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Re: RAF and dive-bombing.
Tony
I dug out my copy of Peter C. Smith’s, the great devotee of dive-bombing, Dive Bomber! from my attic and yes, according to him (p. 7) Shallow Glide Bombing: bombs were released while the a/c was descending at an angle not greater than 20deg. Steep Glide Bombing: bombs were released while the a/c was descending at an angle of between 20deg and 60deg. Dive Bombing: bombs were released while the a/c was in a dive at an angle of between 60deg and 90deg. And yes, in the book there is 3 pages on Spits dive-bombing in Italy and of course 7 pages on use of Vengeance by RAF and RAAF.
I don’t see it very fruitful to develop new, different definitions to those already in common use only to prove one’s own theme.
Secondly, clear Allied air-superiority over NW Europe was achieved only in spring 44 after bitter fight between LW vs. mostly 8th FC with big help by LW attrition in MTO and in East. So much planning and training for invasion was made before the air superiority was established fact, that’s why British Armoured units had those AA Crusaders at the beginning of Invasion, they were later dropped out from establishment when it was seen how small the danger of LW fighter bomber and dive bomber attacks was, even if there was isolated fighter bomber attacks on British tanks.
Juha
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