The terror of Pigeon is real

[ebrahym]

During World War II, Project Pigeon (later Project Orcon, for "organic control") was American behaviorist B.F. Skinner's attempt to develop a pigeon-controlled guided bomb.[1]

The testbed was the same National Bureau of Standards-developed, unpowered airframe that was later used for the US Navy's radar-guided "Bat" glide bomb, which was basically a small glider, with wings and tail surfaces, an explosive warhead section in the center, and a "guidance section" in the nose cone. The intent was to train pigeons to act as "pilots" for the device, using their cognitive abilities to recognize the target. The guidance system consisted of three lenses mounted in the nose of the vehicle, which projected an image of the target on a screen mounted in a small compartment inside the nose cone. This screen was mounted on pivots, and fitted with sensors that measured any angular movement.

One to three pigeons, trained by operant conditioning to recognize the target, were stationed in front of the screen; when they saw the target, they would peck at the screen with their beaks. As long as the target remained in the center of the screen, the screen would not move, but if the bomb began to go off track, the image would move towards the edge of the screen. The pigeons would follow the image, pecking at it, which would move the screen on its pivots.

The sensors would detect the movement and send signals to the control surfaces, which would steer the bomb in the direction the screen had moved. As the bomb swung back towards the target, the pigeons would again follow the image, bringing the screen back to the centered position again. In that way, the pigeons would correct any deviations in the course and keep the bomb on its glide path.

Early electronic guidance systems use similar methods, only with electronic signals and processors replacing the birds in detecting the target and preventing deviation from the glide path.

The National Defense Research Committee saw the idea to use pigeons in glide bombs as very eccentric and impractical, but still contributed $25,000 to the research. Skinner, who had some success with the training, complained "our problem was no one would take us seriously."[2] The program was canceled on October 8, 1944, because the military believed that "further prosecution of this project would seriously delay others which in the minds of the Division have more immediate promise of combat application."

Project Pigeon was revived by the Navy in 1948 as "Project Orcon"; it was canceled in 1953 when the reliability of electronic guidance systems was proven.

@Zibago @django @Joe Shearer @war&peace @PaklovesTurkiye @Mugwop @LadyFinger @Moonlight @hellfire @MastanKhan @RedHulk @waz @Horus @Oscar

 

[G0dfather]

The pigeon as a war hero

In modern times the pigeon has been used to great effect during wartime. In both the First and Second World Wars the pigeon saved hundreds of thousands of human lives by carrying messages across enemy lines. Pigeons were carried on ships in convoys and in the event of a U-boat attack a messenger pigeon was released with details of the location of the sinking ship. In many cases this led to survivors being rescued and lives saved. In the First World War mobile pigeon lofts were set up behind the trenches from which pigeons often had to fly through enemy fire and poison gas to get their messages home. The birds also played a vital role in intelligence gathering and were used extensively behind enemy lines where the survival rate was only 10%. In the Second World War pigeons were used less due to advances in telecommunications, but the birds still relayed invaluable information back to the allies about the German V1 and V2 Rocket sites on the other side of the English Channel.


Famous pigeons

1. Cher Ami - World War I Hero

During the First World War a pigeon named Cher Ami (dear friend) saved the lives of many French soldiers by carrying a message across enemy lines in the heat of battle. Cher Ami was shot in the chest and the leg, losing most of the leg to which the message was attached, but continued the 25-minute flight avoiding shrapnel and poison gas to get the message home. Cher Ami was awarded the French ‘Croix de Guerre’ medal for heroic service.

2.GI Joe - World War II hero

Another heroic pigeon named G.I. Joe saved the lives of a thousand soldiers in World War 2 after British troops had established a position within an Italian town that was due to be bombed by allied planes. Communication equipment was down and the only means of stopping the raid was to attach a hastily written message to G.I. Joe and send him to the allied HQ. G.I. Joe flew 20 miles in 20 minutes arriving at the air base whilst the planes were taxiing on the runway. Disaster was averted with 5 minutes to spare. G.I. Joe received the ‘Dickin’ medal for his bravery.


How do pigeons navigate?

There are many theories about how pigeons manage to return ‘home’ when released 100s of miles from their loft. A champion racing pigeon can be released 400-600 miles away from its home and still return within the day. This amazing feat does not just apply to ‘racing’ or ‘homing’ pigeons; all pigeons have the ability to return to their roost. A 10-year study carried out by Oxford University concluded that pigeons use roads and motorways to navigate, in some cases even changing direction at motorway junctions. Other theories include navigation by use of the earth’s magnetic field, visual clues such as landmarks, the sun and even infrasounds (low frequency seismic waves). Whatever the truth, this unique ability makes the pigeon a very special bird.

http://www.pigeoncontrolresourcecentre.org/html/amazing-pigeon-facts.html

 

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You might also be interesrted in GI JOE

 

[PARIKRAMA]

Umm when I read the thread heading i only thought this

The fear of pigeon is real !!!

 

[Vergennes]

The pigeons were widely used in the WW1 for exemple,due to their homing ability, speed, and altitude, they were often used as military messengers,or even to conduct aerial reconnaissance.

German unmanned camera pigeon (probably aerial reconnaissance in World War I)

 

[SarthakGanguly]

Many animals and birds were used.

In fact using pigeons is a cheap and smart alternative to drones.

Dogs were also used by Russland in WW2.

