Placing the Bell P39 Aircobra.

[tcolvin]

Originally Posted by Graham Boak

Incidentally, I've just been reading Firestorm, in which one Typhoon pilot states that he flew lower on rocket attacks than with bombs. I suspect this is not general, but interesting.

I think it was general with the experienced, and because of Flak.
Compare Sqn.Ldr Raymond (Cheval) Lallemont, CO of 609 Sqn; "Most of the rockets did end up short due to pilot inexperience, and because of Flak. We had to be very low to escape the accurate German Flak! That led to fear of collision with obstacles on the ground.... When they (tanks) were in the open a vertical dive was best (it obviated the gravity drop). When a tank was hiding, the only way was to go down almost straight and level, holding the aircraft very steady, particularly during the firing of the rockets until they had cleared the long launching rails. But the trick was to go as low and close as possible".

The boffins prescribed RPs as a stand-off weapon to offset the vulnerability of the unarmoured Typhoon. Battlefield conditions with Flak made that impossible with conscientious pilots. The unconscientious fired the rockets first at anything at all, and then climbed away out of range of Flak.

The wretched pilots did the best they could with the equipment they were given. Heroes all! It is not them under the microscope.