It won't work - Bomber Harris

It won't work - Bomber Harris

Copy of a note from Arthur Harris to R Saundby with title added 'It won't work Bomber Harris'. States that the idea was tripe of the wildest description with not the smallest chance of working. Goes on with other reasons why it would not work and suggests another design. Concludes with retort not to put aside Lancaster and reduce bombing effort on a wild goose chase.

1943-02-14

One page photocopied document

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EHarrisATWallisB430214

this on a clear night with moonlight and radio altimeters. A.C.A.S. (T.R) suggested that we might send an experienced Lancaster Squadron Commander to the meeting on Monday to express an opinion on this point.
“IT WON’T WORK,” BOMBER HARRIS
[signature]
[underlined] 14th February 1943. S.A.S.O. [/underlined]
S.A.S.[underlined]O.[/underlined] This is tripe of the wildest description. There are so many ifs & ands that there is not the smallest chance of it working. To begin with the bomb would have to be [underlined] perfectly [/underlined] balanced round it’s axis. [indecipherable word] rotation at 500 RPM would wreck the aircraft or tear the bomb loose. I don’t believe a word of it’s supposed [indecipherable word] on the surface.
It would be much easier to design a “[indecipherable word]” bomb [inserted sketch] to run on the surface, bust it’s nose in on contact, sink & explode. This bomb would of course be heavier than water & exactly fit existing bomb bays.
At all costs stop them putting aside Lances [sic] & reducing our bombing effort on this wild goose chase. Let them prove the practicability of the weapon first. Another Toraplane – only madder. The war will be over before it works - & it never will. [underlined] ATH [/underlined]
14/2.