Who were the ww2 aerial combat tactic innovators ? (forget outright kills)

[war eagle]

Forgetting for now the outright kill scores who in your opinion did most for the evolution of aerial combat tactics during ww2 and please give the reasons for your choice.

 

[Njaco]

Werner Moelders for implementing the Finger Four formations effctively.

Adolf Galland for numerous contributions. I just read his biography and its amazing what he had his hand into.

 

[davebender]

The basic building block of fighter aircraft tactics.

What about dive bombers? Udet had a hand in aircraft development. Who was responsible for developing tactics for operational use of dive bombers in support of army operations?

A guy named Harlinghausen is credited with developing the Swedish Turnip method of maritime attack during the Spanish civil war.
- A form of skip bombing.
- Approach speed of about 200 mph.
- Altitude of 45 meters.
- Bombs released while 240 meters from the target. They hit the target side or in the water next to the hull.
- Bombs had an 8 second delay. This allows time for the aircraft to fly past the blast area.

Not sure who invented that method for skip bombing tanks from an altitude of 10 meters but he was one brave / crazy dude.

 

[Bernhart]

Thatch weave in the pacific

 

[drgondog]

Curtis LeMay for Combat Box formation for 8th AF to maximize firepower, minimize volume of airspace. Select top crews to lead/navigate and bomb to improve efficiency of daylight bombardment.

Claiborne Kinnard when 354 Fighter Sq/355FG CO, developing tactics of line abreast first wave in spread to suppress airfield flak when straing airfields, provide one squadron for high cover when group assigned to strafe, have one pilot record fires and locations to provide intelligence with strafing damage assessments to compliment gun camera film

Having said this Moelders gets my vote for fighter combat

 

[bobbysocks]

Hub Zemke for the Zemke Fan.

 

[TheMustangRider]

I second Le May for his contributions in the ETO and also in the PTO by making XXI BC an efficient air arm despite difficulties and setbacks inherent of the theater.
Gen. Doolittle deserves mention as well and his aggressive approach against the LW which helped greatly in giving the last blow to the German air force over northwestern Europe and Germany.

 

[TheMustangRider]

double post

 

[davebender]

Introduced by Germany during the BoB. I have no idea who deserves the credit.

I think the Zahme Sau method for countering a bomber stream at night was independently invented by multiple Luftwaffe night fighter pilots after RAF Bomber Command started using Window.

 

[Njaco]

I believe that was Hajo Herrman who invented that along with "Wilde Sau" methods - July 1943.

 

[michaelmaltby]

http://wio.ru/pokr/pokr.htm

This guy, I'm told, for developing tactics to use the P-39 competitively against the Folkers and Messers.

And, if not mentioned before, Mr. Thatch and his wingman.

MM

 

[Njaco]

Thatch definately belongs here!

How about FtLt. A.G. 'Sailor' Malan? Published a book 'Ten Rules for Air Fighting' in 1942 that was distributed to all RAF units and invented the color codes for quick radio identification such as 'Brutus Red One' - (flight leader of Red section and Brutus call name for ground control)

 

[Edgar Brooks]

Farnborough's invention of the gyro gunsight; took estimation out of fighter and bomber/gunner tactics.

 

[stona]

First of all there is no second T in John S Thach's name.

Various men from all combatant nations had a hand in developing tactics which were forever evolving in response to one another,many have been mentioned here.
What about Dowding and Park for their development of fighter interception tactics as part of a coordinated air defence system?

Cheers
Steve

 

[pbfoot]

Oswald Boelcke was first and foremost the other guys just had minor improvements
Dicta Boelcke - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[davebender]

If we are going back to WWI then the German Naval Air Service pilots who invented aerial mine laying during 1917 deserve a mention.

 

[stona]

I can't disagree with Boelcke but isn't he rather like the man who wrote down the rules of football?

Immelmann has a manoeuvre named after him

Cheers
Steve

 

[TheMustangRider]

If we are getting into the World War I realm, the name of Roland Garros is quintessential as the guy invented aerial combat by conceiving the first airplane as a forward gun platform; albeit, in a crude, rudimentary and not to mention unsafe manner.

 

[davebender]

Roland Garros is quintessential as the guy invented aerial combat by conceiving the first airplane as a forward gun platform

It's about time for popular history books to quit repeating this myth.

Interrupter gear - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

August Euler applied for German Patent No. DRP 248.601 for a fixed forward mounting on an airplane for a machine gun in 1910

Swiss engineer Franz Schneider, working for Luftverkehrs Gesellschaft, designed and patented a synchronizer in 1913. French aircraft designer Raymond Saulnier built and patented a practical gun synchronizer in April 1914, having borrowed a machine gun from the army for testing.

 

[pbfoot]

If we are getting into the World War I realm, the name of Roland Garros is quintessential as the guy invented aerial combat by conceiving the first airplane as a forward gun platform; albeit, in a crude, rudimentary and not to mention unsafe manner.

The rules have not changed one little bit the aircraft and weapons have but not the rules