Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
Hurricane was void of any advantage medium bombers possesed (second engine, resilience, second pilot), and was void of main advantage contemporary (2nd part of WW2) fighter-bombers had (speed). So comparing the venerable plane with any member of those two categories is not fair
Yes but the Stuka with 37mm Cannon-packs was very succesful and slower and less nippy than the Hurricane I might add - "Kanonenvogel"
The Russians (main 'customers' of Ju-87G) were deploying a fraction of planes and AAA* per mile of front line, than it was the case on Western front, for both sides. And we know all to well how Stuka fared in West from 1940 onward.
Later versions of the 87 were actually employed with some success POST 1940 eg. in the Med and Western Dessert - and Greece etc
So, it was a bit like the Bf110 - you thought it was dead and then it would come back and bite you in the backside
Thanks for the info.
Of 10 planes shot down over Ijmuijden, 3 were victims of mid air collision, and 2 were shot down by fighters, leaving 5 to Flak. According to the link you provided, Flak was ''murderous" there. Id venture to say any type of plane that ventured there would suffer the same fate.
Hurricane was void of any advantage medium bombers possesed (second engine, resilience, second pilot), and was void of main advantage contemporary (2nd part of WW2) fighter-bombers had (speed). So comparing the venerable plane with any member of those two categories is not fair
The Coastal Command Beaufighters operated similar low level strafing type missions. North Coates Strike Wing operated as the largest anti-shipping force of the Second World War, and accounted for 117 vessels for a loss of 120 Beaufighters. That means that the whole wing was totally wiped out twice during its career.
True but in the cold logic of war, the loss of 1 aircraft for 1 vessel is a good swap and one worth paying.
In the South Pacific the strafing versions of the B-25 and Boston bombers have an excellent combat record and were a primary offensive type, probably more valued than single engine fighter models. But then in Europe even a Messerschmitt isn't going to be taken down by a .50-cal defensive gun anywhere near as easily as a Japanese fighter. And then is the sheer proliference of the German FlaK corps, where the British had developed radar and centralised command as a basis of home defence, Germany had traditionally relied on FlaK defences and these were highly developed and numerous, continuing their evolution throughout the war. You just can't compare a FlaK-38 with the Polsten, the sheer proliference of SPG FlaK-37 mutes the impact of the Bofors, and that 14.7km lethal altitude of the FlaK-41 plus those super-heavy 10.5 and 12.8cm FlaK used in Reich defence, well they're just terrifying.
Plethora of 15-37mm flak did made strafing runs difficult expensive, I agree with that.
As for German forces relaying on light Flak, that was the thing from day one. Eg. Germans deployed just under 10 000 (yep, under 10 thousands) of under-40mm weapons already in mid 1940. The number perhaps tripled to 1944, but many were deployed on Russian front at the time.
Plethora of 15-37mm flak did made strafing runs difficult expensive, I agree with that.
As for German forces relaying on light Flak, that was the thing from day one. Eg. Germans deployed just under 10 000 (yep, under 10 thousands) of under-40mm weapons already in mid 1940. The number perhaps tripled to 1944, but many were deployed on Russian front at the time.
The Allies also captured a LOT of Italian Breda 20mm Cannon that were apparently very good.
But any tank that comes free is a good tank.