WW2 US 8th AF bombing Germany - Bomber Escorts joining the bomber group later

[Intrafinesse]

Late 1943/very early 1944 - The escorts (say P-47s) typically joined up with the bombers (B17) later, say near the enemy coast, so as to preserve fuel.
Did escorts ever plan on joining up not at the coast but deeper inland, say 100 miles inland?
If the first group of escorts was engaged and forced to drop tanks, the bombers would be unescorted.
Did the raid planners account for this and send a second group of escorts an hour later?

And a group of escorts that would meet up with the returning bombers (going to a deep target) would presumably meet deep inside Germany, yes?

How did escorts meet up with bombers inside Germany?
I would think there would be frequent misses where they fail to meet up

 

[JDCAVE]

I'm not certain what the 8th did, but when RAF/Commonwealth Bomber Command resumed daylight operations over Germany late September 1944, some escort squadrons rendezvoused with the bomber force at the battle line to the target, while another group of escorts rendezvoused with the bombers on the return route. Early on, these were often spitfires. Later in 1944, the escorts were primarily Mustangs (P-51's).

On dad's op to attack the U-Boat pens at Bergen in daylight, 4-October-1944, fighter cover was provided by one squadron of Mustangs from 11-Group and one squadron of Mosquitoes from 100-Group. The fighter cover joined the stream at Peterhead on the outbound route.

Jim

 

[PStickney]

Late 1943/very early 1944 - The escorts (say P-47s) typically joined up with the bombers (B17) later, say near the enemy coast, so as to preserve fuel.
Did escorts ever plan on joining up not at the coast but deeper inland, say 100 miles inland?
If the first group of escorts was engaged and forced to drop tanks, the bombers would be unescorted.
Did the raid planners account for this and send a second group of escorts an hour later?

And a group of escorts that would meet up with the returning bombers (going to a deep target) would presumably meet deep inside Germany, yes?

How did escorts meet up with bombers inside Germany?
I would think there would be frequent misses where they fail to meet up

8th Air Force Escorts operated in relays. Teams of escorts would relieve the current team at various points along the flight route. Sp, for example, a P-47 Group would escort from the French Coast to approximately the German Border, then be relieved by a another group, possibly a third, if the target was well in. This was repeated on the return to base,
If addition, from say, spring 1944 on, there would be fighter units tasked with sweeping ahead of the bombers, and in areas between known fighter airfields and the ingress routes.

 

[drgondog]

First, the relay strategy was implemented as the longer range P-38, then P-51B were introduced to join the shorter range P-47. Many forget that RAF provided Spitfire escort through 1943 and well into 1943 as AAF fighter group strength grew from 4, 56, 78 FG in January 1943 to add 353rd in August and 352nd/355th in September, 1943. In October there were three FG's available to Penetration escort and three to provide Withdrawal escort but the extent of combat radius by late January with 108-gal tank was approximately 310+ miles. (i.e. Bremen). Typical R/V outbound was the coast line of Holland or France. For the return Withdrawal escort the R/V point was ~ 300miles out on the inbound route for the bombers, then break escort near the coast. After the October 14 mission to Schweinfurt, the 8th AF only flew attacks to limit of P-47 escort range, so Penetration support also included target support with the next P-47 escorts picking up the bombers near the target end providing Withdrawal support to the coast.

When the 55th FG became operational, they were able to provide a different leg for longer ranges than P-47s and the concept of Penetration, Target and Withdrawal escort was introduced. The initial force structure of P-38H and early P-38J without the leading edge 55-gal internal tanks extended target radius to 400+ miles w/2x 150-gal drop tanks (i.e. Kiel, Ludwigshafen). When the 354th FG became operational with P-51B equipped with 2x75-gal tanks but not internal 85-gal fuselage fuel tank on December 1, the Target escort increased to 500 miles (Bordeaux 12-31).

As larger centerline tanks were introduced, coupled with wing pylons capable of 150-gal drop tanks, the P-47 escort range was extended in March 1944 to Halberstadt ~410 mi. But from January 1944, the P-38J could go to Regensburg/Berlin/Leipzig (500+ mi) when they received the 55-gal leading edge fuel tanks. From January 1944 the P-51B with 85-gal internal fuel tank and 2x75=gal drop tanks could provide target escort to Stettin/Posnan Poland ~700 mi.

The attacks on Berlin didn't occur until the P-47D was capable of providing Penetration support past Hannover with the 150-gal flat tank, far enough for the P-38J and P-51B fighter groups could provide a 'delta' Penetration, Target, and 'delta Withdrawal escort to hand off to the P-47D groups.