Bat Bomb

25 November 2017, 09:09

[Rurudyne]

Years ago Dave Berry told this true tale, finishing up speculating that the idea could have ended up parachuting Buffalo because of their greater payload capacity.

[Rurudyne]

“Leave us alone, Mel Brooks!”

https://youtu.be/qhmwE0tW6lQ

[MarkL]

The poor little bats...

When I was little, a bat flew into my bedroom one night, and the next morning, my father insisted that I had a nightmare. I insisted, and we found the bat under the curtains.

While bats can carry rabies, they’re among the most voracious predators of flying insects.

Mark

[Ragnar Danneskjöld]

I saw that program recently. The gist I remember was the bombs were extremely effective. The bats would kind of hibernate during transport because of the low temps, then wake up as the canister was released and got nearer to the ground. Dropped in daylight, they would naturally seek out the dark crevices, which tended to be eaves under the roofs of wooden buildings. As I recall, the show claimed the bat bomb's funding got pulled lated in the war because of the success of the Manhattan project.

[yarddog]

I think you stated it more accurately.

Thanks.

[tumblindice]

Bat bomb!

[oldvirginian]

Actually there were many off the wall military projects undertaken during WW2.

The Brits worked on an aircraft carrier made of pykrete, basically wood shavings and ice, to patrol the Atlantic to secure the convoys that were supplying the English war effort.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Habakkuk

People also made fun of Churchhills “funnies”. The tanks outfitted with flails and other things for special circumstances. They laughed until the things proved effective.
Unfortunately Ike gave General Bradley the decision to use the funnies or not.
Bradley declined except for the DD tank.
The American soldiers paid the price for Bradley’s lack of vision.

The “Funnies” were actually designed by Major General Percy Hobart from the lessons learned at Dieppe.

Hobarts Funnies
http://military.wikia.com/wiki/Hobart%27s_Funnies

[dirtymac]

the special purpose was to clear landmines and was very effective. I believe the same process is still in use today in some areas of the world.

[dirtymac]

the special purpose was to clear landmines and was very effective. I believe the same process is still in use today in some areas of the world.

[oldvirginian]

They also had tanks with rolls of canvas that enrolled ahead of the tank to allow it an following vehicles to traverse the sand.

There were tanks with bridging on top to allow tanks and trucks to go over it to traverse gulleys and small streams.
There were flame thrower tanks, ones built to set explosives against walls and bunkers, siege tanks with mortars and a gaggle of others.

The Israelis use the flail and a variation of the hedge buster developed by the US.