Now if this was AH....those FWs and BF109s would tear up those low alt & low E Ponies and Jugs.
Just goes to show how bad Germany was with their training of new pilots if the Pony pilots also were just breaking their cherry. Can anyone explain to me why the Allies didnt have invasion stripes on their planes?
I've read the book that goes into the detail of this battle. I have long since lost and forgotten what its called, but I am amazed at how well the History Channel does their graphics- I pictured the exact same scenery and tactics as I read the book many years ago.
Just to clarify on the invasion stripes and since I'm at my usual computer instead of the Ipad.
The most you'd have seen at Y-29 on a 352nd Mustang would have been this. It represents a high time Mustang that's managed to survive from the late summer of 44 until January 45. Normal black ETO bands on wings and tail and the white and black invasion stripes on the underside of the fuselage. Not many of those would have still been around due to combat attrition etc.
You might see a medium time 51 with the same ID bands on wing and tail and just black ID stripes on the fuselage without the white. Figure this is a late Fall arrival.
But the majority would have been lower time Mustangs delivered without any ETO ID bands or invasion stripes on the fuselage like this.
As for saying in AH the FWs and 109s would chew up the low alt 51s and Jugs, I'd disagree. Given the same set up where Jugs were formed up over the field and the Mustangs were going to roll, I'd imagine something similar as the Jugs would be able to bust up the attack so the Mustangs could get up. Remember the LW planes were supposed to attack and strafe the field. They weren't expecting any resistance from the air.
Imagine any horde raid in the MA that's been met by even a few birds in position to bounce them initially that get them off their targets. They tend to fold up fairly quickly.
