WW2's best kept secret- the proximity fuse

[MightyGiants]

Due to its secrecy, this major technological breakthrough rarely gets any discussion even among military history buffs.   It was so secret that it wasn't even called a proximity fuse but rather a VT (variable timed) fuse.   I am going to post a link to the excellent article, but I will give you my quick take.   

When trying to shoot down an aircraft, there are two ways to do it.  One is to hit it with a projectile which is what 50 cal, 20 mm, and 40 mm AA weapons attempt to do.   With larger shells like 3", 5", and 6" the idea was to explode near the plane and the shrapnel would rip up the aircraft (although there was the occasional lucky shot that hit an aircraft).   Most of the times the fuses were timed to explode at a certain altitude based on guess or radar information as to where the aircraft were flying. 

The other thing to consider is that WW2 was the air of tubes in electronic devices.  Not the hardiest of items and shells take quite a physical beating when shot out of a weapon.   

So it was quite the coup when the US developed a means to detonate shells as they neared an aircraft.  Suddenly those 5 inch shells ships were sending up at aircraft became devastatingly effective.   These shells could be used in ground-based artillery as well with the proximity allowing shells to detonate before hitting the ground making them much more deadly.   Interestingly enough this use was delayed in Europe out of fear of duds being captured and reversed engineered.   

Anyway here is the article

https://www.historynet.com/proximity-fuze.htm

[Bob In PA]

A lot of brilliance rose to the surface during the WWII era, and this one is certainly in the top five, probably top three.  Bob

[MightyGiants]

A lot of brilliance rose to the surface during the WWII era, and this one is certainly in the top five, probably top three.  Bob

It's tough to rank the greatest science and engineering achievements of the war.  In no order here are some of the top ones (in my opinion)

Fission Bombs (atomic bomb)
Proximity Fuse
Cruise Missle (V-1 rocket)
Ballistic Missle (V-2 rocket)
Jet engine
Radar


I am not sure how I would rank them

[Bob In PA]

It's tough to rank the greatest science and engineering achievements of the war.  In no order here are some of the top ones (in my opinion)

Fission Bombs (atomic bomb)
Proximity Fuse
Cruise Missle (V-1 rocket)
Ballistic Missle (V-2 rocket)
Jet engine
Radar

I am not sure how I would rank them

Rich: I'm not sure either... that's why I didn't offer any specifics. LOL  I

'll add the general topic of code-breaking (particularly Enigma - popularized in a movie - but there were others as well, and many "heroes" whose names most people do not know).

Here's one link.  There are many.

Bob

https://www.historynet.com/two-of-world-war-iis-greatest-codebreaking-achievements-shared-a-remarkable-common-element.htm

[LennG]

Whatever we were and did develop, the German scientists were better. Lucky for us, that they didn't have more time to work, or we would have been second with our A-Bomb.

That is why many of them, all Nazi's received immunity from prosecution when they all came here to work as US scientists after the war. To be honest, our space program was dependent on them.

But that is a topic for discussion later, whether or not they should have been granted immunity and brought here to work for us, instead of being prosecuted for war crimes et al.

[MightyGiants]

Whatever we were and did develop, the German scientists were better. Lucky for us, that they didn't have more time to work, or we would have been second with our A-Bomb.

That is why many of them, all Nazi's received immunity from prosecution when they all came here to work as US scientists after the war. To be honest, our space program was dependent on them.

But that is a topic for discussion later, whether or not they should have been granted immunity and brought here to work for us, instead of being prosecuted for war crimes et al.

America and the rest of the free world were lucky that Albert Einstien was Jewish.    Imagine if he was helping Germany instead of the US.  From what I know Einstien didn't contribute to the actual building of a working bomb, but rather he used his clout to get the US to take the threat of Germany inventing one first seriously. 

Of course, Leo Szilard Einstien's coauthor of the letter to Roosevelt played a major role in helping develop the bomb and he too was a German citizens who fled the Nazis and Hitler.

[LennG]

Leo Szilard Einstien's coauthor of the letter to Roosevelt played a major role in helping develop the bomb and he too was a German citizens who fled the Nazis and Hitler.

Fleeing the Nazis is one thing, but being a Nazi, working for Hitler and Germany, and then basically being forgiven for all sins after the war if you come here and work for us.
I understand many of these scientists were crucial to our space development, but having lost family during the holocaust, I have a hard time seeing how we basically said, let bygones be bygones if you work for us now.

[MightyGiants]

Fleeing the Nazis is one thing, but being a Nazi, working for Hitler and Germany, and then basically being forgiven for all sins after the war if you come here and work for us.
I understand many of these scientists were crucial to our space development, but having lost family during the holocaust, I have a hard time seeing how we basically said, let bygones be bygones if you work for us now.

Leo was actually Jewish and went toward my point about Einstien.   I guess I hadn't addressed your point because you indicated you didn't think it was appropriate for this thread.  However, I am willing to give my thoughts on Operation Paperclip.   Bringing over Nazi scientists (mostly involved with rockets) was a morally murky decision.    However, I am mindful that the cold war started almost immediately after WW 2.    As they say, war is hell.   One thing that is often overlooked when we sing the praises of the allies' defeat over the evil that was the German, Italian, Japanese alliance, is that one of our allies was a great a monster as any that we fought in Joseph Stalin.   His evil and body count truly rivals that of Hilter, Mussolini, and Hideki Tojo.  I always felt that having to do morally objectionable things like that is one of the reasons they say war is hell.

Now circling back those rocket scientists from Germany did more than help the US with their space race with the USSR, they were instrumental in helping the US develop their ICBMs which were critical in their nuclear arms race (and the MAD doctrine) with the USSR.   Without those scientists the cold war could have potentially ended much differently than it did.

[LennG]

Leo was actually Jewish and went toward my point about Einstien.   I guess I hadn't addressed your point because you indicated you didn't think it was appropriate for this thread.  However, I am willing to give my thoughts on Operation Paperclip.   Bringing over Nazi scientists (mostly involved with rockets) was a morally murky decision.    However, I am mindful that the cold war started almost immediately after WW 2.    As they say, war is hell.   One thing that is often overlooked when we sing the praises of the allies' defeat over the evil that was the German, Italian, Japanese alliance, is that one of our allies was a great a monster as any that we fought in Joseph Stalin.   His evil and body count truly rivals that of Hilter, Mussolini, and Hideki Tojo.  I always felt that having to do morally objectionable things like that is one of the reasons they say war is hell.

Now circling back those rocket scientists from Germany did more than help the US with their space race with the USSR, they were instrumental in helping the US develop their ICBMs which were critical in their nuclear arms race (and the MAD doctrine) with the USSR.   Without those scientists the cold war could have potentially ended much differently than it did.

There is no doubt that the scientists contributed and contributed greatly to this country, but that is not the point. Would the US have done the same for Mengalli if they thought he could help find a cure for something? Many of their generals were excellent in warfare, would we have forgiven them if they wanted to come here and work in our Armed Forces.
Look, I'm sure these scientists weren't part of the Nazi killing machine and were mostly, as we say, rocket men, but do we know for a fact that none of them were responsible for the gas used to extermiante millions of Jew and others?

[MightyGiants]

For those that are interested, here is a good article on Operation Paperclip that Len and I are discussing

https://www.history.com/news/what-was-operation-paperclip