Originally Posted by
682al
Urgent action was taken to counter the threat. The solution decided upon was the 0.5" Browning "lash up" devised at the Bomber Development Unit (not by "the Canadians"),
What I meant was that 'The Canadians' seemed to be much more worried about it than the Brits.
The possibility of upward firing nightfighters very rarely gets a mention in any Brit Bomber crews autobios.
The Canadians at least acknowledged the problem could exist.And it is possible that some sqns had a local 'lash up' before the official 'lash up' - a couple of tracers fired at a night fighter would certainly cause the NF to break away.
All a bit strange really as an attack from below was the easiest and most obvious option for NF's and us brits had even designed a couple of upward firing fighters.
Wing Commander J. D. Pattinson of 429 Squadron, recognized an unseen danger but to him, it "was all presumption, not fact." He ordered that the mid-upper turrets be removed and the "displaced gunner would lie on a mattress on the floor as an observer, looking through a perspex blister for night fighters coming up from below.