Why Do Bombs Make a Whistling Sound When Falling? If you have watched any documentary, TV program or even cartoon about the Second World War, you must have noticed that the bombs dropped from the plane and falling on the ground made a whistling sound. So why do bombs make such a sound?
The point of curiosity about bombs making a whistling sound is usually whether this sound has any meaning. Do bombs have such a sound by design or is there a special reason for this?
Let’s unravel the mysteries of these sounds of bombs.
First of all, it is a big misconception that all bombs make a whistling sound when falling.
But this distinctive sound effect is often used in TV shows and movies to depict a bomb falling. For this reason, it is quite normal for us to think that every bomb that falls makes a whistling sound.
The origin of the hissing sound of bombs dates back to the Second World War. Namely, the German Air Force and the Luftwaffe carried out extensive bombing campaigns against allied countries such as France and England.
Used in warfare, these bombs were equipped with unique whistles that produced a distinctive sound as they descended towards the ground.
In addition, this whistling sound takes its name from the Austrian physicist Christian Doppler and is a result of the Doppler effect. This effect is the change in wavelength or frequency of a wave relative to an observer moving away or closer to the wave source.
At this point, the sounds of the ambulance siren come to mind. The sound gradually becomes higher pitched as the ambulance approaches you. This situation is a result of the Doppler effect.
The same thing happens when a bomb drops from a plane.
The pilot hears a high-pitched sound that becomes less sharp as the bomb moves away from the plane. Additionally, whistles attached to bombs are designed to cause fear and panic among enemies as well as the general public.
This sound was intended to demoralize soldiers and civilians and make them despair. Again, some psychologists classify these whistling bombs as psychological warfare weapons.
We hope that days without bombs and the whistling sounds they make are waiting for us…
