Oh man!, couldn't you wait until me or Matt could rebut......he's must be reading the Guardian or the Sunday Sport........Ok, Ok
I think the point of the long-range mission would be to catch America off guard near a pivotal point and use it to advantage. Remember Doolittle's Raid on Japan, wasn't till later we discovered that The Japanese drew air assets back to Japan to cover another attack. What if months before D-day they did their raid, no real damage but the physiological effect to a people who believe they are too far away to be attacked, it could also have a knock on effect through the military mindset as well as the political stage as the President wants to be reelected. Critical resources would have to be earmarked to cover the northeast, remember flying the great circle brings you down through New England first, then who says I have to return to France or Norway. Continue south to the fifth column in Mexico to refuel if necessary and onward to Peru to spend the summer before flying back up through Africa and France. Fortunately they didn't do it. Remember Goering was heard to say "If only I could get one bomb on them, that would make them blackout!"
I think the point of the long-range mission would be to catch America off guard near a pivotal point and use it to advantage. Remember Doolittle's Raid on Japan, wasn't till later we discovered that The Japanese drew air assets back to Japan to cover another attack. What if months before D-day they did their raid, no real damage but the physiological effect to a people who believe they are too far away to be attacked, it could also have a knock on effect through the military mindset as well as the political stage as the President wants to be reelected. Critical resources would have to be earmarked to cover the northeast, remember flying the great circle brings you down through New England first, then who says I have to return to France or Norway. Continue south to the fifth column in Mexico to refuel if necessary and onward to Peru to spend the summer before flying back up through Africa and France. Fortunately they didn't do it. Remember Goering was heard to say "If only I could get one bomb on them, that would make them blackout!"
