P-47/51 deflection shots into the belly of the German tanks, reality or fiction?

ArtKramr wrote:

Subject: P-47/51 deflection shots into the belly of the German tanks,
reality
From: steve gallacci

German vehicles on the move commonly had extra fuel and ammo stowed
outside, and reports of burning tanks may well have come from that kind
of thing. Something the German tanks did have a problem with was
strafing attacks that wreaked the cooling systems, and many late war
machines had improvised shields to keep bullets out of the cooling
inlets. Such a hit wouldn't have a dramatic reaction (no immediate fire
or explosions), but would quickly disable the tank all the same. And
there was a psychological effect, the volume of fire must have been
terrible to witness at the receiving end. Even if a tanker was largely
safe while buttoned up, it would be difficult to really believe it, and
at the same time his supporting troops and supplies were being
destroyed, which would still put him out of the fight. Finally,
considering the "accuracy" of a strafing run (and the the tales fighter
jocks would tell) and the known facts of armor and ballistics, it may
have simply been a matter of getting the shot pattern on the column of
vehicles at all, and then claiming miracle marksmanship. I have no doubt
that the pilots thought they were doing what they claimed, but my
experience with them was that they had a rather inflated opinion of
themselves and their prowess.

Then again they were those who did as they claimed. Many paid for it with their
lives. Any comment about that?

There is no reason to get defensive here. Ground attack was a
particularly dangerous mission, and I have no intention of questioning
their brave and honorable efforts. However, it has also been my
experience, having served in the AF, that while they might be officers
and gentlemen and skilled pilots, not many were dispassionate observers
or knew jack about anything outside rather narrow interests. Inflated
and erroneous claims, friendly fire incidents, and any number of just
dumb stunts/bad ends were done by guys who would have sworn they knew
what they were doing as they did them. No doubt any number thought they
were really doing the ricochet tank killing stunt, but I'd be very
surpise/interested in any factual support of it actually succeeding.