Albert Pardini Book

 

This book published in 1999 may interest you. An excerpt from their flyer says: "This book is the first detailed volume to cover the famous Norden Bombsight (NBS), which was one of the most secret weapons used before and during World War II by the United States.  The NBS was again called to duty in 1967-68 in the Vietnam War, before it was phased out. This is its complete history."

Over 70 b/w photographs, line art
352 pages, hard cover
ISBN:0-7643-0723-1
$29.95
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Rd.
Atglen, Pa 19310

Available at Amazon.com and eBay.  Also available at the Wilton, CT Library. You should be able to get it by Inter Library Loan.

The author, Albert Pardini, was in charge of a bombsight repair and modification facility all through the war and continued his interest by collecting various models and accssories. He spent the last nine years reading all the material in the several archives in the U.S. and then weaving the bits and pieces to produce this history of the Norden sight. He starts with a laymen's look at the bombing problem, various approaches to solving it and follows the history of the sight from 1922 through 1945. Although frustrated by large gaps in the available material, he was able to put together an array of details no where else to be found. It is not a literary masterpiece but does present without the usual hype a great amount of detail.

Here's a presenation of the various controls and features as taken from the "Bombadier's Information File" courtesy of Mr. Pardini.

1. Leveling Knobs
2. Caging Knob
3. Eyepiece
4. Index Window
5. Trail Arm and Trail PLate
6. Extended Vision Knob
7. Rate Motor Switch
8. Disc Speed Gear Shift
9.Rate and Displacement Knobs
10. Mirror Drive Clutch
11. Search Knob
12. Disc Speed Drum
13. Turn and Drift Knobs
14. Tachometer Adapter
15. Release Lever
16. Crosshair Rheostat
17. Drift Scale
18. PDI Brush and Coil
19. Autopilot Clutch Engaging Knob
20. Autopilot Clutch
21.Bombsight Clutch and Engaging Lever
22. Bombsight Clutch
23. Bombsight Connecting Rod
24. Autopilot Connecting Rod