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Author Topic: Accurate Bombing  (Read 724 times)

Offline Furball

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Accurate Bombing
« on: May 28, 2007, 10:39:44 AM »
21 March 1945

20 Lancasters of No 617 Squadron attacked the Arbergen railway bridge just outside Bremen. 2 piers of the bridge were destroyed. 1 Lancaster lost.

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Offline Krusty

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« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2007, 12:18:18 PM »
"That's for being 5 minutes late last Tuesday!!!"
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Offline frank3

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« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2007, 12:23:45 PM »
Don't want to keep the enemy waiting :D Nice pic!
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Offline Angus

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Accurate Bombing
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2007, 03:46:50 AM »
No 617 also bombed the Tirpitz from high altitude....
As well as some dambusting job often mentioned....
Absolute elite crews there.
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It was very interesting to carry out the flight trials at Rechlin with the Spitfire and the Hurricane. Both types are very simple to fly compared to our aircraft, and childishly easy to take-off and land. (Werner Mölders)

Offline frank3

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Accurate Bombing
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2007, 06:42:59 AM »
I thought the Dambusters were a newly formed squadron, that was dispatched after the raids?
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Offline Angus

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« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2007, 08:34:54 AM »
Nope, it carried on after the Dams, as a special unit. Many many high accurate special jobs, some succesful (the Renault works?) and some not.
I have a book on it (think the author is Norman Franks) but I didn't find it in my first shelv-browsing.
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It was very interesting to carry out the flight trials at Rechlin with the Spitfire and the Hurricane. Both types are very simple to fly compared to our aircraft, and childishly easy to take-off and land. (Werner Mölders)

Offline VooWho

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« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2007, 09:24:47 AM »
Did the No 617 group use any special bomb site, or were they just that good? Or do they pay HTC an extra $10 to have auto bomb site enabled?
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Offline Furball

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« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2007, 01:11:21 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by frank3
I thought the Dambusters were a newly formed squadron, that was dispatched after the raids?


Nope, it is still active even today.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/structure/617squadron.cfm



(check out the nose art - the squadron insignia is the breaching of the Dams)

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Offline Tilt

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« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2007, 06:25:39 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Angus
No 617 also bombed the Tirpitz from high altitude....
As well as some dambusting job often mentioned....
Absolute elite crews there.


9 Squadron have always disputed 617's claim re the Tirpitz.......one of their (9's) Tallboys actually hit it but 9 have always claimed it was only one of 617's  "near misses" that helped topple it.

re the orginal thread......... in AHII one Lancaster  formation can hit every tower of Bremen bridge from 20k and put a row along the span for good measure!
« Last Edit: May 31, 2007, 06:39:23 AM by Tilt »
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Offline KayBayRay

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Accurate Bombing
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2007, 12:58:18 PM »
When I read the title on the forum it called to mind some information I recall from reading I did many years ago. I was thinking your post was about overall accuracy of bombing until I read it.

Didnt check it but IIRC RAF for most of WWII had an accuracy of 5% of all bombs hitting within 20 miles of the target (Night Bombing) and 8th AF WWII had 20% hitting within 1000 yards of the target (Daylight Bombing) I am recalling this from reading I did about 40 years ago so I might have it slightly confused.

Being aware of these stats makes the accomplishment of the squadron you mention most impressive. These guys must have been the best of the best to be so accurate.   :aok

Later,
KayBay
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Offline bozon

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« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2007, 01:00:53 PM »
What is interesting in the picture is all the old craters from previous bomb raid spread all over the place.
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Mosquito VI - twice the spitfire, four times the ENY.

Click!>> "So, you want to fly the wooden wonder" - <<click!
the almost incomplete and not entirely inaccurate guide to the AH Mosquito.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGOWswdzGQs

Offline Furball

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Accurate Bombing
« Reply #11 on: May 31, 2007, 01:23:23 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by KayBayRay
When I read the title on the forum it called to mind some information I recall from reading I did many years ago. I was thinking your post was about overall accuracy of bombing until I read it.

Didnt check it but IIRC RAF for most of WWII had an accuracy of 5% of all bombs hitting within 20 miles of the target (Night Bombing) and 8th AF WWII had 20% hitting within 1000 yards of the target (Daylight Bombing) I am recalling this from reading I did about 40 years ago so I might have it slightly confused.

Being aware of these stats makes the accomplishment of the squadron you mention most impressive. These guys must have been the best of the best to be so accurate.   :aok

Later,
KayBay


Later in the war the RAF bombing techniques made them just as accurate, if not more accurate than their American counterparts.  Besides, late in the war Bomber Command were operating during the day too.  Some crews even did entire tours without every flying a night raid.
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Offline Angus

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Accurate Bombing
« Reply #12 on: June 01, 2007, 03:32:43 AM »
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It was very interesting to carry out the flight trials at Rechlin with the Spitfire and the Hurricane. Both types are very simple to fly compared to our aircraft, and childishly easy to take-off and land. (Werner Mölders)
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