Re: Allied attack on Eggebek A/F 30-3-45?
 

drgondogRe: Allied attack on Eggebek A/F 30-3-45?

drgondog

Compared to what?


US fighters quite often claimed to have attacked targets which were many miles away from their real target. Other times they made claims like 'North of Halle' when they really did not know, where they were. This could often be 20-50 miles away.

To give you an example:

On the 7th of January 1945 55 FG (38 FS) attacked a number of trains in Denmark (Fyn and southern Jutland). They claimed to have attacked troop transports around Hamburg. Hamburg is about 100 miles away and they attacked civilian Danish trains - not troop transports.

Re: Allied attack on Eggebek A/F 30-3-45?
 

That is why I questioned singling out the 355th as poor navigators.

The quality of navigation and position fixing varied with experience and visibility.

That is one reason the Experimental, then 1st, 2nd and 3rd Scouting Forces were populated with bomber pilots who had a tour of duty behind them.

Having said that, the quality of bad weather flying capability tended heavily toward the Allies because of their training prior to entering combat Ops. Even with the training hour advantage, learning to fly in Texas or Arizona did not prep a 2nd LT to fly in England and the Continent.

I don't know what your personal flying experience is but poor weather, low visibility flying takes a lot of experience to master - particularly given typical WWII instrumentation and lack of Navaids.

Re: Allied attack on Eggebek A/F 30-3-45?
 

I had 14 years in the air force. I don't blame the pilots, just state the facts. I fully understand that you do not check the map during a fight and that you sometimes guess your position during the attack after you came home. I also have several actual maps 'from those days' and they were not very detailed.

Re: Allied attack on Eggebek A/F 30-3-45?
 

My question to you was simply "why single out the 355th FG for 'navigational issues'?

Re: Allied attack on Eggebek A/F 30-3-45?
 

what was ment was 'american fighter pilots' in general

Re: Allied attack on Eggebek A/F 30-3-45?
 

Ah, the ones that flew 500-700 miles from their bases across all of continental Europe versus the ones that struggled to get 150-200 miles away?

Interesting perspective.. I would match my father's navigation skills against any 'non American fighter pilot you might offer up..