The abandoning or destruction of tanks by their own crews fell into an area which noone,including the various ORS at the time could quantify. This was the degradation of morale caused by constant air attack by an enemy with total air supremacy. Some consider this,rather than any physical destruction,to have been the most important contribution of allied air power in North Western Europe.
There is no doubt that other factors applied to that statistic as well. The soldiers would argue that it was the approach of "feet on the ground" that caused the abandonment and destruction of so many tanks by their crews. The truth lies somewhere between the two.
In the Falaise pocket (and elsewhere) the Germans were unable to resupply their tanks and other vehicles. With no fuel or ammunition they were always going to be abandoned. I have never suggested that the allied Air Forces didn't have a hand in this. It was Rommel and various other German commanders,not me,who said that they were not a decisive factor.
Another report on the effect of air power on the stemming of the Ardennes offensive said whilst the allied Air Forces had made a considerable contribution this
"was not by the direct destruction of armour,which appears to have been insignificant; but rather by the strafing and bombing of supply routes,which prevented essential supplies from reaching the front"
This is not CAS.
The thread was about tank busting aircraft and in this role ALL allied fighter bombers in North West Europe were virtually useless.
I did miss the other Commonwealth Vengeance squadrons. I was quoting from notes rather than Smith's book.
4 RAAF squadrons used the type in combat.
21 Squadron used it for two weeks in New Guinea in January 1944 before the type was withdrawn. The squadron returned to Australia and converted to Liberators.
23 Squadron used theirs supporting American troops around Saidor for less than a month in February 1944 before they too converted to Liberators.
24 Squadron used the Vengeance,in combat and as a dive bomber from August 1943 until March 1944,a decent period,before they returned to Australia and converted to the Liberator.
25 Squadron used the Vengeance in various Army support roles from August 1943 right through until January 1945.
I'm not aware of any reports or comparisons of the Australian use of these aircraft,unlike their British and Indian colleagues but I'm all ears if anyone has some information on them.
I have a note about RNZAF personel at Amberley in Australia with the word "Vengeance" in brackets. Not sure what I meant,anyone able to cast some light on New Zealand use of the aircraft? Of the 24 or so RNZAF squadrons that fought in the Pacific were any Vengeance equipped?
I simply don't have time to go trawling through my library![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Cheers
Steve
There is no doubt that other factors applied to that statistic as well. The soldiers would argue that it was the approach of "feet on the ground" that caused the abandonment and destruction of so many tanks by their crews. The truth lies somewhere between the two.
In the Falaise pocket (and elsewhere) the Germans were unable to resupply their tanks and other vehicles. With no fuel or ammunition they were always going to be abandoned. I have never suggested that the allied Air Forces didn't have a hand in this. It was Rommel and various other German commanders,not me,who said that they were not a decisive factor.
Another report on the effect of air power on the stemming of the Ardennes offensive said whilst the allied Air Forces had made a considerable contribution this
"was not by the direct destruction of armour,which appears to have been insignificant; but rather by the strafing and bombing of supply routes,which prevented essential supplies from reaching the front"
This is not CAS.
The thread was about tank busting aircraft and in this role ALL allied fighter bombers in North West Europe were virtually useless.
I did miss the other Commonwealth Vengeance squadrons. I was quoting from notes rather than Smith's book.
4 RAAF squadrons used the type in combat.
21 Squadron used it for two weeks in New Guinea in January 1944 before the type was withdrawn. The squadron returned to Australia and converted to Liberators.
23 Squadron used theirs supporting American troops around Saidor for less than a month in February 1944 before they too converted to Liberators.
24 Squadron used the Vengeance,in combat and as a dive bomber from August 1943 until March 1944,a decent period,before they returned to Australia and converted to the Liberator.
25 Squadron used the Vengeance in various Army support roles from August 1943 right through until January 1945.
I'm not aware of any reports or comparisons of the Australian use of these aircraft,unlike their British and Indian colleagues but I'm all ears if anyone has some information on them.
I have a note about RNZAF personel at Amberley in Australia with the word "Vengeance" in brackets. Not sure what I meant,anyone able to cast some light on New Zealand use of the aircraft? Of the 24 or so RNZAF squadrons that fought in the Pacific were any Vengeance equipped?
I simply don't have time to go trawling through my library
Cheers
Steve
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