[bearoutwest]

Just a couple of thoughts on target visibility:

1. When the target aircraft is in 20mm cannon range (approx. 400-600m), a Spitfire size target is about the size of a fingernail (approx. 1 cm). A Tupolev SB, Douglas Boston, Caproni 313 size aircraft, would probably be no bigger than 2cm in view. By the time you get close enough to see markings and make out colours and crowns, etc, you would (I estimate) need to be within 100-150m range. At a closing speed of 100km/hr, you would cover that 300-400m in something like 10 seconds. You may well need to decide whether to fire or not after about 3-4 seconds otherwise you may be too close. I suggest that by the time you have come into range and decided to fire, and 6 seconds later are close enough to see the colours and details of the markings.... you have had enough time to shoot down the aircraft and now realize your error - too late.

2. The level of published details on aircraft recognition (and perhaps the care in which most pilots would have bothered to pay more than cursory attention) was surprisingly low. We enthusiast - with the greater level of knowledge and care - can probably tell the difference in details between similar aircraft far better than the best aces of WW2. But then, we don't need to make life-and-death decisions in the moments of anxious excitement. (Luckily.)

3. Light and shadow, and different angles of approach can make a Spitfire, look like a radial engine aircraft. I noticed this on numerous aviation videos, and in real life with a P-51 and A-1 in loose formation. (At times in the distance, when there was insufficient plan view detail, it was surprisingly difficult to quickly tell which was which - i.e. if you had looked away for a few seconds and then look back up to reacquire sight of the pair of aircraft.)

So not really surprising the level of errors in aircraft shoot downs.

Just my thoughts,
...geoff