dive bombing

American  

noun

Military.

1. a technique of bombing in which the bomb load is released when the aircraft is in a steep dive, usually at an angle of 60 degrees or more from horizontal.

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Etymology

Origin of dive bombing

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Mr. Conter later attended Navy flight school and flew 200 combat missions in the Pacific, some of them involving nighttime dive bombing of Japanese targets.

From New York Times • Apr. 1, 2024

He flew 200 combat missions in the Pacific with a “Black Cats” squadron, which conducted dive bombing at night in planes painted black.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 1, 2024

The competition consisted of aerial gunnery at 12,000 feet and 20,000 feet, skip bombing, rocket firing, panel strafing and dive bombing, according to the Air Force.

From Washington Post • May 29, 2022

Rachel had no mercy and hopped behind the wheel of the blimp and started dive bombing it while Dean whimpered quietly.

From Time • Jun. 19, 2017

One of our missions was a dive bombing run on some factories in France.�

From The Biography of a Rabbit by Benson, Roy, Jr.