With due respect to Widewing, I challenge any of you to do much better than Krusty did at 32k ft. Flying at that altitude at 180mph ias is very challenging in a plane with terrible lateral/longitudinal stability.
One of my Trainer gigs is to schedule a dueling session from a 30k field in the TA. So yeah, I'm quite comfortable flying and maneuvering at 30,000 feet.
The problem most have with high altitude is that they don't understand how different their aircraft performs up high. To overtake bombers flying that high, you need about 20 minutes to climb up there. Then, you have to build up your airspeed enough to be able to maneuver. Remember, it's your indicated air speed that matters. For many aircraft at 30k, the difference between stall speed and max speed is a very narrow range in IAS.
If you try to climb up behind a formation of bombers, you will be hanging there; a sitting duck for the tail guns. You won't have enough speed to maneuver and any abrupt stick movement can result in a stall. That's why you have to build your air speed and get out ahead of the bombers. Once you accomplish this, you can turn in and attack from a front quarter. You make one pass, fly perpendicular to the formation until about 3k distant. You then turn onto the bomber's heading and get out ahead again. Repeat this as required until ammo or fuel is exhausted, or the bombers are down.
The bombers that Krusty was chasing were climbing at about 250 feet/minute. Their speed was around 190 mph TAS. Had he applied what I illustrated above, he would have easily gained position to attack. The Ta 152 climbs 3 to 4 times faster than B-17s at those altitudes. The issue is time. You have to be willing to take the time. A Ta 152 has excellent endurance, so fuel should not be an issue. Time is what the bomber pilot expended to get to altitude. He understood that high altitude is the best refuge. He's using good tactical judgment. His bombers are vulnerable at lower altitudes. He's not gaming the game or abusing the flight model.
The argument some are using stating that the bombers are flying at full power 100% of the time is a strawman. Those fighters chasing him are flying at full throttle 100% of the time as well. Pot meet kettle.
My regards,
Widewing
