robert arndt wrote:

The Germans called the Sunderland the "Flying Porcupine"- a respected
adversery. In one engagement a lone Sunderland was attacked by eight
Ju-88 and shot-down two!!!

Rob

In the latest issue of International Air Power Review (Vol 10), Jon Lake
does a bit of a hatchet job on the Sunderland.

He mentions the German appelation of 'fliegende Stachelschwein' - saying
that it was far from the flying porcupine of the propagandists.

He concludes that its reliance on rifle-calibre machine guns left it very
vunerable to cannon-armed enemy fighters - and that many (23-46)
Sunderlands fell to long-ranging Ju 88's & Bf 110's.

The incident you mention is related - but he says that the Sunderland. of
204 Sqn, was attacked by two, then four, then six more Ju 88's and that
ONE was shot down by the rear gunner - and the rest were 'driven off'.

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Ken Duffey - Flanker Freak & Russian Aviation Enthusiast
Flankers Website - http://www.flankers.co.uk/
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