 

[Hellfire]

@ebrahym

The topic you have chosen is indeed recorded in history. But for PDF, it is a topic which is more of a flamer and will result in troll fest

 

[Vassnti]

Many animals and birds were used.

In fact using pigeons is a cheap and smart alternative to drones.

Dogs were also used by Russland in WW2.

Sadly with poor results for the dogs.

The first group of anti-tank dogs arrived at the frontline at the end of the summer of 1941 and included 30 dogs and 40 trainers. Their deployment revealed some serious problems. In order to save fuel and ammunition, dogs had been trained on tanks which stood still and did not fire their guns. In the field, the dogs refused to dive under moving tanks. Some persistent dogs ran near the tanks, waiting for them to stop but were shot in the process. Gunfire from the tanks scared away many of the dogs. They would run back to the trenches and often detonated the charge upon jumping in, killing Soviet soldiers.
Another serious training mistake was revealed later; the Soviets used their own diesel-engine tanks to train the dogs rather than German tanks which had gasoline engines.As the dogs relied on their acute sense of smell, the dogs sought out familiar Soviet tanks instead of strange-smelling German tanks.

Back on topic

 

[GenerallyKhan]

If the pigeon is sick, or on leave, you can always use a... cat.

 

[The Sandman]

Umm when I read the thread heading i only thought this

View attachment 329744 View attachment 329745 View attachment 329746 View attachment 329747 View attachment 329748


The fear of pigeon is real !!!

not gonna lie i actually thought it to be a troll thread

 

[PaklovesTurkiye]

During World War II, Project Pigeon (later Project Orcon, for "organic control") was American behaviorist B.F. Skinner's attempt to develop a pigeon-controlled guided bomb.[1]

The testbed was the same National Bureau of Standards-developed, unpowered airframe that was later used for the US Navy's radar-guided "Bat" glide bomb, which was basically a small glider, with wings and tail surfaces, an explosive warhead section in the center, and a "guidance section" in the nose cone. The intent was to train pigeons to act as "pilots" for the device, using their cognitive abilities to recognize the target. The guidance system consisted of three lenses mounted in the nose of the vehicle, which projected an image of the target on a screen mounted in a small compartment inside the nose cone. This screen was mounted on pivots, and fitted with sensors that measured any angular movement.

One to three pigeons, trained by operant conditioning to recognize the target, were stationed in front of the screen; when they saw the target, they would peck at the screen with their beaks. As long as the target remained in the center of the screen, the screen would not move, but if the bomb began to go off track, the image would move towards the edge of the screen. The pigeons would follow the image, pecking at it, which would move the screen on its pivots.

The sensors would detect the movement and send signals to the control surfaces, which would steer the bomb in the direction the screen had moved. As the bomb swung back towards the target, the pigeons would again follow the image, bringing the screen back to the centered position again. In that way, the pigeons would correct any deviations in the course and keep the bomb on its glide path.

Early electronic guidance systems use similar methods, only with electronic signals and processors replacing the birds in detecting the target and preventing deviation from the glide path.

The National Defense Research Committee saw the idea to use pigeons in glide bombs as very eccentric and impractical, but still contributed $25,000 to the research. Skinner, who had some success with the training, complained "our problem was no one would take us seriously."[2] The program was canceled on October 8, 1944, because the military believed that "further prosecution of this project would seriously delay others which in the minds of the Division have more immediate promise of combat application."

Project Pigeon was revived by the Navy in 1948 as "Project Orcon"; it was canceled in 1953 when the reliability of electronic guidance systems was proven.

@Zibago @django @Joe Shearer @war&peace @PaklovesTurkiye @Mugwop @LadyFinger @Moonlight @hellfire @MastanKhan @RedHulk @waz @Horus @Oscar

not gonna lie i actually thought it to be a troll thread

Me 2......I also thought this thread is referring to india who caught our pigeon last time......

 

[ebrahym]

@ebrahym

The topic you have chosen is indeed recorded in history. But for PDF, it is a topic which is more of a flamer and will result in troll fest

it was meant to be informative and entertaining
i cant help if some of Members here are still stuck between Indo-Pak mindset
both countries have different regional and global approach, different objectives
but no can do to such Idiots

Sadly with poor results for the dogs.

The first group of anti-tank dogs arrived at the frontline at the end of the summer of 1941 and included 30 dogs and 40 trainers. Their deployment revealed some serious problems. In order to save fuel and ammunition, dogs had been trained on tanks which stood still and did not fire their guns. In the field, the dogs refused to dive under moving tanks. Some persistent dogs ran near the tanks, waiting for them to stop but were shot in the process. Gunfire from the tanks scared away many of the dogs. They would run back to the trenches and often detonated the charge upon jumping in, killing Soviet soldiers.
Another serious training mistake was revealed later; the Soviets used their own diesel-engine tanks to train the dogs rather than German tanks which had gasoline engines.As the dogs relied on their acute sense of smell, the dogs sought out familiar Soviet tanks instead of strange-smelling German tanks.

soviets claimed to have destroyed 300 tanks during WWII alone using dogs
and to our awe , the program was cancelled just in 1996

 

[Hellfire]

@ebrahym Similarly there is a movie called 'Svalochi' "Bastards", about children of the street being trained in special ops by Soviets in world war 2. You may enjoy it.

@The Sandman watch it. good movie