fitzee Posted 3 May , 2007 Share Posted 3 May , 2007 Can someone please explain what the scope on the side of the DH9 cockpit was used for. Was it a navigational aid or a gunsight/bombsight? I recently saw a photo of a Camel with one mounted on. Sorry I'm having computer trouble so I can't attach a photo but you should know what I'm talking about Fitzee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Roberts Posted 3 May , 2007 Share Posted 3 May , 2007 From memory, a type of bombsight. I'll see if I can find out more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 4 May , 2007 Share Posted 4 May , 2007 Fitzee If you mean the tube shown just ahead of the pilot's position and adjacent to the windscreen in the photograph below, it's the Aldis gunsight for the Vickers machine gun. There was also a ring and bead sight for those occasions when there wasn't time to use the Aldis. Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fitzee Posted 4 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 May , 2007 Thanks Gareth. I can imagine it was tricky to use with the engine vibration and the fact that the DH9 was so slow. In one of my Grandfathers CITAR, he reported that the machine in the formation that was attacked turned to face the attacker so he could fire at him with his front gun.An unsuccessful attempt as he was shot down and both airmen killed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Roberts Posted 5 May , 2007 Share Posted 5 May , 2007 From memory, a type of bombsight. I'll see if I can find out more. If you mean the tube shown just ahead of the pilot's position and adjacent to the windscreen in the photograph below, it's the Aldis gunsight for the Vickers machine gun. Sorry, I overlooked the obvious here. I thought there was a type of downward-angled bombsight as well. But the Aldis gunsight was the one that was standard on all these aircraft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 5 May , 2007 Share Posted 5 May , 2007 I thought there was a type of downward-angled bombsight as well. There must have been something else on the Dh 9 and 9a of this sort as the reason for the positioning of the pilots position on the Dh4 had been to give the pilot the best possible forward and downward view for bombing (deHaviland was very hot on visibility in general hence the odd configuration of the Dh5 fighter) and this was destroyed when the cockpit was moved backwards - the lower wings obstructing the view. However I've never seen any details of the Dh 9 bomb sight (the same problem would apply to the American built Dh 4b). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fitzee Posted 5 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 May , 2007 Mr.Black,whose team restored the DH9 now at the Imperial War Museum informed me that a CD with a compilation of the restoration and and subsequent roll-out will soon be available to the public for a small charge. I will be sure to let the GWF know when it becomes available I believe the DH9 was the first aircraft to house its bombload inside the fuselage so I'm sure the bombsight was redesigned to accommodate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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