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- #121
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
The British accent is also great for delivering jokes.
Please sir, may we have more Black Adder?
Please sir, may we have more Black Adder?
Greatest aviation myth this site “de-bunked”. (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter SaparotRob
- Start date
Of course. But originating from someone else, not Martin Caidin.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Caidin was notorious for taking things out of context as well as outright fabricating "information" to sensationalized his articles and publications.
So in the case of the P-38, he took a bit of propaganda and sensationalized it to his benefit and we've been stuck with that Caidinism ever since...
So in the case of the P-38, he took a bit of propaganda and sensationalized it to his benefit and we've been stuck with that Caidinism ever since...
Bingo
I thought that British people arriving in USA with a "home counties" accent were arrested for being master criminals or offered a part as a master criminal in the next Hollywood movie.
Kevin J
Banned
Yes, us Brits are a race of master criminals. Luckily, only the Iranians have recognised this.
- Thread starter
- #127
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
No, really MORE BLACK ADDER, please.
fastmongrel
1st Sergeant
You need a cunning plan
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
True, but he took the propaganda and really ran with it. I'm sure you read his book about the P-38.
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- #130
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
I was scrolling through the threads of time ( circa 2009) and came upon some posts regarding the B-17 vs B-24 (B17 vs B24 vs Lanc).
Jhor9 and Erich (the old sage) had some posts about LW interceptors preferring to attack B-24's over B-17's. Could that be true or is that a myth too?
Jhor9 and Erich (the old sage) had some posts about LW interceptors preferring to attack B-24's over B-17's. Could that be true or is that a myth too?
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Erich is well learned in Luftwaffe techniques through both his research, interviewing countless Luftwaffe pilots and personal connections.
Add to this, the fact that the B-24 had ten .50 MGs as defensive armament where the B-17 was better defended by thirteen .50 MGs and a better field of fire - the B-24's dual horizontal stabilizers were a large "blind spot".
Not a myth at all.
fastmongrel
1st Sergeant
B24s tended to fly a bit lower than the Fortress so perhaps that explains the preference.
- Thread starter
- #133
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
I framed my question incorrectly. Did LW pilots divert(?) from attacking B-17's to B-24's if formations of both were in the same vicinity?
I've read anecdotes from German pilots saying that B-24s were more susceptible to gunfire than B-17s.
If I had to take a wild guess -- since the B-24 was harder to fly in formation, their combat boxes might not have been as tight -- leading to Luftwaffe fighters attacking them instead.
If I had to take a wild guess -- since the B-24 was harder to fly in formation, their combat boxes might not have been as tight -- leading to Luftwaffe fighters attacking them instead.
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- Thread starter
- #135
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Thanks for that.
Why was that?
swampyankee
Chief Master Sergeant
- 4,308
- Jun 25, 2013
It may have been because the B-24 had a higher wing loading.
Interestingly, the B-24 seemed to have a lower loss rate than the B-17 in the hands of the Eighth Air Force; see The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress vs. the Consolidated B-24 Liberator - Warfare History Network
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- #138
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Great link! That was not what I was expecting. I'm still a B-17 fan but point we'll taken. It also backs up the views of some of those old posts. Thanks.
The Halifax and Lancaster here a similar quirk in statistics. You were more likely to survive being shot down in a Halifax, you were less likely to be shot down in a Lancaster but for Harris you needed more Halifaxes than Lancasters to drop the same amount of bombs and he didn't know survival rates until after the war.
Glider
Major
Dare I say the idea that RAF didn't use 100 octane during the BOB.
