The development of skip-bombing

AA,
Have been looking at your photo Squadron 60.
I don't know if this has been covered or not, I read a book a few years ago,
It stated that an Aussie (Sqaudron Leader?) came up with idea to low level attack the japanese. Was successfully putting the idea into effect.
The idea went up to an American General who has been given credit for it.

Does this sound familiar?
Am I, or is this information correct?

Cheers

 

Hi Miles

Not sure what you mean by Squadron 60. However, what you describe sounds like The Battle of the Bismarck Sea where Bull Garing did a lot of the planning/strategising but the Australian involvement (Catalinas, Beaus, Beauforts and Bostons) barely rated a mention when the US reported the success to the world.

Or are you referring to skip-bombing techniques?

 

AA,
I just mentioned the photo on your page (sqaudron 60) as it reminded me of the topic.
You are correct the skip - bombing techniques.

GW

 

LOL, of course, my signature photo. Sorry, I didn't make the connection. It's a slow morning!

I don't recall an Australian being involved in the development of skip-bombing but that's not to say one wasn't and I don't think the idea was new to WWII. There's something, as usual, gnawing at the edge of my memory but I can't place it as yet - something RAAF and very early in the Pacific/SE Asia.

EDIT: It's General Kenney who is "officially" given credit for the development.

 

They say your memory starts going after age 27 you know !! ................ :brick:

I found this ..... does this tell you anything ??

http://steeljawscribe.com/2007/06/29/flightdeck-friday-skipbombing-and-the-bismarck-sea

 

Hi LA & AA,
This is exaclty what I was talking about.
Now I have to find the book I read about the Aussie.
I'll get back to you.

Cheers

 

Seems the British developed it but the Australians and Americans joined in !!

Battle of the Bismarck Sea

The most devastating air attack on shipping since the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 took place in March 1943 in the waters which divide New Guinea from the Bismarck Archipelago. But on this occasion it was Allied aircraft which sank many Japanese vessels.

After suffering a series of reverses in the New Guinea campaign, the Japanese decided to reinforce the Lae and Salamaua area on New Guinea's north-eastern coast with nearly 7,000 men of 51st Division, part of Lt-General Adachi Hatazo's Eighteenth Army. On the night of 28 February 1943 these men, loaded aboard eight transports and escorted by eight destroyers, sailed from Rabaul.

The Americans, however, had been alerted to Japanese intentions by naval ULTRA intelligence and had had time to move their aircraft forward, and even to have a full-scale rehearsal of the tactics to be employed. The convoy was first attacked on the night of 2 March when aircraft of Kenney's Fifth US Army Air Force sank one of the transports and damaged two others. Then at dawn Australian Beaufighters and US bombers attacked again. Some aircraft were equipped for skip bombing, while others had been specially altered for low-level strafing. Out of 37 500 lb. (227 kg.) bombs dropped by the first wave, 28 hit their targets leaving the way for later waves to inflict further damage. After PT boats attacked that night, and bombers finished off two crippled destroyers the following day, only four destroyers escaped destruction. Though 950 survivors reached Lae, and many were rescued by the surviving destroyers, more than 3,660 Japanese troops were killed in the water

 

Cheeky rabbit.

I notice in that URL there is no mention of the 11 Squadron RAAF Catalina that shadowed and bombed the convoy after the Americans lost it in bad weather. The first Beaufort to attack the convoy was from 13 Squadron and did so singularly. The crew had taken off late as they had not been woken so at the time the other Squadron aircraft were turning back, they still had some time to search further. Finding the convoy, they attacked unopposed only to have the torpedo hang up due to a faulty release mechanism. The pilot was Lewis Hall DFC who had also flown Hudsons with 13 Squadron and was one of the last aircraft to leave East Timor...he arrived in Darwin and was coming out of the shower when the Japanese bombed the city and its harbour. Learnt about Lewis in Michael Veitch's Flak - have the book, haven't read it, but have listened to the book on CD about 10 times!

 

Before we get carried away talking about the Bismarck Sea - http://ww2chat.com/forums/pacific-air-war/1337-battle-bismark-sea.html

Also, there's an interesting American pilot we discussed a while ago:
http://ww2chat.com/forums/obituaries/398-john-philip-jock-henebry-rip.html

 

Early use of skip-bombing over Malaya. The crew names are Australians from 1 Squadron (which makes sense since they're flying Hudsons!...I'm having a good day...).

Singapore Burning, Colin Smith, war correspondent, expert on military history

Annie, interestingly, Dowie was the first Australian POW of the Japanese and ended up on the railway. How's that for coincidence and six degrees of separation?! Will post his service bio in the bio section as it makes for good reading.

 

Just as an aside I don't know the names of these men .... I just know they are Australian !hwell:

Burma/Thailand Railway

Shimo Sonkurai No. 1 Camp Probably Australian POW's snap taken by George Aspinall in 1943 on The Line.

Heres Don Dowie

Prisoners of War of the Japanese 1942-1945

 

Though, off the top of my head, I can't state who developed/perfected aerial skip-bombing, the idea of "skipping" was not new. It was used during Nelson's time when it was discovered that bouncing cannon balls between the ships meant that they hit at the water level, this causing damage and the possibility of flooding. It was this idea that lead Barnes Wallis to develop the bouncing bomb - and not skipping stones on ponds as implyed in the Dambusters film.

 

Flight Magazine July 20th, 1943

 

Fascinating comment re Hurribombers at the bottom of that attachment, Kyt. Hmm...

 

That's why I posted it

 

uh oh .... look what I found !! :clapping:

Indian Air Force | RIAF Water Colours by Capt H H Sheldon [www.bharat-rakshak.com]

 

From a 1945 issue of Flight:

cab rank | bombs | tiddim road | 1945 | 1442 | Flight Archive

Hurribomber skip-bombing is mentioned under the heading 'Impact and DA bombs'. The whole article appears to be a good explanation of close-support in the Far East and mentions an oft-forgotten aircraft, the Vengeance.

Wow, stunning work. Thanks Annie. There's something about Hurris in Burma...

 

I hadn't seen those before. Thanks Annie

 

A couple of interesting threads were posted on this in 2007. One for Bull Garing and the other "The Battle of the Bismark Sea".

http://ww2chat.com/forums/pacific-air-war/1337-battle-bismark-sea.html

http://ww2chat.com/forums/biographi...-garing-cbe-dfc-dsc-usa-raaf-1910-2004-a.html

 

Well done All.
Annie, from what I can discover you are correct, The British began the skill.
Cheers

Edit:
You people are way too fast for me.
What are your sources?
Do you have super computers?
Or other "special" powers. Ha Ha.
Love the info on the Hurribombers.

Cheers