A closer look
The US military spent $1.5 billion on the Norden bombsight during WWII, firmly believing this mechanical marvel could drop a bomb into a pickle barrel from 20,000 feet. It was a highly classified analog computer composed of gears and gyroscopes designed to calculate wind drift and airspeed. The catch? It required perfect visibility and flew the plane straight into enemy fire, meaning under real combat conditions, it was often less accurate than just guessing. It was the ultimate overpriced, overhyped tech startup, funded by the Pentagon.
