In article , BUFDRVR
writes
Dave Eadsforth wrote:

However, how did the
formation attack compare with say a long string of B17s in trail, each
aiming individually?

In 1937, with career Army Air Corps crews, over Arizona with little wind it
worked great! In 1943 with crews that had been in service 18 months, over
Germany with flak and fighters...not so well.

The formation attack must be all or nothing,
whereas the trail attack must result in a number of well-aimed drops
amongst the average ones.

Except a two mile long train of B-17s looks like donuts rolling off the
production line to an Me-109 pilot.

Whoops - night time is not the best time for me to formulate a detailed
question!

I realise I said individual B17s (ouch!). What I meant to ask about was
a tactic I read about a while ago where Combat Wings would shake out
into individual Groups in trail at IP when a concentration of bombs was
required for a particular target. Are there any analyses of the
effectiveness of a succession of waves of Combat Wings over the target
versus a succession of formations of bombers broken down into individual
Groups?

If someone could give me a thumbnail sketch of how a series of B17
Combat Wings usually approached a target, and what specific options for
attack were possible between the IP and the RP I would be very grateful.

Many thanks in advance,

Dave

BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

Cheers,

Dave

--
Dave Eadsforth