Only P-38s?? Wasn't the whole point of the invasion stripes on the wings of allied fighters and bombers for easy identification by ground and naval forces?
Were there any enemy planes at the D-Day landings?
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Only P-38s?? Wasn't the whole point of the invasion stripes on the wings of allied fighters and bombers for easy identification by ground and naval forces?
fubar57
General
Can't mistake the shape of a P-38
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
The Allies had everything up in the air over Normandy: P-38s, Spitfires, P-47s, P-51s, Hurricanes and a huge list of bombers.
About 11,000 aircraft (including transports & gliders) total if memory serves right.
About 11,000 aircraft (including transports & gliders) total if memory serves right.
That's what I would think. You'd put everything up possible to protect the slow ships, landing craft, and troops on the beaches.
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 38,245
- Mar 26, 2007
And if german planes got to the beaches....
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I believe that there were 298 sorties flown against the allied landings in the first day. Bombers also made attacks at night.
Admiral Beez
Captain
Did the Germans consider a poison gas attack on the invasion forces? Seems a Nazi-like last ditch swing.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
No...and while they had the weapons on hand, Hitler (who had first hand experience with gas attacks) knew that would open Pandora's box, so it was not an option.
I find it curious that a man who would order the extermination of millions of Jews, who sent hundreds of V-1 and V-2 rockets against civilians, and who for the most part disregarded the well being of his soldiers by time and again ordering them to stand their ground to defend the Reich in the face of overwhelming odds, would care if poison gas was used, even with his personal experience. People were simply a means to an end, a 1000 year Reich.
A former Eagle SQ/4th pilot I knew flew a P-51 at least six sorties over the beachs that day. His memory of those days were ships,ships and more ships. He didn't mention seeing Priller and wingman. Off topic , Priller opened a brewery after the war and held annual reunions with his jagdfleiger brothers and Jimmy ended becoming good friends with all the guys he fought with during WW2.
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RoyalOrderofWhaleBangers
Recruit
Regarding Germany not employing nerve agents against the Allies, one potential factor is that the first nerve gas had been developed by accident in the German pesticide industry. The United States was very active in pesticide research and development, so one might suspect that they had made a similar discovery(ies). With air superiority and a huge force of strategic bombers, the U.S. and U.K. could have deluged targets all over Germany with chemical munitions. That would've been devastating even with conventional agents. The Germans were also highly dependent on horse-drawn transport, which would be highly susceptible to poison gases. Considerations like those are far more likely reasons than a morally pathological regime hesitating due to humanitarian concerns as sometimes suggested.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Poison gas (of various types) were present in Europe, both in Allied and Axis stockpiles. There was even an instance where mustard gas was inadvertently deployed when the Luftwaffe attacked the port of Bari, Italy on 2 December 1943. The SS John Harvey, among 27 other ships, was hit and it's cargo detonated, broadcasting mustard gas accross the port.
It's an interesting opinion about horses and all, but the fact remains that Hitler did not want poison weapons deployed. He experienced and was injured by gas during WWI and knew that using it would bring retaliation.
Simple as that.
swampyankee
Chief Master Sergeant
- 3,954
- Jun 25, 2013
...and yet AA gunners managed to do so.
Even the moderate winds in Europe ensured the use of gas made its own retaliation, you invariably start gassing your own troops.
My uncle was on a USA gun ship on D-Day and after, specifically to identify friend or foe for US gunners (via the gunnery controller). AA gunners didn't mis identify aircraft, they just opened fire on anything and everything that moved near the ship, it took some getting out of the young guys systems, because the obvious fact was most planes they saw were friends.. but they didn't want to be sunk by the 1 in 1000 that wasn't.
During postwar interrogation Goering said this was the primary reason they never used poison gas.
I bet that a reconnaissance pilot with the balls for it could get away with flying a Fw 189
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Propellorhead
Airman 1st Class
My father who was a signalman on LCH187 at Arromanches fired on a low flying Ju88 on D-day plus they fired at a Spitfire without invasion stripes, using their 40mm pom pom. when I was younger I had a photograph of a Ju88 dropping an oyster mine inside a Mulberry Harbour. SADLY over the years I lost this photo
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