Subject: THE DEADLY RAILROAD BRIDGES
From: Ed Rasimus
Date: 2/2/04 4:03 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On Mon, 2 Feb 2004 23:21:04 -0000, "Jim Doyle"
wrote:


"Ed Rasimus" wrote in message
. ..
On Mon, 2 Feb 2004 21:08:04 -0000, "Jim Doyle"
wrote:

Did they soften-up the AA with
fighter strafes, or would that give the game away too easily?

Jim D

Defense suppression is a rewarding job, but it ain't no puss game.

"Soften up the AA with fighter strafes".... First rule is never duel
with a gun bigger than your own.

I guess that would be pretty stupid! Surely there must've been some
counter-AA tactics used by the allies other than hoping to take them out
with the target?

In Vietnam was this role taken-up by the Weasel variants? Or did AA prove to
hard/costly to strike specifically?

The Weasel variants (F-100F, F-105F, F-105G and only briefly F-4C
Weasel) in Vietnam were radar detection systems and armed typically
with ARMs. While not reluctant to attack SAM sites, they were a
specialized system in short supply.

The Weasel escorts usually got the job of killing the SAM site with
CBU, rockets or plain iron bombs.

Flak suppression was a standard mission. It could be done by one
member in a flight of four, loaded with CBU being given the task or a
flight of four within a strike package of four or five flights having
the job. An area munition like CBU-24, 52 or 58 was very effective at
flak suppression. While it wouldn't insure a "gun kill" it was very
good at "gunner kill."

Defense suppression is always part of the task and ignoring the guns
is usually not a good tactic.



Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8


Did they have flak towers in Nam?




Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer