GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
About 360, if I remember correctly.Until unification present day Germany was a collection of principalities or city states.
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About 360, if I remember correctly.Until unification present day Germany was a collection of principalities or city states.
Well next time I'll double check since the rest of your numbers were the lowest "guestimate"That is the second time I posted that link. The first time was also the first time I quoted that particular "radius of destruction". If you want to be so hard core with the accusations of laxity on my part, maybe you should double check first.![]()
Absolutely!Incidentally however, I think you were right to question the number (to a point); it would depend not only on the type of target but the type of 500 lb bomb and probably a few other factors. I guess 100 feet was considered an average for that time.
And don't forget incendiaries!From what I'm reading online the modern Mk 82 is supposed to have a "lethal area" of 80m x 30m which is considerably more than 90 ft. Presumably they use more effective explosives now and maybe pack more into the bomb.
So any thought of using the Mosquito in large formations at higher altitudes in the same manner of the heavy bombers of the day (even when carrying a full bomb load) should not be remotely considered IMO.
Whew! Lot of posts going on. After reading all of this I just have a couple simpleton questions:
1) What does a mass raid with Mosquitos look like. Is it just large formation flying, but at a greater speed? Is it low altitude in squadron waves? IIRC low altitude air defenses, especially for static targets, were actually quite effective. I see a lot of arguments that the Mosquito would be different because of speed, but what would that actually look like in use.
And that's fine - I still say (as others on here) you're going need more aircraft or more raids to effectively knock out a large target area (drumroll) GIVEN THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE DAY! And I'll stand by that statement even with the bombing inaccuracies documented in the post war years.For the record, I have been advocating their use in pretty much every other way but the above, ideally in a larger number of smaller raids. Not in the manner of the heavies.
So any thought of using the Mosquito in large formations at higher altitudes in the same manner of the heavy bombers of the day (even when carrying a full bomb load) should not be remotely considered IMO.
Correct.
A large formation of Mosquitoes would be a juicy target, and would have to fly slower than they otherwise would. A large formation defeats the best attributes of the Mosquito - speed and agility.
A question: do the Germans react to a large number of small raids with Mosquitoes with the same urgency as a small number of large raids by heavies?
At night they ignored them because they couldnt really do much about them.Correct.
A large formation of Mosquitoes would be a juicy target, and would have to fly slower than they otherwise would. A large formation defeats the best attributes of the Mosquito - speed and agility.
A question: do the Germans react to a large number of small raids with Mosquitoes with the same urgency as a small number of large raids by heavies?
The U.S. would have had no trouble building a wooden Mosquito no more than it would have had any difficulties in manufacturing an all metal version.I'm guessing U.S. industry would have trouble building wooden aircraft on the same scale as building metal aircraft.
I find the information in the article a bit lacking.
"A 500-pound bomb, standard for precision missions after 1943, had a lethal radius of only 60 to 90 feet. It dug a crater just two feet deep and nine feet wide."
What is the definition of lethal radius?
Is it the radius at which blast pressure will kill a large percentage of unprotected people?
It the radius at which unprotected people have a large chance of being killed/incapacitated by fragments?
Is it the radius at which certain structures are likely to be damaged by the blast wave pressure?
This varies quite a bit from poured concrete walls to wood frame.
Likewise the crater description is just about worthless.
Crater in cobblestone street?
Crater in plowed field?
Crater in rolled sod?
Crater in beach sand?
after quick google search found this
View attachment 647753
caption says this is for clay soil (whatever that actually means)
It is from a paper on archeological research of landscapes in relation to WW II.
The Higgins "Wonder Boat". "Mine" was obviously a license built.
The U.S. would have had no trouble building a wooden Mosquito no more than it would have had any difficulties in manufacturing an all metal version.
Quite a few U.S. aircraft companies were making wooden aircraft for the war, mostly for trainer and liaison types.
The problem with an escalated building program for the Mosquito would be both wood stocks and engines.
The other issue, would be what to do with them?
In the Pacific where range was a necessity, the USAAF already had the A-20, B-25, A-26 and B-26 as well as the P-38 plus the USN had the PBY.
Nope. When I was a teen I belonged to the Sea Explorers. They had the 36 foot landing craft with a cabin added. Great boat.