Lancaster: Bomb Run Times

 

Updated: April 2009

Each crew was required to fly straight and level after their bomb load had been dropped in order for a bombing photo to be taken. As the bombs were released a photo-flash flare was also released from the aircraft's flare chute, this set to ignite at a predefined altitude using a atmospheric fuse. At the same time as the bomb release a timer was started which ran down the seconds required for the flare to fall to the set altitude, as the timer ran out it activated the bombing camera's shutter and the bombing photo, which would show the aircraft's bombs striking the ground, was taken. Only after the photo had been taken could the pilot return to the weaving or be able to take evasive action.

 

The table below shows the time required for the Phot flash to fall and the photo to be take.

 

The equation used to determine the straight and level run time is: Time = Square Root of the Altitude divided by 4

Altitude (feet) Time (seconds)   Altitude (feet) Time (seconds)
500 5.6   15,500 31.1
1000 7.9   16,000 31.6
1500 9.7   16,500 32.1
2000 11.2   17,000 32.6
2500 12.5   17,500 33.1
3000 13.7   18,000 33.5
3500 14.8   18,500 34.0
4000 15.8   19,000 34.5
4500 16.8   19,500 34.9
5000 17.7   20,000 35.4
5500 18.5   20,500 35.8
6000 19.4   21,000 36.2
6500 20.2   21,500 36.7
7000 20.9   22,000 37.1
7500 21.7   22,500 37.5
8000 22.4   23,000 37.9
8500 23.0   23,500 38.3
9000 23.7   24,000 38.7
9500 24.4   24,500 39.1
10,000 25.0   25,000 39.5
10,500 25.6   25,500 39.9
11,000 26.2   26,000 40.3
11,500 26.8   26,500 40.7
12,000 27.4   27,000 41.1
12,500 28.0   27,500 41.5
13,000 28.5   28,000 41.8
13,500 29.0   28,500 42.2
14,000 29.6   29,000 42.6
14,500 30.1   29,500 42.9
15,000 30.6   30,000 43.3