[mayfair35]

I hope someone on this board may be able to answer a question that has bothered me for many years. On the 26 of July 1944, between Graz and Wiener Neustadt while flying between 27 and 28,000 feet over a broken deck of clouds, I observed 64 “bogies” below us through a large break in the clouds. The formation was flying 8 aircraft line abreast and 8 rows deep; 64 aircraft. This was an incredible formation, which I doubt the pilots of my Fighter Group could have duplicated. Unfortunately, some of our pilots identified the bogies as P-51s so we did not attack them. My comments about the strangeness of the formation fell on deaf ears as the others were convinced they were P-51s. It turned out they were FW-190s. I could explain how this was possible, but it is not germane to my question.
My question is how such a formation could effectively attack the B-17s with their motars (our rockets) and cannon fire without the planes in the rear of the formation hitting the planes ahead of them. This was an incredibly audacious and effective attack and brilliantly executed right under our noses. There were large explosions among the 17s, and I saw several going down as I was diving to the attack I could not be sure there were still 64 in the formation I attacked, but I believe so as two other pilots following me estimated there were between 80 and 90 enemy aircraft.
Does anyone understand how this mode of attack was executed? Are there any Luftwaffe members on board that can explain the mechanics of such an attack?
Cordially, Art Fiedler