Placing the Fairey Battle.

[Graham Boak]

Absolutley untrue. Portals' meetings continually referred to the need for a long-range fighter. The RAF tried to get the Mustang - the British damn well nearly designed the Mustang - but deliveries were prioritised to the 8th and only small numbers were delivered until late in 1944. The RAF began the war with short range fighters, a policy that paid off in 1940 but left a legacy that restrained later operations. There was, however, plenty for those fighters to do.

Air superiority over Normandy was achieved by the joint operation of the RAF and the USAAF. 8th AF operations were only possible by the support of the RAF in providing an undisturbed base and escorting the bombers out, and back, when with the range of RAF fighters. Air superiority at a distance was only maintained by air supremacy at home. That was the RAF's achievement without any help from its US allies.

Hey! Aren't you the guy that was slating strategic bombing and interdiction behind enemy lines as a waste of effort? What do you want a long-range fighter for?