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Weather.............syscom3 said:Read it again.
On the occasions the bombardiers had visual sighting, the accuracy went up to 25%.
There are other numerous incidents cited in the survey where production was disrupted by damage to the power, water and sewer systems surrounding the plants. In this case, if the RAF hit a key piece of machinery with one of the big bombs, then that component was destroyed and out of commision for quite some time. But if the 8th/15th AF didnt destroy the eqmt even with direct hits, then there still would have been interuptions in production from one reason or another.
It looks like that most of the refineries were out of commision for extended (multi-week) periods in only a few instances.
After reading a lot of the survey, I'm of the opinion if the RAF and AAF went to bombing the oil plants early in 1944 rather than waste time bombing the aircraft plants and airfields, then the German economy might have collapsed even sooner.
syscom3 said:Weather what?
I think the 8AF brass thought it was more important to take the Luftwafle out so the bombers could strike with little interference.....syscom3 said:There were plenty of bomber missions in early 1944 (Feb 1944 - April 1944). I say that instead of hitting the airfields and Berlin, start a concerted bombing campaign against the refineries.
and it just about came to a halt later in the yearsyscom3 said:It looks like the refinery offensive began in earnest in May and June 1944.
Doolittle didn't have an imgaination for stuff like that!syscom3 said:As for the target selection for earlier in the year, Im surprised noone in the "target selection commitee" pushed for hitting the refineries early on and the frequently. It didnt take to much imagination to see the impact to the economy.
FLYBOYJ said:Doolittle didn't have an imgaination for stuff like that!
syscom3 said:Because he was busy figuring out how to make the B25's carrier capable?
syscom3 said:I was reading more in the reports.
It said that the larger RAF bombs were needed to destroy the heavy eqmt. The US 1000 pounders couldnt do the job.
It also said that the destruction of the utlities surrounding the plants were a major cause of production disruption. Repairable, but damage non the less.
If I planned a raid, I would send in the RAF with the heavy bombs to target the plant, and then the B17's and -24's to plaster the area to damage the pipes and cabling.
Erich said:it would be nice if our two US air vets could read this and make comment..........b-17sam and jhor
A number of reasons....the lancaster kicks *** said:why not just send all lancs? it cuts out the lack of communication between the forces issue and the lancs could carry 8,000lbers plus the 1,000lbers you want, what's the sence in sending the extra american bombers?
How about this. Forget the B-17s, forget the Lancasters, forget the B-24s. Just send B-29s for the day and the night bombing. It would do the job better and more efficient than any of the 3 mentioned here.