V-1 "Buzz Bomb" KILLS

[bozon]

Originally posted by Scherf
I see comments on this thread and the other about the Mossie being "re-done". Is this something's which been decided?

I heard no rumors about the mossie but like all planes it is in que for redoing to AHII standards. If it will take part in "combat tour" (which I hope it will) HTC will probably do it sooner then planes not intendent to be in it.

Bozon

[Kev367th]

Originally posted by Scherf
Hi Kev:

Sharp and Bowyer show the NF.30 first going into service on 21 June 1944, with 219 Squadron. First kills by this type were on 21 July 1944, again with 219 Sqn.

They also say 139 Squadron first took the B.XVI on operations on 10/11 February 1944, with both 109 and 105 Squadrons following on the first two days of March.

So, not 1945, as you say.

Agreed on the NF.30
But a little sceptical on the XVI, one of the first losses of a XVI was in Nov 43, so it had to enter service prior to then. As Karnak says late 43 sometime.

[Grendel]

Originally posted by Geary420
Kind of an off the wall question, but IIRC wasn't the prefered way to kill them flying alongside and bumping the wing to make it spin out so you didn't blow yourself up?  

Preferred, well, maybe for the about SIX times it was done.
And those happened when the pilot had run out of ammuniation.

And they did not bump the wing.
The pilots flew close enough placing their wingtip near the V-1 wingtip, messing the airflow and causing the V-1 to stumble out of its path, making a mess of the gyros. There was no actual contact at all.

[Swarmed]

I like the cut eyes on the V-1 looking back at the spitty.

[Wmaker]

Originally posted by Grendel
And they did not bump the wing.
The pilots flew close enough placing their wingtip near the V-1 wingtip, messing the airflow and causing the V-1 to stumble out of its path, making a mess of the gyros. There was no actual contact at all.

Both methods were used...disturbing the air flow and the bumbinng with the wing tip.

Shooting them down was of course easily the most common method.

[LRRP22]

Originally posted by Angus
Speed close to 400 mph at rather low altitude which is more than 600 km/h.
(1.609x 400)
But, they were not all the same, - some were slower, some faster.
I knew a pilot who had some business with those in a P51C.
I do not know what boost he was running on (65 SQN was his time of the game and I don't have exact dates). But anyway his words were that at low altitude the V-1 would be faster than the P51, the P51 needing a shallow dive to catch up, - while the Tempests and the Spit XIV were able to run the V-1's down on level speed.

Angus,

No. 65 Sqn and the rest of 122 Wing were flying from France during the period of the V-1 threat and were not involved in anti-Diver operations.

The three squadrons of 133 (Polish) Wing and 316 (Polish) squadron conducted anti-Diver op's from the beginning of July until late August/Early September.  All four of those squadrons ran at 81" Hg boost on 100/150 grade.  They were plenty fast enough to catch V-1's in level flight.

LRRP

[LRRP22]

Originally posted by Grendel
Preferred, well, maybe for the about SIX times it was done.
And those happened when the pilot had run out of ammuniation.

And they did not bump the wing.
The pilots flew close enough placing their wingtip near the V-1 wingtip, messing the airflow and causing the V-1 to stumble out of its path, making a mess of the gyros. There was no actual contact at all.

Grendel,

No. 316's Mustang III FB377 had to have a wing tip replaced from damage incurred while 'tipping' a V-1.  Tipping wasn't the preferred method, but it was used.

LRRP

[Furball]

if the krauts were smart enough and knew about it, they should have fitted prox fuses to V1's so if anything did try tipping it.... BOOM

[Karnak]

Originally posted by Furball
if the krauts were smart enough and knew about it, they should have fitted prox fuses to V1's so if anything did try tipping it.... BOOM

I uderstand that they did so as soon as they heard about it being done.

As was said though, it happened only a few times.  It gets blown out of proportion.

[Angus]

Bear in mind though, that gunning them down could result in a nice fireball, 2500 lbs or so blowing up. Fly into that at 400 mps, - you have some 3 seconds before it goes up, - quite a bump!

[Angus]

Oh, LRRP22:
"Angus,

No. 65 Sqn and the rest of 122 Wing were flying from France during the period of the V-1 threat and were not involved in anti-Diver operations"

I am still diving into this history. Remember though, that a big batch was fired at Holland (Rotterdam? Amsterdam?) After the 65 sqn was based in Normandy. They went roughly Normandy, Bruxelles, and as a whole or a part perhaps back to the UK. Will have a look in a book in daylight tomorrow (sneaking in computerroom, - wife &daughter sleeping)

Good night all

[RAIDER14]

World War II V-1 footage

[LRRP22]

Originally posted by Angus
Oh, LRRP22:
"Angus,

No. 65 Sqn and the rest of 122 Wing were flying from France during the period of the V-1 threat and were not involved in anti-Diver operations"

I am still diving into this history. Remember though, that a big batch was fired at Holland (Rotterdam? Amsterdam?) After the 65 sqn was based in Normandy. They went roughly Normandy, Bruxelles, and as a whole or a part perhaps back to the UK. Will have a look in a book in daylight tomorrow (sneaking in computerroom, - wife &daughter sleeping)

Good night all

Hiya Angus,

122 Wing was detached from 2nd TAF and returned to the UK during late September 44.  The Wing was assigned to Andrews Field/11 Group ADGB on 14 October for Bomber Command escort.  65 sqn (followed by No. 19) moved to Peterhead, Aberdeen and 14 Group for Coastal Command escort on 16 January 45 were they remained until VE-Day.

Mustang units did return to anti-Diver duties for much of March of 45 but 65 sqn was in Scotland at that time.  It is possible that 65 sqn may have encountered V-1's in some manner while on the Continent, but they weren't flying at Fighter Command's +25 lbs boost at that time.

Brent Erickson

[Angus]

Nice.
Yup, they were moved to east Anglia late in September, Andrews in Oct, and to Scotland in Jan. By that time, my guy was off action.
I rather suspected they didn't fly overboosted Mustangs, for he said they needed a shallow dive to catch them, while the Tempest and Spit XIV guys could run them down. All fits I guess.
Aces High, Volume II covers many of the doodlebug hunters, but I don't have it yet

[Scherf]

Wouldn't buy it just for the V-1 stuff Angus.