Went To estate Sale Today..Found Norden Bombsight

**Dirt Detective** · 06-27-2009, 09:02 PM

Hi Guys, Went to an estate sale this morning and the first thing I saw as I walked in was this MK15 Mod 7 Norden bombsight.

Gave the lady $300 now its mine..

Dont know what Im gonna do with it..I dont collect Air War. maybe i can trade it for a cool helmet or something.

**HJ-Collector** · 06-27-2009, 10:05 PM

mad good for trade

**big ned** · 06-27-2009, 10:25 PM

BLOODY HELL!!!!

If you'd been caught with that 60 odd years ago, they'd of shot ya!!!.....Or life and 10 years at least!!! Cracking find D.D, wonder what it's worth these days..... Funny ain't it, a super rare SS helmet today worth 1,000's, then worth a few reichsmarks. A Norden bombsight then worth.....Well, priceless!!!, today, perhaps a few hundred.

Lifes weird, Ned.

P.s, weren't they fitted with an explosive charge in case of imminent capture???..... I'd check that out if i was you!! You can't be too careful Ar Kid!!!

**big ned** · 06-27-2009, 10:34 PM

Just checked it out. 250-500 USD estimated. Youv'e done alright there mate!!

Regards, Ned.

**Aldo** · 06-27-2009, 10:36 PM

That is an amazing find regardless of what it is worth. Now you you have to hunt down an Enigma machine !

**Steve T** · 06-27-2009, 11:36 PM

WoW !

Nice find ! I love that sort of thing.

I'd probably end up attaching it to the car somehow and getting the wife to drive along whilst I use it

Steve T

**big ned** · 06-28-2009, 12:37 AM

by Steve T

WoW !

Nice find ! I love that sort of thing.

I'd probably end up attaching it to the car somehow and getting the wife to drive along whilst I use it

Steve T

Hi Steve,

Hope your old lady's gotta PPL!!!

The Norden was considered hopeless below 4 grand!!!

Regards, Ned.

**Nige H** · 06-28-2009, 01:13 AM

It just goes to show what people keep in there attic or garage. I'm guessing you didn't ask the lady if she had the rest of the B-17 parked up in the back yard

Nige

Boz · 06-28-2009, 09:55 PM

This sight looks just like the one I have in my basement. I'll bet it came from the same retail source. Herbach-Rademan sold these things back in the 70's or 80's. I think the price then was about $300.

Recall that your plate shows this is a Navy Mk15Mod7. It was never on a B17 or B25 or any other Army Air Corps plane, but the Navy PBY planes had them. So unfortunately, these sights didn't fly over Germany, but they are pretty cool. I think you got a good deal. Some scrap sights sold on Ebay awhile back for $350. Nice ones for $700+. Retail can be $1400.

dejacque · 06-29-2009, 08:13 AM

Boz,
What do you mean these 'didn't fly' over Germany! They were used extensively in B-17s and B-24's My uncle was a bombardier on a B-24 and his Bomb site was a Norden, not a Sperry, which was also used.
I have a friends who have these Nordens, one came from a B-17 and another from a B-24. I have seen these Nordens in 6 different air museums, one of which is in the B-24 Museum in Pueblo Colorado. I did a WWII talk at an Airport yesterday, on the most famous bombing mission of WWII. WE honored the Greatest Generation WWII vets there and one was a bombardier on a B-24 and there was a Norden site on display and he said as a lead bombardier the Norden was his most valued piece of equipment.
SO,THESE NORDEN BOMB SIGHTS WERE MOST CERTAINLY USED ON EUROPE!
Kent