Was RAF Bomber Command Too Afraid To Fly Daylight Missions?
- Thread starter wuzak
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Thumpalumpacus
Major
"Afraid"? More like "sensible", imho. Until planes like the Lanc and the Mosquito came online, daylight raids suffered big losses for little return in the early war.
ETA: starting the vid now, may edit in another comment or two.
ETA2: Still watching, but I think he hits the right note when he points to both technical and doctrinal reasons. I also think it takes cojones grande to fly a bomber strike at night. His commentators slurring the courage of the Bomber Command crews are very misguided, I think ... probably some nationalist jingoism involved.
ETA: starting the vid now, may edit in another comment or two.
ETA2: Still watching, but I think he hits the right note when he points to both technical and doctrinal reasons. I also think it takes cojones grande to fly a bomber strike at night. His commentators slurring the courage of the Bomber Command crews are very misguided, I think ... probably some nationalist jingoism involved.
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SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Okay, now I got to go watch it.
Greg Boeser
2nd Lieutenant
RAF just not afraid of the dark.
buffnut453
Captain
I'll leave your night-light on, Greg...and I promise not to yell "BOO!!!" 
ww2restorer
Airman 1st Class
- 239
- May 28, 2011
Have seen presentations by this chap before. He produces some facts, but most are only to promote his ego.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
I skimed through some of this clip. While very informative, in my opinion the title of this clip, although a very poor attempt to be thought-provoking, is an insult to those who flew in bomber command. it's a well-known fact why bomber command operated at night. My dad used to have a saying, "so smart, but yet so dumb."
- Thread starter
- #10
wuzak
Captain
I would say, yes it is a click bait title, but it, and the video, were responses to comments made on previous videos.
He actually explains why BC weren't cowards.
Betteridge's law of headlines - Wikipedia
Carrot eating vampires?
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Night bombing was a natural response to the realization that "the bomber will always get through" ideology was flawed.
Even though the Germans switched to night bombing as well, the RAF perfected it.
Even though the Germans switched to night bombing as well, the RAF perfected it.
Greg Boeser
2nd Lieutenant
It helps to have bigger bombers.
We had a bomber that was so big and heavy it couldnt carry bombs, beat that.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
And many of them, too!
Thumpalumpacus
Major
When the bombers turned back for Blighty, the Sun knew it was safe to resume rising in the East.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Videos with the word "shocking" in the title don't get the benefit of my click.
I havent heard/seen the whole presentation, but these guys think the planners were idiots and all that. Harris was constantly after the air ministry for a night-fighter escort and was rebuffed the for entire war. And the US had first dibs on the mustang. The RAF 11-Group Mustangs were tied up with V-1 and deployment over France in the summer of 44. It wasn't until Bomber Command had experience with daylights in France that they tiptoed into daylights in Germany. Dad was on one of the earlier daylights to Bottrop on September 27th 1944. Again to Duisburg on 14th October. Fighter coverage was essential for dayligh operations. Dad did 5 of his 7 operations in March 1945 during the day. Loss rates were low on these…
But it could all turn tragic real fast! On 31-March-1945 to Hamburg, when the gaggle leader had a serious error in navigation and was 9 minutes late to the target. Fighter cover had left and they were bounced by 262's. 8 aircraft were shot down. Dad was screened at this point and wasn't on the raid. "There but for the grace of God" and all that!
Jim
But it could all turn tragic real fast! On 31-March-1945 to Hamburg, when the gaggle leader had a serious error in navigation and was 9 minutes late to the target. Fighter cover had left and they were bounced by 262's. 8 aircraft were shot down. Dad was screened at this point and wasn't on the raid. "There but for the grace of God" and all that!
Jim
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