Subject: B-17's and Strategic Bombing (Was:Was D VII a good plane)
From: (Emmanuel Gustin)
Date: 4/19/04 5:47 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

(ArtKramr) wrote in message
...

I have no doubt that the B-26 accuracy was, under good
circumstances, very good for the period. Which of course
still meant a 'shotgun' approach, not what is regarded as
'precision' bombing today, but that was simply impossible
with WWII technology. The medium bombers were more accurate
than the heavy bombers and the fighter-bombers were more
accurate than the medium bombers.

My point is that when it came to strategic targets in Germany
itself, the actual practice amounted to, as you say, "leaving
damn little standing". Which simply does not involve much
accuracy, except being able to hit a city-sized target.
Bombing through clouds using radar or on flares floating above
the clouds was about that accurate, and it was frequently done.
Precision bombing may have been the officially stated goal; but
the effect on the ground was usually indistinguishable from
area bombing.

Emmanuel Gustin


I don't think you looked at my bomb strike photographs.



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