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The lack of success of the Devastator is down to the circumstances. Swap in a Swordfish attacking the Japanese fleet and the results would be exactly the same. Look up Channel Dash as to how successful the Swordfish was in similar circumstances.
Plus there's the fact that the Devastator was a 1st generation monoplane and was a primitive underpowered death trap that had the manoeuvrability of a cathedral. The Swordfish was for a Biplane pretty sophisticated but was still an underpowered death trap.
Most if not all the Swordfish successes occurred in foul weather or night time when it didn't matter how slow you were if nobody could see you.
In other words, the FAA revised its tactics to fit the Swordfish's shortcomings.
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I'm always amazed at how successfully the British used a cloth covered biplane during WWII, yet our own Torpedo bomber, the Douglas Devastator, was such an abomination.
It would seem that the opposite would be true.
What was it that made this happen?
Tactics? Design?
I admit, I've not looked into this very far, but its always raised at least one eyebrow, whenever I think about it.
What? That seems like a nutty absolute.The performance of a torpedo bomber depends entirely on the performance of the torpedoes it carries.
In other words, the FAA revised its tactics to fit the Swordfish's shortcomings.
Hypothetically, if the Swordfish replaced the TBD at Midway, they would have been launched well before dawn and been out scouting for the IJN via their ASV radar in total darkness, to hopefully make a night attack to avoid IJN CAP
Had Sommerville's fleet been differently tasked, this could have been Britain's Midway.That's what smart leaders do, I would send half a dozen Swordfish out in total darkness night after night to attack the IJN fleet, the Japanese have zero defenses against such attacks and that would wear them down, personally I would put great faith in a large well coordinated night time attack against the IJN in the first few days of battle as being very successful, the last thing the Japanese would suspect would be Swordfish running in for a torpedo attack at 0300 in the morning.
Thanks Mongrel. Yer alright.
Its a statement of the obvious, but what isn't obvious is how much topedoes changed, there is precious little point having a high performance plane that has to slow to almost a standstill to effectively launch its weapons. Later in its life the Swordfish did what became a helicopters job.What? That seems like a nutty absolute.
I'm always amazed at how successfully the British used a cloth covered biplane during WWII, yet our own Torpedo bomber, the Douglas Devastator, was such an abomination.
It would seem that the opposite would be true.
What was it that made this happen?
Tactics? Design?
I admit, I've not looked into this very far, but its always raised at least one eyebrow, whenever I think about it.
I'd also argue the TBD had success at Midway. Were it not for the Devastators drawing the Zeros down to LA it's not assured that the Dauntless strike from HA would have got into position unmolested over the KB to strike the killer blows. It's a team effort, each USN aircraft played a part.The TBD did have its one success at Coral Sea.
I'd also argue the TBD had success at Midway. Were it not for the Devastators drawing the Zeros down to LA it's not assured that the Dauntless strike from HA would have got into position unmolested over the KB to strike the killer blows. It's a team effort, each USN aircraft played a part.
I'd also argue the TBD had success at Midway. Were it not for the Devastators drawing the Zeros down to LA it's not assured that the Dauntless strike from HA would have got into position unmolested over the KB to strike the killer blows. It's a team effort, each USN aircraft played a part.