Radar Observers' Bombardment Information File (ROBIF)

In the fall of 1943, the British debuted the H2S radar, nicknamed Home Sweet Home. This technology was a means for bombardiers to find their targets at night or through overcast clouds. Up until that point, bombardiers generally had to see their targets to hit them. The United States developed its own version of the radar, named H2X. It was nicknamed Mickey for Mickey Mouse, which was not intended to belittle it.

Although radar had been invented, it was still a crude and mistrusted technology early in the war. H2X radar would have been the latest modern technology in 1945. In actuality H2X was not very precise. It was better suited to area bombing than to precision bombing.

Authors:

• none listed

Published:

• July 1945

Categories:

• Armament
• Bombardment
• Training
• Radar
• Aircraft, Equipment

Locations:

Contributors:

• Mike Voisin

Repositories:

• Private Collection

Related Items:

• 000022: Bombardiers' Information File (BIF)
• 000021: Navigators' Information File (NIF)
• 000145: Radar Photography
  AAF Manual 95-101-1
• 000146: Radar Photographs
  From the Photograph Album of John E. Voisin
• 000148: Pilots' Information File (PIF)

Collections:

• John E. Voisin

Direct Link (Item 000023):

• https://aafcollection.info/items/list.php?item=000023

Citation:

• Army Air Forces Collection, "Radar Observers' Bombardment Information File (ROBIF)" (item 000023), AAF Collection, https://AAFCollection.info/items/list.php?item=000023 (accessed 25 April 2024).

Added: January 31, 2007

	Judging by the cover, there is no doubt this training manual targeted Tokyo, Japan. This is the complete document, including the sections detailed below. 37.2Mb 196 pages; PDF (.pdf) Original item: Book; 8.5 x 11 inches
	Table of contents and front matter.
	Section 1: General Crew Coordination; Security Measures; AAF Form 38;
	Section 2: Radar Equipment AN/APQ-13 Radar System; Control Box; Computer Box; Azimuth Control Box; Synchronizer Unit; Range Unit; Antenna Equipment; Range Unit Calibration; Tuning; Operation; Maintenance; Block Diagram; Circuit Diagram; AN/APS-15A Radar System; Receiver-Indicator; Control Unit; Range Unit; Comuter Box; Calibration; Tuning; Operation; Beacon Operation; Maintenance; AN/APQ-5B Auxiliary Radar System; Control Box; Tracking Unit; Indicator; Operation; Maintenance; Operational Differences APS-15, APS-15A, APQ-13;
	Section 3: Auxiliary Radar Equipment Loran; AN/APN-4 Radio Set; AN/APN-9 Radar Set; AN/APN-1 Radar Altimeter; SCR-718 High-Altitude Absolute Altimeter; SCR-695A Mark III IFF Airborne Transponder; SRC-729A Radar Set; AN/APN-2 Radar Set; AN/APS-13 Tail Warning Radar; Flux Gate Compass;
	Section 4: Radar Navigation PPI Scope; Radar Fixes; E-6B Computer Method; Form Method; Computer-Drum Chart Method; Determining Groundspeed, Wind and Drift; Target Timing; Racon Navigation; Radio Navigation Aids;
	Section 5: Radar Bombing The Bombing Problem; Radar Bombing Equipment; AN/APQ-13 Computer; AN/APS-15A Computer Box; AN/APQ-5B Tracking Unit; Direct Bombing; Coordinated Bombing; Inherent Errors; Bombing Tables;
	Section 6: Radar Bombing Procedures Preparation for the Bombing Run; Drift Correction Methods; Maximum Scope Defintion; Procedure Turns; The Bombing Run; Low-altitude Bombing (LAB); H2X; Computer-out Bombing Procedure; High-altitude Bombing (HAB);
	Section 7: Radar Intelligence Mission Planning; Radar Intelligence Procedures; Radar Reconnaissance; Pathfinder Charts; Negative Relief Maps; Relief Maps; Supersonic Predictor; Bombing Assessment;
	Section 8: Radar Photography General Principles; Procedures; O-6, O-7 and O-8 Radar Cameras; O-5 and O-11 Automatic-recording Cameras; O-9 and O-10 Radar Cameras;
	Index and back matter.