Why is it called the "pickle button?

[hoover]

Why not the trigger or firing button?

 

[stupidpilot]

Because with the bumps all over it the whole stick resembles a big "pickle." At least that is what I was told.

 

[mzaharis]

I could be completely wrong, but could it be related to the old saw about the Norden Bombsight being able to hit a pickle barrel from 30,000 feet?

 

[pilotyip]

It used to be a remote handle with a button at the end of a cord, it looked like a pickel.

 

[Scrapdog]

Why not the trigger or firing button?

Because for years we've been dropping the very secret GBU-33....a 2,000 lb pickle jar loaded with dill pickles with a GPS tail kit.

The Taliban can't stand pickle juice all over their turbans.

 

[NewmanF16]

Because for years we've been dropping the very secret GBU-33....a 2,000 lb pickle jar loaded with dill pickles with a GPS tail kit.

The Taliban can't stand pickle juice all over their turbans.

We've recently fielded the GBU-33B, with an improved submunition--pickled pigs feet. Now we don't have to kill them, they go straight to he!!.

 

[bearcat]

We've recently fielded the GBU-33B, with an improved submunition--pickled pigs feet. Now we don't have to kill them, they go straight to he!!.

Oh and don't forget the virgins....the damn virgins wont be there either. That is really being ccaught in a pickle.

 

[Mud Eagle]

I could be completely wrong, but could it be related to the old saw about the Norden Bombsight being able to hit a pickle barrel from 30,000 feet?

Yes, this is the correct answer. Of course, that wasn't actually true -- in truth, the Norden sight really wasn't close to being that accurate, and the pickle barrel was just hyperbole...but the name stuck anyway.

 

[Oh-ryan]

Because for years we've been dropping the very secret GBU-33....a 2,000 lb pickle jar loaded with dill pickles with a GPS tail kit.

The Taliban can't stand pickle juice all over their turbans.

The Israeli Air Force uses the GBU-33K mod D variant. The "K" being "Kosher" and "D" being "Dill".

 

[HoursHore]

I always wondered why some enterprising Aviation Ordinanceman didn't make a youtube video of him with a big bucket of red stuff labeled pigs blood painting a message on a bomb. An homage to Blackjack Pershing if you will.

Hell just spread the rumor that we do that. poor little hajis.

 

[scoreboard]

Why "pickle button"? Because "The napalm sticks to babies button" was taken.

 

[BiffF15]

Maybe it's because the things that fall out of airplanes after the pilot hits the little red button are green and might just resemble pickles from afar...

The Norden bomb sight was pretty accurate for the 40's, as was the K-14 lead computing gunsight installed in Mustangs and Thunderbolts. It was also one of the first examples of HOTAS as the pilot could roll the throttle to change the parameters of the gunsight IAW the type of aircraft he was shooting at. With the "pickle button".

I wonder why the trigger is called the TRIGGER?...

 

[tomgoodman]

Good question

I wonder why the trigger is called the TRIGGER?...

[Dutch trekker, from Middle Dutch trecker, from trecken, to pull.] -- American Heritage Dictionary

 

[BiffF15]

[Dutch trekker, from Middle Dutch trecker, from trecken, to pull.] -- American Heritage Dictionary

Tom,
It was a feeble attempt at humor via word play...
Biff

 

[pilotyip]

I wonder why the trigger is called the TRIGGER?...

Maybe because you horse around with it?