Most Dangerous Position on a Bomber....?

[MP-Willow]

But the dam missions were a rare and special event. Excicuted with a new special bomb from the heavy. 8)

B-25s flew as low as the pilot dared, or could. The solid nose Js were low fast and could sting a target but good.

Question, please do not get mad with me, but I have read that those raids were not that effective in the overall sceam of the war?

 

[plan_D]

What raids? The Dambuster raids affected the German production from the Ruhr Valley for a good few months.
The Amiens raid freed members of the French Resistance that were needed for the spying network.

The B-25 raids I do not know much about, but they were not heavies anyway. The Mosquito pilots were flying at very low level also, at Amiens they flew lower than the wall that they were going to bomb, under 20 ft.

 

[Lightning Guy]

The B-25 (in American hands at least) didn't see much action over Europe (the B-26 being preferred). Most of the solid nose Js were in the Pacific. Their low-level strikes against shipping (like Bismarck Sea) and against airfields (raids around Rabaul) were absolutely lethal.

 

[plan_D]

I have read a few things on B-25 raids but I didn't want to comment because I know little of the B-25, although I do love it as a plane.

 

[Lightning Guy]

I think it's most devestating raids were on the Japanese airfields in the South Pacific. Even before the B-25J had arrived, a guy named Pappy Gunn (appropriately) had modified basic B-25Cs to take 8 .50cals in the nose plus two in the top turret. Their bombloads were made up of 'parafrags' - nastly little 25lbs parachute bombs with a super-sensitive fuze, and a B-25 could carry roughly 100. The B-25s would come across a Jap airstrip about 6 ships across with their guns blazing and parafrags poppin out the bomb bay. There wouldn't be much left after that.

 

[cheddar cheese]

But the dam missions

no foul langauage in here please

 

[plan_D]

That's pretty mean Lightning Guy, smart move by the B-25 crews.
Now, now C.C don't abuse your power.

 

[Lightning Guy]

They were a key component of eliminating Japanese airpower in the South Pacific.

 

[plan_D]

I always did love the B-25.

 

[Lightning Guy]

The only thing used in the SWPA that could challenge them was the A-20 which I always loved.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i think the A-20 id stupid, it looks ugly.......................

 

[plan_D]

I honestly don't know much about the A-20.

 

[Lightning Guy]

It was the most used light-attack bomber of the war. In addition to the Americans, the British and Russians used it extensively. The French had it order but I'm not sure if any reached them before they gave up. The later versions carried 6 .50cals in the nose, two in a dorsal turret, and a free-swinging ventral gun. Bombload was a max of 4,000lbs and speed around 340mph. The early versions did look kinda weird but the late models with solid nose and dorsal turret looked really sharp.

 

[plan_D]

Sounds nice, I'll have to research it.

 

[Lightning Guy]

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/research/attack/a3/a3-2.htm

That's the USAF museum's online archive file on the A-20. Should provide a good starting point.

 

[plan_D]

I'll check it out

 

[GermansRGeniuses]

I prefer B-25H. 14 .50's in all: 8 in the nose, two in the dorsal turret, one in each waist blister, and two in the tail; One 75mm cannon in the nose for ship busting; 8 rockets under the wings; 3,000lb of bombs or 1 Torpedo externally. Top speed? 275mph. Not bad if I say so myself for such a heavy load, and the fact that after it sunk a bunch of ships if it wasn't shot down, it would go faster since it would be lighter.

 

[Lightning Guy]

Except that experience showed that the 75mm wasn't as effective as it had been hoped. That's why the J model went to all .50cals in the nose for a far heavier rate of fire.

 

[GermansRGeniuses]

It could sink a destroyer in 7 shots. End of story. That sounds effective to me. It had 21 shots. Luck+Good pilot=Three ship kills from the cannon. One perhaps from the fish. For sure one from the rockets, depending on the target size. Perhaps one from the Mg's if ,again, the pilot gets lucky; this time hitting a magazine or fuel line. This is indeed possible, a Mustang once sunk a Destroyer with its guns. I believe the cannon would be better than extra machine guns.

 

[plan_D]

That's a lot of ship sinking