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The problem for the P,51 in this respect is that it was put in service first by the R.A.F. they had no bombers to escort in daylight across the channel most objectives were at ground level."The P-51 (NA-73) interred service as an Army coop (close air support) low altitude fighter."
You keep repeating this but it is highly debatable.
It was not designed as such, and while to was assigned to Army co-operation squadrons (at least they were named that) it did a lot more recon/photo recon in it's early operational deployments. Due to a rather notable lack of boots on the ground (Dieppe being a major exception) there was a distinct lack of actual Army Co-operation missions in Europe until 1944.
There were a lot of "tactical" or low altitude strikes against railroads, barges and airfields during 1942 and 1943 but there were no Army ground troops to support no matter what the squadrons were named.
If you are not actually supporting the Army and the majority of planes have 1-3 cameras fitted is the plane really a close air support fighter?
For it's success in not one, but multiple secondary roles, it's hard to beat the P-38. While designed as an "interceptor" it performed a wide variety of roles.
Long range escort fighter
Ground support/fighter bomber role
Dive bomber
Skip bomber
4000 lb bomb load capability
Tested as a torpedo bomber, carrying (2) 2000 lb torpedos
Photo-recon aircraft-one of the most successful of the war
High altitude level bomber with "droop snoot" variants equipped with Norden bombsites
Radar equipped Pathfinder
Night fighter
Radar equipped Pathfinder
I have a couple of suggestions for contenders:
The Kawasaki Ki 45. In many ways it can be called the Japanese Bf 110, with the reservations that it was later, slower and build in fewer numbers. It never served in it's intended role as long range escort but did fly as a bomber interceptor. It did see much service (and improvements to enhance capability) in the roles of night fighter, ground and sea attack.
Did it perform any of those better than its primary role as fighter?
Really?
Tell me more please. I hadn't heard of this role.
<SNIP>
What were they planning to make? A map of H2S images of Germany? Here is an H2S image, taken by the British during testing over the East Midlands. You'll have to take my word for it, but it is a very good image, they were often far more 'confused'.
The solid white line is the bearing the aircraft is flying on. The circle is either ten mile radius or diametre, I can't remember! It was easy for the British too identify Leicester, Loughborough and Melton Mowbray (pork pies!) because they knew where the aircraft was flying. In the absence of any obvious distinguishing feature which would show up on radar, like a river or coastline, it would be impossible for an H2S operator to know what the various areas of reflected energy in his scanner actually represented. They had enough problems doing it visually in daylight.
Cheers
Steve
H2X was what was being used, not H2S
.
Also, it is often said that H2X was an American development (ie better) than H2S. In fact H2X was heavily based on the 3cm ASV radar used by Coastal Command.
Those are much more typical images. It's not hard to see why bombing accurately by such a system was impossible. Sometimes a really good and recognisable image could be achieved.
This is another British test image, clearly showing the River Humber and its estuary. Hull would be just west of the top of the larger bend in the river, but unless you know that you can't see it.
Cheers
Steve
It's the same thing. H2X is just the American code, they chose X because that is the frequency band it operates in (roughly 7-11 GHz), why the British chose H2S is a subject of some debate. R V Jones gives one entertaining explanation. The early H2S worked on a longer, 10cm, wavelength, but the American H2X and later versions of H2S both operated at 3cm.Is that H2S or H2X?
H2S