Strafing drop tanks as attack tachnique

[drgondog]

None in the 352nd, 355th 357th or 4th FG histories but several mentions of one nalpam offset by 75 gal tank on the other wing between late July 1944 and mid February 1945

[Alfred.MONZAT]

Here's another example this time quoted from "Men Who Killed the Luftwaffe - The U.S. Army Air Forces Against Germany in World War II" by Jay A. Stout - Page 313

Joe Black of the 357th Fighter Group was one of the well-prepared replacement pilots who were arriving in England during the latter part of the war. Despite his excellent training, he was particularly anxious during his first few sorties-typical of virtually every aviator who has flown combat.

"It was February 1, 1945, and we escorted a group of B-17s to Wesel, where they were supposed to hit one of the bridges going over the Rhine," Black remembered. "It was actually pretty boring as there wasn't much going on. And the bombers missed the bridge." Following the ineffective raid, the group turned their escort duties over to another batch of fighters and began hunting for targets of opportunity. Black was flying on the wing of Leonard 'Kit' Carson, a leading ace. "Carson spotted a lumber yard that was serviced by a railroad spur," said Black. "He briefed us very carefully. We were supposed to make a low, fast pass and drop our wing tanks on the yard. The tanks would split open and spill fuel all over the place. Then we were going to make a second pass firing our guns. The idea was that our tracer rounds would set the fuel on fire and all that lumber would go up in a huge inferno. Well, I was so nervous that I fired my guns on the first pass and dropped my wing tanks on the second !"

Source : Telephone interview with Joe Black, 18 October 2009

[jayastout]

I do mention this in my recently published book on Righetti (Vanished Hero). Although I am a great admirer of Righetti and his accomplishments, I have a hard time believing that this concept wasn't tried before he started flying combat in earnest during November 1944. I mean, men just past teenager-hood (I made that up) with hot aircraft and machine guns and extra fuel...it's not too difficult to get from A to B, where B is setting things on fire.

[Alfred.MONZAT]

Thanks for the teasing, I have not yet reached this point in my reading of the book