"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
Subject: B-17's and Strategic Bombing (Was:Was D VII a good plane)
From: "Keith Willshaw"

They were switched to invasion targets too. The reality is that
the heavies were required to attack the transportation network
and defences in germany and

The heavy lifitng on the transportation targets wwas handled by the 9th
Air
Force using B-26's and P-47's to attack bridges, marshalling yards, rail
lines,
crossroads, ordnance depots etc. It was called tactical bombing and the
9th
was a tactical air force. See strike photos of these missions on my
website.


For much of the war that was true and I certainly have no intention
of denigrating the valiant efforts of the 9th AF

However in the run up to the invasion in 1944 RAF bomber command dropped
98,000 tons of bombs on transportation targets and a further 93,000 tons
on defences and troop concentrations. Between April and August 1944
such operations were the mainstay for the heavies.

Keith