Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
In a related manner, were the cheek guns in A-20s ever used in combat?
Hi,
Why do you think A-20 B-25/26 could not strafe in Europe?
It appears to me that in the Pacific,at least for single engine and twin engine aircraft, attacking aircraft flew long distances at relatively low altitudes then made quick dashes over enemy held areas. Of course there was no AA over the water to worry about. In Europe, as soon as the coast was reached AA followed the planes.
Fighter bombers flew mostly from advanced airfields and attacked areas closer to the front lines and did not spend two or three hours subjected to AA and fighters.
The Brits did some low-level raids with Bostons and Mosquitos from England but they were not on a regular basis. They tried not to be predictable.
One of the reasons the B-17 was used in Europe was that it routinely flew 1 mile higher than B-24s so was a little further away from the AA.
I think most B-26 missions were medium altitude there-and-back missions without detours to stafe.
single engine fighter bomber and twin engine bomber are not same the second are larger and slower target so easiesto to shoot down.
i've read a report (table) over 2/3 of mission/man was flying from 23k" to 25k" so pratically there are less of 1 mile of difference from B-17 and B-24 in common mission
P-47, Typhoon/Tempest strafed in Europe on regular basis, so there is no difference for twin engined planes in that regard.
German light (15-37mm) AAA was fielded in much greater numbers then Japanese, I agree with that.
What 'automatic medium AA-gun' had you in mind for Germans?
I was thinking of the 37mm gun. The Japanese had nothing to fill the gap between the 20/25mm and 3/4inch guns.
I don't think the package guns were of much use in Europe. B25/B26 aircraft flew to high for the guns to be of any use and the opportunities of using them in air to air combat are almost negligable given the US tactics of staying in formation.
Re the use of speed in GA mission the Typhoon certanly went in as fast as they could. It obvously depended on the target but something like an airfield would be attacked as fast and as low as possible. A Medium bomber trying such a tactic would stand little chance.