Response to Glider and Juha.

[tcolvin]

Glider.
I'm afraid you're revealing a sketchy knowledge of this subject.

In terms of accuracy, the Blenheim bomber was always more accurate at the same altitude as a glide-bombing Typhoon. (They rarely dive-bombed; in fact the only case I know was Lallement who fired his RPs vertically into tanks because it was the only way of ensuring a kill). The Blenheim was less vulnerable to FLAK because of its air-cooled engines, and it could fly on one engine if the other was shot up. However being slower over the target it was vulnerable for longer than the Typhoon. But we were discussing accuracy and not vulnerability.

Read 'Vengeance' by Peter C Smith for a full expose of the RAF's despicable behaviour with regard to dive-bombing. Page 104 has the following; "The 8th July 1943 was notable as the first-ever time that a reference to Vengeance aircraft operating in Burma was given by the BBC in London. Hitherto Air Ministry policy had been to pour scorn and ridicule on dive-bombers and dive-bombing at every opportunity and the media had faithfully reflected this policy. The successful use of dive-bombers, with no losses and maximum efficiency, was in such stark contrast to the previous three years' proclamations as to leave the RAF hoist with its own petard. There was considerable embarrassment and it was only with reluctance that they finally admitted a few of the facts". But it also increased their determination to stop operating any dive-bomber and to speed up the transfer of the crews to P-47s and Liberators, in order to eliminate the possibility of further embarrassment.

It is untrue to say the RAF switched from rockets to bombs; they operated Bombphoons and Typhoon RPs together at all times.

It is also untrue to say the Tempest FBII was not equipped with rockets - it was, and although the aircraft never saw action in NW Europe, it was to have used RPs in Japan.
BTW, the Tempest FBII with the Centaurus air-cooled engine would have had higher survivability than the Typhoon with its fitter's-nightmare and glycol-cooled Sabre. So why didn't the Tempest FBII replace the Typhoon 1B? Did the RAF top brass actually care a damn about its pilots? If they did, they had a funny way of showing it.

There is no reason to think the Il-2 was any more accurate than the Typhoon. Where the Il-2 scored was in survivability, because it was immune to all German infantry weapons. These were what killed you when you flew low over infantry.

Tony