The plane enthusiasts thread

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classic33

Leg End Member
Saw a Flying Fortress flying east over Reading yesterday.
Registration?

One of ours or theirs*?

*Confederate Airforce
 

Yellow Fang

Legendary Member
Location
Reading
Got to say I'm not sure about the Flying Fortress. It had a crew of ten which meant ten guys got shot down with every plane. They were slow and could not actually carry that much of a bomb load. OTOH, because they bombed in daylight, they stood a better chance of hitting something worthwhile. Their tight formations and heavy defensive armament made them dangerous to attack by fighters, but would have no effect against anti-aircraft artillery, but how effective was anti aircraft artillery back then? I don't know; it was not very effective in WW1, but not doubt the technology had improved by WW2. I have read their greatest effect was to bring the German fighters up so they could be shot down by American P51s.
 
Got to say I'm not sure about the Flying Fortress. It had a crew of ten which meant ten guys got shot down with every plane. They were slow and could not actually carry that much of a bomb load. OTOH, because they bombed in daylight, they stood a better chance of hitting something worthwhile. Their tight formations and heavy defensive armament made them dangerous to attack by fighters, but would have no effect against anti-aircraft artillery, but how effective was anti aircraft artillery back then? I don't know; it was not very effective in WW1, but not doubt the technology had improved by WW2. I have read their greatest effect was to bring the German fighters up so they could be shot down by American P51s.
I have just been looking in my British Army Handbook 1939 _ 1945 by George Forty . A 40 mm Bofors AA gun had an effective ceiling of 5000 ft and a maximum ceiling of 23,000 ft .
The Royal Ordnance 3.7 in QF AA gun had an effective ceiling of 45,000ft , 19 rpm .
 

Bobby Mhor

Wasn't born to follow
Location
Behind You
relay plane.jpg

Plane relaying todays Euro Champs Men cycling...
 
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