WWII's Secret Weapon: Airborne Minesweepers
2025-04-16
Early in WWII, German magnetic mines devastated British shipping. Britain's ingenious counter was to modify Wellington bombers into airborne minesweepers, mimicking a ship's magnetic signature to detonate the mines. This revolutionary tactic quickly cleared minefields, safeguarding vital shipping lanes. Germany followed suit, adapting Junkers Ju-52 transports, but suffered heavy losses due to a lack of fighter escort. These airborne minesweepers played a crucial, albeit often overlooked, role in WWII, foreshadowing today's helicopter mine countermeasure units.