What If ?

[Steve Smith]

Gents,

I attend a rather interesting discussion at my local Bomber Command association recently. We had a guest speaker who gave an interesting if but simplistic account of the bomber offensive flown by Bomber Command, his speciality was the US 8th Air Force of which most of the talk was about. However he did pose a few questions that had all those who attended discussing over a few pints soon after. I have picked out 5 of the questions and recorded them below.

I am interested in any comments, this is not in anyway an attempt to start a slagging match just an attempt to gauge my associations reactions to a wider audience. I must point out that this is nothing to do with command and the questions were posed with the benefit of hindsight.


Given the air supremacy of the Allies from mid 1944 would it have been more beneficial in terms of lower losses to convert to daylight raids.

Should the manufacture of the H.P Halifax from 1943 been switched over to the manufacture of the Avro Lancaster, if so what were the benefits?

Of all the navigational / bombing aids used by Bomber Command what had the greatest influence on Bomber Commands war time campaign.

Should more urgency have been shown with the development of No.100 Group and the use of Mosquito intruders to escort the night attacks flown by Bomber Command. Should more Mosquitos been allocated to this role?

Was Bomber Command correct in continuing the area bombing raids on Germany up to the end of WW.II.

Looking forward to any comments.

Regards

Steve