AvA Bomb Group

[Stringer]

Originally posted by gear
try more like an average alt of 22k+
I made a pass on your 1st sorti at over 22k

You   Are    Wrong.

I lead that first sortie and we leveled at 17k period.

Of course if you keep accusing us at being higher than we might as well be that high.

[Stringer]

Shifty,
I agree, but as I stated in another thread:

I knew we were going to meat on the table going it at 17k, but I also knew that having the bomb group there gave guys in fighters on both sides incentive and a reason to mix it up and have fun.

Now, if a couple of the vocal luftwhiners keep up with this BS, then yeah, the max ceiling of the bombers will get a work out.

For me, it's fun to try to create some level of that immersion, even if I may not know that the accurate tire pressure for the B17G loaded with 500lb bombs on a colder than average day in 1943 England.

It's like what the Fins did when they flew those JU-88 raids during the early parts of this RPS.

I bet they didn't have the historical throttle settings (gear, Ike), but it was alot of fun intercepting them.

[FiLtH]

Ya thats the reason I like to go in at 20k. We could go higher, and probably have a better chance. But I like the excitement of the moment of interception. Besides, I cant see didlly of the target at 30k. Not that it would matter..I cant seem to hit anything lately at 20k

   The early JU88 raids the Finns did is also an incentive to stay below our max alt. Theu could have come in higher, and being so fast, they probably could have survived even more than they did. But given the slower speeds of the spits/hurri1s, and the poor firepower, it wouldnt have been much of a battle. Im for keeping it fun, even if it means dying once in awhile.

    Not to say we won'y try a few high runs..especially if we continually get waxed at lower alts. We can't expect the bomber guys to continually get reamed without some chance at a few missions with advantage.

    To me the fun is getting there and seeing how our escort performs vs the interceptors. Then gunning is fun. Seeing if you can hit anything with the bombs is next. Getting home..well..thats a bonus

[FiLtH]

Id like to continue doing nightly or atleast everyother night, atleast 1 if not 2 bomb raids throughout the remainder of the campaign.  We need our numbers to grow so work on your squads in the MA to come over at around 9pm ET, when we have one going. Im sure what we are doing is what alot of guys in there are looking for. We wont get all of them, but 100 out of the 400-500 in the MA would be nice.

  10 Bomber flights of 3, with 25 escort and 25 interceptors would be a nice sized battle. Lastnight the wife ack contributed greatly to my poor drop. Providing I can keep it suppressed, I will be in there tonight, for Mission #4.

[Stringer]

On historical bombing altitudes:

From:

Lamentations: Dusseldorf September 9, 1944 By Robert L. Longardner Pilot, 570th Squadron, G.I. Wonder At the briefing on the morning of September 9, 1944, we were given a bombing altitude of 26,000 feet. The combat crews erupted in vexation, grumbling about the severity of such altitude I "happy flak valley," Surely the targeted factory could have been hit from 28,000 feet as well as from this defenseless altitude of 26,000 feet which meant that the low squadron would be flying at 25,000 feet until the initial point of the bomb run.

Cologne, Germany, January 10, 1945 By Earl J. Malerich (303rd BG), Lt. Col. USAF Ret. On this mission, our target was the Cologne/Ostheim Airfield. We carried thirty-six l00 pound bombs at an assigned bombing altitude of 25,000 feet.

303rd BG (H) Combat Mission # 72 27 September 1943 Target: Port Area, Emden, Germany Bombing Altitude; 25,000 ft

And on the speed and throttle issue:

Normal Range:  2,000 miles (3,219 km) with 6,000 lb (2,722 kg) bomb load @ 220 mph (352 km/h) @ 25,000 ft (7,625 m)

which if I recall correctly our airspeed was right around 225 to 227 on bomb run.

[Shifty]

I guess we better appoint somebody as Throttle and Altitude Police. I'm sure the guys intercepting you flew with as modest throttle settings as possible .

[storch]

Originally posted by Shifty
I guess we better appoint somebody as Throttle and Altitude Police. I'm sure the guys intercepting you flew with as modest throttle settings as possible .

we had to in order to save our engines.  you of all people should know how grumpy those crew chiefs are.  

[Shifty]

Originally posted by storch
we had to in order to save our engines.  you of all people should know how grumpy those crew chiefs are.  

Well I do know how hard it is to intercept those high buffs in a 190. Then again I suck just as bad attacking JU88s with a spit at medium altitudes. I'll never be a good SturmJager