Glider
Captain
The Wellington AWACS was tried but was quickly withdrawn as it didn't work due to a lack of range on the Radar. A second attempt was undertaken suing a B24 but that had the same problem
Was the De Havilland Mosquito a good fighter?
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The Wellington AWACS was tried but was quickly withdrawn as it didn't work due to a lack of range on the Radar. A second attempt was undertaken suing a B24 but that had the same problem
buffnut453
Captain
Simply based on your comments about Braham and the ability of the Mosquito to intercept V1s.
Cocky Pilot
"ALL bombers had escorts for the simple reason that a bomber (whatever it is) needs an escort because you cannot perform a precision bombing run with even one enemy interceptor in the region, a bomb run is a perfect target."
Big word ALL. I've told you a million times not to exaggerate.
Way off line with this one chum. As a gut feeling I would hazard a guess that more raids by bombers went ahead WITHOUT fighter escort than with! And as far as having an escort over the target area, that was a luxury only afforded to a few.
Don't remember many fighter escorts for the RAF night raids over Europe from '39 through to '45.
"ALL bombers had escorts for the simple reason that a bomber (whatever it is) needs an escort because you cannot perform a precision bombing run with even one enemy interceptor in the region, a bomb run is a perfect target."
Big word ALL. I've told you a million times not to exaggerate.
Way off line with this one chum. As a gut feeling I would hazard a guess that more raids by bombers went ahead WITHOUT fighter escort than with! And as far as having an escort over the target area, that was a luxury only afforded to a few.
Don't remember many fighter escorts for the RAF night raids over Europe from '39 through to '45.
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Not according to the article. It was because the air launchings ended on Jan 13 1945.
correction: was KG53 not KG54.
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
4 October 1944
German U-boats had been forced out of the Biscay ports following the Allied liberation of France and Bergen was one of several Norwegian ports now being used as the forward operating bases for the U-boats. The pens at Bergen were being enlarged with an influx of German technicians and a large labour force. 93 Halifaxes and 47 Lancasters of Nos 6 and 8 Groups were dispatched to attack Bergen, most of the aircraft being allocated to the pens but 14 Halifaxes and 6 Lancasters were ordered to bomb individual U-boats known to be moored in the harbour. 12 Mosquitos of No 100 Group acted as a long-range fighter escort. The raid appeared to be successful and only 1 Lancaster was lost. 7 bombs hit the U-boat pens, causing little structural damage because of the thickness of the concrete roof, but the electrical-wiring system in the pens was completely put out of action. Nearby ship-repair yards were seriously damaged. 3 U-boats were damaged by the bombing but they did not sink. 3 other small ships were hit; two of them sank and the third the German auxiliary Schwabenland, had to be put in dry dock for repair.
RAF History - Bomber Command 60th Anniversary
Check through that site you will find many instances of the Mossie as fighter escort. and most Mossie FB missions were escorted by.....other Mossies.
They did shoot down a number of launch aircraft, once the launching sites in France had been overr-run. The standard tactics against the V-1s fired from France was a dive, though the first one shot down by a Mosquito came after the Mossie turned through 180' to chase it.
Sharp and Bowyer say 470-odd shot down by the seven "full-time" anti-diver squadrons, another 150 or so by Mosquitos from other squadrons.
Glider
Captain
I admit that it was my understanding that when the raids were escorted, Mustangs and Typhoons were the normal escorts on Mosquito bomber missions.
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
They were but if you check that site, there were a few - more than afew - instances where Mossies escorted Mossies. There was even one mission where Blenheim fighters escorted Blenheim bombers. Didn't work out so well.
davebender
1st Lieutenant
Now that really highlights German resource availability vs British resource availability during the final 6 months of the war.
V1 cruise missiles cost 5,090 RM ($2,036) each. I wonder what seven Mosquito squadrons cost?
V1 cruise missiles cost 5,090 RM ($2,036) each. I wonder what seven Mosquito squadrons cost?
buffnut453
Captain
And that was only the Mosquitos. There were also Spitfires, Tempests etc.
Shortround6
Major General
How many of the Mosquitos were still functioning at the end of the campaign?
How many Mosquitos were lost compared to the 470 or so V-1s they shot down?
How much did the infrastructure to launch the V-1s cost (which couldn't be used for anything else, unlike an airfield that could host an assortment of aircraft.)
While it did cost more to defend against the V-1 than it did to build and launch them the difference isn't what is suggested by Mr. Benders post.
parsifal
Colonel
Sorry, replied to the wrong post....I was responding to the following
Now that really highlights German resource availability vs British resource availability during the final 6 months of the war.
V1 cruise missiles cost 5,090 RM ($2,036) each. I wonder what seven Mosquito squadrons cost? '
Err no...this does not include the vast sums of money essentially wasted on the germwans in their rocket development program. I have the figures at home, and the costs were astronomical......and out of all proportion to any likley damage they may have been able to inflict.
By comparison, the mosquito essntially used non strategic materials, and off the shelf technologies to produce a true war winning peice of machinery.....the situation is exactly the opposite to the position you are taking....right up until the end of the war, the germans commanded superior resources to anything the british could engage.....it was simply that the british made far better use of their resources, and employed them in strategies suited to Britians war situation....
Now that really highlights German resource availability vs British resource availability during the final 6 months of the war.
V1 cruise missiles cost 5,090 RM ($2,036) each. I wonder what seven Mosquito squadrons cost? '
Err no...this does not include the vast sums of money essentially wasted on the germwans in their rocket development program. I have the figures at home, and the costs were astronomical......and out of all proportion to any likley damage they may have been able to inflict.
By comparison, the mosquito essntially used non strategic materials, and off the shelf technologies to produce a true war winning peice of machinery.....the situation is exactly the opposite to the position you are taking....right up until the end of the war, the germans commanded superior resources to anything the british could engage.....it was simply that the british made far better use of their resources, and employed them in strategies suited to Britians war situation....
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fastmongrel
1st Sergeant
The wood for the Mossie still had to be imported from North and South America. It wasnt homegrown and anyway Britain was desperately short of wood and had no suitable forests to produce the materials needed. I am not quite sure of the definition of strategic material but it wasnt something that was lying about and not being used.
Still a brilliant use of available resources, making a set of concrete moulds and a load of woodworking tools (oversimplification I know) has to be easier than building or importing rolling mills, stamping presses, drills and jigs.
michaelmaltby
Colonel
".... V1 cruise missiles".
That's a bit of a stretch isn't it Dave?
As for resource allocation ... "5,090 RM ($2,036) each" + countless slaves working in caves.
MM
That's a bit of a stretch isn't it Dave?
As for resource allocation ... "5,090 RM ($2,036) each" + countless slaves working in caves.
MM
davebender
1st Lieutenant
What does the German rocket program have to do with the pulsejet powered V1 cruise missile?
parsifal
Colonel
same deal....the germans basically wasted their research and development programs in many cases, on projects that would bear no tangible the foreseeable future. the V1s, and the V-2 programs were within those categories...if ever there was a total waste of money, these have to be considered prime examples
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
I think what we're looking at here is not so much as a traditional escort in the case of fighters escorting heavy bombers and protecting a combat box, but rather dedicated aircraft providing "top cover" for fighter bombers going in on a tactical operation. In Vietnam you had F-4s escorting F-4s as well providing cover while the F-4s loaded with bombs struck targets.
Blenheims escorting Blenheims!?!?
drgondog
Major
FLYBOYJ Blenheims escorting Blenheims!?!? :eeeeek:[/QUOTE said:
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
V-1 and V-2 are about as much the same deal as battlecruisers and submarines.
