Bouncing bomb
A bouncing bomb is a bomb designed to bounce to a target across water in a calculated manner to avoid obstacles such as torpedo nets, and to allow both the bomb's speed on arrival at the target and the timing of its detonation to be pre-determined, in a similar fashion to a regular naval depth charge. The inventor of the first such bomb was the British engineer Barnes Wallis, whose "Upkeep" bouncing bomb was used in the RAF's Operation Chastise of May 1943 to bounce into German dams and explode underwater, with effect similar to the underground detonation of the Grand Slam and Tallboy earthquake bombs, both of which he also invented.
British bouncing bombs
Barnes Wallis' April 1942 paper "Spherical Bomb — Surface Torpedo" described a method of attack in which a weapon would be bounced across water until it struck its target, then sinking to explode underwater, much like a depth charge. Bouncing it across the surface would allow it to be aimed directly at its target, while avoiding underwater defences, as well as some above the surface, and such a weapon would take advantage of the "bubble pulse" effect typical of underwater explosions, greatly increasing its effectiveness: Wallis's paper identified suitable targets as hydro-electric dams "and floating vessels moored in calm waters such as the Norwegian fjords".
Podcasts:
Bouncing Bomb
ALBUMS
- 7 Hills Clash released: 1998
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by Twisted Wheel
Bouncing Bomb
by: Twisted WheelJimmy Lee, chip pan grease
set fire to the school canteen
all the children had to leave
they missed school for the day
the teachers still got paid
Ivan the terrible looks after some animals
turkeys and highland cattle
he sells them for their meat
he's a farmer on his feet
sitting on a railway line
scaring all the passers by
stars and stripes flash in their eyes
scared the kids off the bus
the driver gave no fuss
Lives his life so dangerously
goes by the name of American Steve
keeps some hammers up his sleeve
he's a man you'd like to meet
but don't give him no cheek
don't give him no cheek
we won't forget your face
no we won't forget you face
sit and watch the world all day
when you have done one
you'll go like the bouncing bomb
and you'll bounce bounce bounce
and you'll free the dam
when you have to go
when you're dead and gone
the bouncing bomb will be remembered
John the landlord takes no slack
he don't care if you never come back
sits down with a black bin bag
it's full of CD's
he'll give you one for free
Hazel sits by the bar
drinking beer and advakat
has to sneak out for her tar
she thinks no one knows she smokes
little does she know
little do we know
we won't forget your face
no we won't forget you face
sit and watch the world all day
when you have done one
you'll go like the bouncing bomb
and you'll bounce bounce bounce
and you'll free the dam
when you have to go
when you're dead and gone
the bouncing bomb will be remembered
Wendy walks the roads all day
lost her house she lost her way
scarf coat and an anorak
she's looking for her man
she knows she never can
don't forget about Steve the mean
kept his money in a submarine
he'd been shaking money trees
he was an entrepeneur
but no one really cared