I am working on a document on "Gaggle Formations" used by RAF Bomber Command in the last part of 1944 and through 1945, and want to understand the technical differences in Gaggle Formation Flying and Box Formation flying in the USAAF 8th Airforce? The former were kind of "Loosey Goosie" (if you'll pardon the pun) and the latter highly precise. I know the 8th used specially identified aircraft (some garishly painted) on which crews "formated", but I'm sure there was more to it than that. I would be interested in obtaining Instructional documents on Box Formation flying in the USAAF 8th Airforce, if anything exists.
I have a similar series of documents on Gaggles, which according to the 6-Group ORB, were used for the first time in December 1944. A particularly unfortunate failure of the Gaggle navigation occurred on the raid to Hamburg, March 31, 1945, when the navigation of one of the 6-Group Gaggles failed, the gaggle was outside of fighter cover, and 8 aircraft were shot down by Me.262's.
Royal Canadian Air Force operations record book... - Héritage
Jim
I have a similar series of documents on Gaggles, which according to the 6-Group ORB, were used for the first time in December 1944. A particularly unfortunate failure of the Gaggle navigation occurred on the raid to Hamburg, March 31, 1945, when the navigation of one of the 6-Group Gaggles failed, the gaggle was outside of fighter cover, and 8 aircraft were shot down by Me.262's.
Royal Canadian Air Force operations record book... - Héritage
Jim