Originally posted by Ghosth
How much did do you think the average WWII fighter jock flying a p51 or P47 had total shooting his guns?
Remember, Yeager got 5 kills,
This is a misleading example of gunnery prowess since two of those aircraft collided with each other during Yeager's attack. He was, however, credited with their destruction.
I would argue that AH pilots, on average, have much better gunnery skills than their WW2 counterparts. They are able to land more hits in a shorter amount of time. If the shooter is accurate, it may only take one pass to land enough hits to do severe or fatal damage.
I would also argue that bombers suffer fewer losses as they gain altitude and speed. A fast or maneuvering B-17 or Lanc at 30k+ can force their pursuers to commit an attack at the 6 o'clock position - the best place for an effective defense.
A low bomber is easily outperformed by a fighter (expecially one with good pilot) that can pick and choose the most effective attacks with minimum risk from defensive guns. The best bomber killers aim for the cockpit where a single volley of hits can take out the flight crew. Tough to do from a 6 o'clock attack and best done with a slashing frontal attack. Flying low makes a buff an easy target for a single pass kill.
Should the bombers be made tougher because poeple aren't flying them where they are least vulnerable? High and fast?
MiG
