Operation Crossbow: How 3D glasses helped defeat Hitler (aerial spy photography)

BBC ^ | May 12, 2011 | Jon Kelly

[decimon]

Newly released photographs show how a team of World War II experts disrupted Nazi plans to bombard Britain - with the help of 3D glasses like those in modern cinemas.

Hitler's deadly V-1 and V-2 missiles were early but effective weapons of mass destruction - unmanned flying bombs which brought terror to southern England.

But their impact could have been all the more devastating - costing thousands more lives, lengthening the war and threatening the D-Day landings - were it not for the fact that British intelligence worked in three, rather than two, dimensions.

One of the Royal Air Force's most significant successes came with Operation Crossbow, when it tracked down, identified and destroyed many of the V-weapons which could have prolonged the war.

It did so by meticulously photographing the landscape of occupied Europe in a way that allowed officers to study every contour.

[decimon]

I didn't get the audio portion of the second video.

[decimon]

Fly by ping.

[bmwcyle]

The Brits use to be a great military. It has not be that these days.

[Netizen]

My son that is in college had to write a paper on WWII, by interviewing someone. As it turned out, he interviewed a local man that flew recon and included in the interview were 3D photos. It was pretty cool and the prof really liked them and the interview.

[mountainlion]

This method worked so well that it is still used in mapping and surveying.

[ken5050]

The V-1s and V-2s were terror weapons, and of no use strategically, even tactically, because the guidance systems were all but useless.

Many Spitfire pilots engaged in the game of "tipping" over the V-1s. They would intercept, then pace the rockets, then get their wingtips under the V-1s wing, and raisng their own wing, tip the V-1 over and cause it to dive into the ground, or the Channel.

[Rebelbase]

The remote sensing course I took in college used stereoscope photo interpretation. One of the best classes I ever took.

[TheOldLady]

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[BenLurkin]

Great flick:

[BwanaNdege]

"Stereoscopic photographic views (stereographs) were immensely popular in the United States and Europe from about the mid-1850s through the early years of the 20th century. First described in 1832 by English physicist Sir Charles Wheatstone, stereoscopy was improved by Sir David Brewster in 1849. The production of the stereograph entailed making two images of the same subject, usually with a camera with two lenses placed 2.5 inches (6 cm) apart to simulate the position of the human eyes, and then mounting the positive prints side by side laterally on a stiff backing. "

"View-Master became a popular toy for children from their introduction in 1939."

Anyone remember these?

[The_Media_never_lie]

Wow.

[Rebelbase]

Peenemunde swiss-cheese after the allied bombing raid:

[alexander_busek]

Many Spitfire pilots engaged in the game of "tipping" over the V-1s. They would intercept, then pace the rockets, then get their wingtips under the V-1s wing, and raisng their own wing, tip the V-1 over and cause it to dive into the ground, or the Channel.

Your post doesn't make it quite clear but I assume that you know that no direct physical contact was involved. It was enough to disrupt the aerodynamics and thus cause the V-1s to lose control.

Regards,

[zerosix]

Thought I recognized the name of an “old” movie - George Peppard/Sophia Loren.

[ken5050]

Thanks for the clarification. I wasn’t aware of that fact. I thought they actually came in contact with the wing. What you said obviously seems a lot safer. Do you have any links to stories/sources? Thanks

[El Sordo]

Sure must have been quite a white knuckle moment regardless, eh?

[beaubazzoo]

I was in London during the V1 and V2 phase of World War II.
The V2’s were weird as they landed faster than the speed of sound.
First a house would explode and then you would hear the whine of the V2 descending. Took some getting used to.

[Harold Shea]

My veteternarian lived in England as a child,they

went into the shelter when the sirens sounded,came

out and their home was gone

Those V-1s,no warning

Glad you survived.Hope none of them were close calls

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I have one of those. Was Grandmother’s. Some promotion from Quaker Oats in the early part of last century.

[alexander_busek]

I thought they actually came in contact with the wing. What you said obviously seems a lot safer. Do you have any links to stories/sources?

Wikipedia:

Die V1 hatte eine Fluggeschwindigkeit von 630 km/h. Damit war sie ähnlich schnell wie die damaligen Jagdflugzeuge. Diese konnten nur aus der Überhöhung angreifen, um genügend Geschwindigkeitsüberschuss für einen Angriff zu haben. Anfangs waren nur einige wenige Hawker Tempest schnell genug. Neben dem direkten Abschuss, der für den Piloten wegen der möglichen Explosion des großen Sprengkopfes lebensgefährlich war, entwickelten einige Piloten eine andere Methode, um die V1 zum Absturz zu bringen: Gelang es, den Flügel der V1 mit dem Luftwirbel am Ende der eigenen Tragfläche weit genug anzuheben, wurde der Flugkörper, der kein Querruder besaß, instabil, die Kreiselsteuerung versagte, und die Fi 103 stürzte ab.

Regards,