I need your expert knowledge my "go to" guys.

• Feb 5, 2013

• #1

[SC] Arachnicus

Senior Airman

439

4

May 1, 2012

West Chester OH

I watched a older History Channel episode, "American Aircraft of WW2" and the show stated that bomber gunner destroyed 2/3 of the enemy fighters.


Does that mean that most of the gunners shot down enemy planes in the air? They said "destroyed" so they were not specific.



Thanks!

Tom

 

• Feb 5, 2013

• #2

meatloaf109

1st Lieutenant

6,731

324

Jan 1, 2012

north carolina

The powers that were rewarded "kills" to bomber gunners at a rate that was calulated to keep up the morale of the gunners themselves, as well as the folks at home.
This is not to say that the gunners didn't achieve kills, just that there was a certain "fudge factor" involved.

 

• Feb 5, 2013

• Thread starter
• #3

[SC] Arachnicus

Senior Airman

439

4

May 1, 2012

West Chester OH

Ah, now see this is why I ask you fellas.

 

• Feb 6, 2013

• #4

W

wuzak

Captain

8,312

2,835

Jun 5, 2011

Hobart Tasmania

meatloaf109 said:

The powers that were rewarded "kills" to bomber gunners at a rate that was calulated to keep up the morale of the gunners themselves, as well as the folks at home.
This is not to say that the gunners didn't achieve kills, just that there was a certain "fudge factor" involved.

Click to expand...

Bomber gunners overclaimed their kills by a big factor, but there was no gun cam footage to help confirm those kills.

Also, multiple gunners from multiple aircraft could have hit the same aircraft and all claimed it as a kill.