The Amerika bombers

[syscom3]

One thing to remember about those Amerika bombers.....

The B29's that got more than moderate damage over Japan had a hell of a time getting back to Iwo Jima safely, let alone the Mariana's.

And that was against the Japanese defenses that were hardly up to the task of intercepting the bombers or putting up punishing flak.

Now imagine the Amerika bombers going up against potential US defenses and watch the LW take group losses of 100% after a few missions.

The LW could not sustain more than a few missions per month against the US, just as the US could not sustain B36 missions against Europe.

 

[Hornet_Driver]

One thing to remember about those Amerika bombers.....

The B29's that got more than moderate damage over Japan had a hell of a time getting back to Iwo Jima safely, let alone the Mariana's.

And that was against the Japanese defenses that were hardly up to the task of intercepting the bombers or putting up punishing flak.

Now imagine the Amerika bombers going up against potential US defenses and watch the LW take group losses of 100% after a few missions.

The LW could not sustain more than a few missions per month against the US, just as the US could not sustain B36 missions against Europe.

From what I gathered, the LW had no intention of dipping below in altitude for any flak or air intercept over the Eastern Seaboard of the USA, nor was there any energy put into a massive high-altitude bombing campaign if the LW could ever get a successful long-range bomber design to carry the dirty bomb payload. Costs associated for such an endeavor (materials, especially and time) were the saviors of the Allies/USA. I think that if the war persisted, the LW may have pulled it off, especially with the Horten wing.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

They may have pulled off one mission but you have to remember that if they had managed to bomb the east coast then the US would have put up so many massive amounts of AA and fighter protection. A second mission would have been impossible and Berlin would have been glowing...

 

[MP-Willow]

The German Air attacks may have gone better then we think. I have seen pictures of German U-boats off thee Atlantic City beaches and they were not being shot at, in daylight.

The US coastal deffence and patrols were at times lacking, but it would be one or two raids to get them to be like the Japanease. Also, one or two raids on New York or Boston, and you would have a slow time replacing things to England.

 

[Graeme]

Only one city on the American mainland was bombed during WWII. Boise City, Oklahoma, was "attacked" in July 1943 by a single U.S. Army Air Force plane on a bombing training mission. The aircraft-operating out of Dalhart, Texas-was to drop six 100-pound practice bombs (each carried four pounds of explosives) on a desolate bombing range. Instead, the pilot delivered his load on Boise City, 45 miles from the range. The bombs hit the Baptist Church and a garage. There were no casualties.

 

[Heinz]

Thats a fair mistake to make!

 

[Graeme]

If you haven't seen the program, definitely catch it.

A similar documentary aired on Australian SBS television last night titled, 'Hitler's war on America'. It dealt with numerous aeronautical projects envisaged to destroy America. They included the Messerschmitt Me 264 (proved to be flimsy and incapable of the predicted range), Focke Wulf Fw 200 (as discussed in this thread), Blohm und Voss Bv 222 (one way mission) and the A9/A10 combination (destroyed by the Peenemunde raids).

The penultimate 'project' was from the Daimler- Benz workshop assisted by Kurt Tank. Essentially Carrier 'B' was to carry six 'D' suicide craft, and release them just prior to the east coast of America.

Simple.

 

[Heinz]

Wasn;t the blohm und Voss222 the idea of getting back too?

Fly 1000kms off American coast, refuel and re arm from a U boat, then fly bomb and come back to the U boat to refuel for the trip back?

 

[Graeme]

Wasn;t the blohm und Voss222 the idea of getting back too?

Fly 1000kms off American coast, refuel and re arm from a U boat, then fly bomb and come back to the U boat to refuel for the trip back?

I think you're right Heinz. Did you see the documentary last night? I'm old and the memory is not good! Not even 24hours! By the way, how was your trip into NSW?

 

[Heinz]

Yes I did see the SBS docu. Was a nice change to see something 'good' on tv again

Yes it was a good trip thanks we just drove up and back pretty much. Temora was great Highlight of my year or decade

 

[MP-Willow]

I think that the major problum was the one way nature. Crews would not be able to get back. The Over the Pole trip was promissing though. That would have been able to hit Canada and posibly the Great lakes. Do you all ave any thoughts? I read a little on the Polar rutes, but not that much

 

[Graeme]

I think that the major problum was the one way nature. Crews would not be able to get back. The Over the Pole trip was promissing though. That would have been able to hit Canada and posibly the Great lakes. Do you all ave any thoughts? I read a little on the Polar rutes, but not that much

From the documentary above, the Messerschmitt Me 264 was planned to utilise Iceland as a 'halfway' base but the Americans preempted this by landing troops there. Colombia was another possible bomber site, but again the Americans dashed their plans buy placing 'bounties' on the heads of Germans.

Heinz..help me out, have I got it right this time?

 

[Heinz]

Yes Graeme your correct!

 

[MP-Willow]

What about some nice caribian island? Even if you never launched a mission, I would take that to the Eastern Front

U-boats were able to operate, and could have helped to supply a bomber base, but for how long, would be the big question.