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Thank you.
They may not have exploded every time they got hit but it was a very real possibility.
Question.
Are there any records to show how many fighters were severely damaged by their exploding targets? The explosions from the ammunition cars and barges look pretty massive.
Then again, how many pilots would admit to shooting themselves down?
Colonel William B Colgan:
"Locomotives, whilst varying in weight from large mainline freight and passenger types to small local and yard switch engines, were iron horses. Whether steam or electric they were hard targets. To be claimed destroyed, a loco had to blow or rupture in a cloud of steam (at times with parts flying off) or derail and wreck. An electric loco had to erupt in a display of fire, sparks and smoke, with parts flying, to be claimed. Only close in pin point shooting achieved those results. Sprayed bullets never did."
Which would imply, from a man who was there, that it took some good shooting to ensure a satisfactory "blow".
Eric Hammel
"I turned on my gun switch [he had previously missed with bombs] and made two broadside strafing passes at the steam engine. I estimate that I expended thirty to forty rounds from each of my four guns on each strafing pass. In the dim dawn light my .50 calibre API bullets really flashed brightly when they hit. The strikes caused steam to billow up. I felt relief at being rid of those heavy bombs and elation at having hit the target alone."
That doesn't sound like an explosion either.
Here's one for the fans of the Hellcat in the ETO.
On August 21, 1944, Strafing Flight #63 took off at 13:15 from the deck of the USS Tulagi. Eight planes under flight leader Lt. Cmdr. William F. Bringle, consisted of pilots Ensign William C. McKeever, Ensign John M. Denison, Ensign Charles P. Skelly, Lt. Charles s. Longino, Ensign Lawrence W. Thompson, Lt. John H. Coyne, Ensign Thomas S. Ryan headed on their mission over Southern France.
The eight F6F-5s Hellcats led by Lt. Cmdr. Bringle were assigned to attack barges on the Rhone River. Four were found below Aries tied up at position S-9340. They were first strafed then were bombed with 1000 lb. bombs, which were near misses and a depth bomb exploded on the bow of the largest barge which was 200 feet long. The bow was shattered but did not burn.
After the attack, two planes were detached by the control ship for a special mission. The remaining six headed toward Nimes. On the way they strafed several small groups of motor trucks which were found on the roads. They turned north in the direction of Sainte-Anastasie and strafed and attacked with rockets, 100 motor trucks found in 5 groups along the road.
They went as far north as Uzes, but the weather started to close in and they turned south. Northwest of Nimes they strafed a train and left its locomotive disabled with clouds of steam escaping. In all these attacks, 50 trucks were considered certainly destroyed and 50 more damaged.
My italics, but once again no explosion.
Cheers
Steve
If you have a "complete" spare boiler fully equipped and a crane it may work. If you have to transfer a lot of the 'auxiliaries/accessories' it may be a long process, having fully equipped spare boilers hanging around just were you need them can get VERY expensive.
how "expensive" is it if the wheels of the war machine grind to a halt? i think that would be an expense high command would gladly absorb.