I just think the word 'bait' may be an unfortunate choice.
The RAF used a few bombers escorted by dozens of fighters as bait for the Luftwaffe in 1941, but those bombers were never going to do any real damage and the Luftwaffe could choose whether to engage them or not, always fighting on its terms.
The American bombers in 1943/44 were themselves a serious threat and the Luftwaffe was therefore obliged to engage them whenever possible. Consequently the Luftwaffe fighters found themselves without the initiative and certainly not fighting on their terms.
Bait doesn't usually have the ability to hurt the intended prey. Those US bomber formations were not tethered goats
Cheers
Steve
The RAF used a few bombers escorted by dozens of fighters as bait for the Luftwaffe in 1941, but those bombers were never going to do any real damage and the Luftwaffe could choose whether to engage them or not, always fighting on its terms.
The American bombers in 1943/44 were themselves a serious threat and the Luftwaffe was therefore obliged to engage them whenever possible. Consequently the Luftwaffe fighters found themselves without the initiative and certainly not fighting on their terms.
Bait doesn't usually have the ability to hurt the intended prey. Those US bomber formations were not tethered goats
Cheers
Steve