How to aim rockets as told to me by my father

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gareez

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My father spent a lot of time in a Beaufighter squadron during WWII. He had many sorties doing anti shipping patrols in the channel during that time.

The Beaus had their 6 .303 machine guns removed and 8 rocket rails installed, the 4 20mm Hispanos in the nose remained.

Aiming rockets was done by firing burst at the ship and watching the fall of shot, correcting left or right and then walking the shells across the ship.
Just as you see the shells arrive at the ships water line you trigger your rockets.

And Always wait 'til your mates are out of the way.

My father on the right, hard to believe he has been gone 20 years now.

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'93 was a really hard year on Dads.

Mine, too: RCAF 1940 - 1946, Instrument Tech, No. 2 B&G, 133 F/S, AID, Chief Inspector (Instruments & Avionics) Aircraft Repair.

We miss them to no end.

And all we can do is salute them.

It is so little.
 
gareez said:
My father spent a lot of time in a Beaufighter squadron during WWII. He had many sorties doing anti shipping patrols in the channel during that time.

The Beaus had their 6 .303 machine guns removed and 8 rocket rails installed, the 4 20mm Hispanos in the nose remained.

Aiming rockets was done by firing burst at the ship and watching the fall of shot, correcting left or right and then walking the shells across the ship.
Just as you see the shells arrive at the ships water line you trigger your rockets.

And Always wait 'til your mates are out of the way.

My father on the right, hard to believe he has been gone 20 years now.

PL19445.jpg


PL33496.jpg


PL33499.jpg


PL41009.jpg
Click to expand...

I believe that the 2 wheeled apparatus near the tail of the Beau is what was known then as a "trolley acc".

Meaning an electrical device (accumulator) {aka, a battery, methinks} mounted on a trolley.

Used for booster starting aircraft engines. The erks would say "Hey, Jock, two six on the trolley acc".

Meaning, hey you gimme a hand to put this bugger in position.
 
smellie said:
'93 was a really hard year on Dads.

Mine, too: RCAF 1940 - 1946, Instrument Tech, No. 2 B&G, 133 F/S, AID, Chief Inspector (Instruments & Avionics) Aircraft Repair.

We miss them to no end.

And all we can do is salute them.

It is so little.
Click to expand...

The early 90's was when most vets hit their mid-70's and for a smoking generation, most did not make it past that. My grandfather died in '95. He was RCEME and his war truly began on D-day plus 1 and ended in Holland.

He'd never talk about it unless he'd had a couple whiskeys late in the evening, and even then ,only if prompted. Most of the stories were not pretty.

To his dying breath, he hated everything German. Guess he knew too many people who died at their hands.
 
Awesome photos of an absolutely great aircraft in action... very powerful, and quite heavily armed I understand.

BRAVO ZULU to your Dad and his Observer for their service to this country.

My old boy always told me he wanted to be posted to Mosquitos or Beaufighters ... but ended up on a Halifax squadron.

Not many of the old guys left, eh? Now the Korean vets are starting to go...

Hope they find the peace they so richly deserve.
 
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