Norden Bombsight donated to MAFB

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina Heikkinen
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  A Norden Bombsight used during World War II was donated to Malmstrom Air Force base's museum Aug. 19.

Donated by brothers Bill Selling and Hogi and their half-brother Mike Hanlen, the bombsite was owned by their uncle whom gave it to Bill "to keep as a family heirloom."

"My brother Mike and I tried to find a home for it and we ended up being successful when we found a home here at Malmstrom," Bill Selling said.

The honor of having a Norden Bombsight at Malmstrom is of huge significance, as it played a very important role in World War II.

"The first mission of what is now Malmstrom Air Force base was training B-17 groups, and part of this was using a new optical sighting system called a Norden Bombsight," said Curt Shannon, director of the base museum. "It's quite an astounding feat to get one because there is not a lot of them out there."

The search for a home for the bombsight has been extensive.

"Bill's stepdad trained here on B-17s during World War II so Bill had that connection and he knew the Air Force would take care of it and be respectful of its history," Hanlen said.

Along the journey of finding the bombsight's rightful place, the brothers learned even more about the significance of this item and the crew that worked on them.

"I've learned a lot since we've been trying to find a home for this bombsight," Hanlen said. "A bomber crew in World War II had a shorter life expectancy than a combat troop on the ground. They had to go out on 8 to 10-hour missions at altitudes of 25,000 feet and above. To me they define heroes. Hero gets thrown around a lot but these men were true heroes. They gave it all, and our freedom is a result of that."

Malmstrom is the new home of the Norden Bombsight and the brothers couldn't be happier.

"This is its new home and I'm tickled pink," Selling said.

The Norden Bombsight is scheduled to be on display at Malmstrom's museum in the spring of 2012; contact the museum at 731-2705 for more information.