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The Saga of the Bird-Brained Bombers | NIST

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During World War II, NIST was among those working intensely to develop guided weapons to help the Allies win the war

Nose cone of NIST glide bomb showing the three-pigeon guidance system. Credit: American Psychological Association During World War II, NIST was among those working intensely to develop guided weapons to help the Allies win the war. But before the advent of satellites and GPS, laser targeting or even radar, how would one guide a bomb? Why, trained pigeons, of course. ‘Stupid’ bomb Air bombs of that era were “dumb.” Once dropped, their paths could be altered by the wind. To accurately hit a target, bombers had to fly low, which increased the risk of being shot down. Flying at a higher…

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