Lorenz & Knickebein landing/bombing aid

[robtek]

Afaik you have a guide beam that the plane rides to the target.
Then you have two intersecting beams.
The position of the first beam isn't that important, just a few km before the target.
The second beam however must be placed exactly in the middle between the first beam and the target!
When the plane reaches the first intersecting beam the pilot starts a special stopwatch,
now the speed and altitude must be kept as exact as possible and of course the guide beam must be ridden!
Upon reaching the second intersecting beam the pilot presses a second button on the stopwatch, which now runs backward.
Upon reaching zero the stopwatch! releases the bombs.

[Gerfaut]

Originally Posted by robtek

Afaik you have a guide beam that the plane rides to the target.
Then you have two intersecting beams.
The position of the first beam isn't that important, just a few km before the target.
The second beam however must be placed exactly in the middle between the first beam and the target!
When the plane reaches the first intersecting beam the pilot starts a special stopwatch,
now the speed and altitude must be kept as exact as possible and of course the guide beam must be ridden!
Upon reaching the second intersecting beam the pilot presses a second button on the stopwatch, which now runs backward.
Upon reaching zero the stopwatch! releases the bombs.

robtek, what you describe applies to the X-Gerät used by 3-mast He111H's of KGr.100 (multi-beam concept). This is already an "advanced" system, for the signals are decoded by airborne apparatus, then used by the crew.

The Knickebein is an evolution of Lorenz blind-landing system. It relies on two powerful beams crossing just right over the target.
The first one emitting dash signals, and dot for the 2nd one.
So the typical usage is as follows : when the airborne operator hears a continuous signal, it's time to release bombs, but the latter action is done manually with Knickebein.

So basically, in order to use this bombing aid in COD, we need :
- 1 beam for dot signals
- 1 beam for dash signals
- the possibility to setup the beams properly in the FMB, so the beams can be crossed on map when right on target.
- 1 dot sound
- 1 dash sound
- 1 continuous sound.
(not to mention the possibility to adjust the sound volume when airborne).

Well, I guess it's definitely less difficult than a trip to the moon, isn't it ?!
But it is a perfectly historical aid used by LW crews during the BOB which could be added (or fixed/documented if already added).

[Sternjaeger II]

for further info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorenz_beam