For this you would need a flight computer which is not actually modern its just a piece of plastic. Like a complicated protractor.

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Reply #3 - Jul 14^th, 2003 at 11:45pm

Hogans_Alley Offline
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Aircraft flying off carriers are generally vectored to the target by the ships radar. That's while they're in formation. Heading back is something else as by that time the planes are scattered. Patrol planes often help. Long range bombers on the other hand have navigators on board. Much like the ships they do celestial navigation to keep on course. Radio navigation is a no-no because of radio silence. In between "fixes" they go DR (Dead Reckoning) whereby they select a course based on the last "fix" keeping in mind the drift and change in speed.

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Reply #4 - Jul 15^th, 2003 at 2:16am

BFMF Offline
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Quote:

For this you would need a flight computer which is not actually modern its just a piece of plastic. Like a complicated protractor.

You can get Flight Computers, which are actually small handheld computers that do all the computations for you Grin

But i've got an old fashioned Flight Computer that's all metal Wink

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Reply #5 - Jul 15^th, 2003 at 3:30am

Scorpiоn Offline
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Where can you get flight compters?

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Reply #6 - Jul 15^th, 2003 at 3:59am

Craig. Offline
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any aviation store:)
search online you should be able to find one pretty easly

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Reply #7 - Jul 15^th, 2003 at 4:55am

visitor;AKA:X Ex Member

I asked my Dad about this, He was there!
Dead reckoning was the main way, they used
landmarks, bridges railroad tracks, rivers,
and roads, later on they had a crude radio
direction finder that kept them on course
and they had to calculate their range. It was
very important that the pilot held the plane at
the same speed, any change would have to be
refigured using pencil and paper!!! Also the French
under ground would set fires to aid the planes at
night!

X

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Reply #8 - Jul 15^th, 2003 at 6:01am

packercolinl Offline
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The comp. I've got is a KANE DEAD RECKONING COMPUTER model mk-6b if that's a help at all for a search.

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Reply #9 - Jul 15^th, 2003 at 7:31am

ozzy72 Offline
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X the firelighting by the resistance was only for parachute drops, or agent delivery/collection.
It wasn't a general navigation tool, and on a number of occassions the DZ/LZs were betrayed to the Germans allowing the soldiers/agents to be captured.

Ozzy Wink

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Reply #10 - Jul 16^th, 2003 at 2:12am

Scorpiоn Offline
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Bah, this seems a bit too complicated. My dad won't buy anything over the internet because of identity theft, and I also forgot about where I'd be getting this money. The only times I can ever get anything without working is my birthday and Christmas. I think I'll just whip out the tacky tactical display for now. Roll Eyes

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Reply #11 - Jul 16^th, 2003 at 10:48pm

Hogans_Alley Offline
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??? ??? ??? ???

I did'nt know they had computers during WWII. I believe they used slide rules and/or Abacus to do their calculations. I tend to agree with Visitor AKA-X. Visual land fixes were used extensively such as rivers, railroads, etc. Ships use the Pelorus but this device is not applicable to aircraft over water since they can't see the horizon. Ships also use depth finder comparing reading with the chart.

Hogans Alley

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Reply #12 - Jul 17^th, 2003 at 3:14am

Ivan Offline
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They used astronavigation when flying at night

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Reply #13 - Jul 17^th, 2003 at 3:40am

BFMF Offline
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I did'nt know they had computers during WWII.

Of Course, but only one that I know of. It was called the E.N.I.A.C which was used by the military

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Reply #14 - Jul 17^th, 2003 at 4:09am

Hagar Offline
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??? ??? ??? ???

I did'nt know they had computers during WWII.

Not computers as we know them. The Dalton Dead Reckoning Computer is basically a circular slide rule. http://richard.newell.org/hobbies/KE-E-6B.html
They're still used today but the modern versions are made of plastic.

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Reply #15 - Jul 18^th, 2003 at 12:09am

Felix/FFDS Offline
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You'll want to pick up the latest issue of The Aeroplane... they've been running articles headlining one aspect or another of aviation .. Article 6 of 12 this month is on Navigation...

For an early (pre-1914) flight the pilot had two instruments (one probably a compass) and a rolling map ...

Felix/FFDS

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Reply #16 - Jul 18^th, 2003 at 12:30am

Scorpiоn Offline
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Quote:

a compass and a rolling map ...

Geesh! Glad I'm not trying to emulate that! Tongue

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Reply #17 - Jul 18^th, 2003 at 1:41am

Rifleman Offline
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overgrown models ! "
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Quote:

Of Course, but only one that I know of. It was called the E.N.I.A.C which was used by the military

Well done Andrew, I wouldn't think you were even aware of something that old......I think at the size of it, its hardly a hand-held device capable of being taken aboard any of the WWII A/C.....
Quote:

By today's standards for electronic computers the ENIAC was a grotesque monster. Its thirty separate units, plus power supply and forced-air cooling, weighed over thirty tons. Its 19,000 vacuum tubes, 1,500 relays, and hundreds of thousands of resistors, capacitors, and inductors consumed almost 200 kilowatts of electrical power.

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