Earlier this month, bomb disposal specialists in Germany disarmed three American bombs that were dropped on Cologne during World War II. While it is far from uncommon to find unexploded ordnance in Germany (the U.S., alone, dropped a total of 11,941,298 bombs on the country), news reports pointed out that this operation was far greater in scope than usual.
Bomb specialist Markus Fricke told German international news outlet DW News that it took most of the day to evacuate 20,000 people from within one kilometer of the site. The actual work of defusing the bombs took less than an hour.
Up to 2,000 unexploded bombs are disarmed in Germany every year. Fricke explained the specialists review strike photos from the war, then use computer mapping to zero in on where an unexploded bomb is likely to be. The chief reason for the bombs not exploding was separation of the tail fin assembly, which was likely to cause the bomb to land on its side rather than on its nose-mounted fuse.
Of all the bombs dropped on Germany by the U.S., most were 500-pound general purpose ordnance. Fricke described the process of disarming the bombs as, first, determining the nation of origin (mostly England or the U.S.), then checking the fuse system. The first preference is to simply remove the fuse with a wrench. If that is not possible, the team will measure the site for proximity to buildings, then evacuate the area, attach an explosive charge, and detonate the bomb.
One city official told the news station that whenever the streets of Cologne are dug up, it’s likely that bombs will be found. “You’ll usually find something,” he said. Fricke said of his work disarming bombs, “For us, it’s an everyday job.”
Co;ognr in Germany was the target of the first 1000 bomber raid in WW2. In 1964 as an ex RAF pilot aged 26 now flying for British European Airways as a Viscount First Officer with a Captain who was ex Bomber Command Lancaster pilot. Walking in central Cologne I mentioned how the splendid Cathedral had survived the war. His reply, “Yes, it was the aiming point!” RAF humour, or maybe not! Mac McLauchlan
On the “maybe not” side, that very visible cathedral could have used as an “offset aim point” to strike less visibly clear targets. The Norden bombsight had this capability.