Good info here guys.
But how do you get your bombers over a cv without getting torn up by the puffy ack before you get there? Every time I've tried level bombing on cv the ack tears me up too much, and at any altitude, even 25K.
It sounds like you're climbing in range or exposing yourself for longer duration than needed (in and out) to the puffy ack.
Try climbing and achieving your target altitude over 1.5 full sectors away from your target, then fly straight and level for a full sector before calibrating. When making your pass over a CV, I recommend flying straight through, don't begin to turn around for another pass until you've extended far enough that you're no longer being shot at.
Also remember, anything below 7.5k puts you in range of the auto-40/20mm guns, anything above 3k altitude puts you in range of the auto-5" puffy. I can come in fast and below 3k and make my drop without taking much damage (and no little black clouds to give advanced notice) - immediatley after dropping is another story as I'm now in AAA central. Otherwise if I'm comming in above 3k, I want to be level/fast and above 7.5k so that I don't get double-whammied.