Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Aircraft and Vehicles => Topic started by: Furball on May 28, 2007, 10:39:44 AM

Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: Furball 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.

(http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/images/c5102.jpg)
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: Krusty on May 28, 2007, 12:18:18 PM
"That's for being 5 minutes late last Tuesday!!!"
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: frank3 on May 28, 2007, 12:23:45 PM
Don't want to keep the enemy waiting :D Nice pic!
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: Angus 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.
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: frank3 on May 30, 2007, 06:42:59 AM
I thought the Dambusters were a newly formed squadron, that was dispatched after the raids?
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: Angus 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.
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: VooWho 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?
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: Furball 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

(http://www.operations.mod.uk/telic/images/ops/617_sixtieth.jpg)

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

(http://www.targeta.co.uk/images/041_4646_RJa.jpg)
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: Tilt 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!
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: KayBayRay 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
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: bozon 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.
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: Furball 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.
Title: Accurate Bombing
Post by: Angus on June 01, 2007, 03:32:43 AM
Linkie:
http://www.dambusters.org.uk/index.htm

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2e/617sqn-600.jpg)