World War 2 Talk - View Single Post

canadiancitizen · 03-05-2008, 02:56 PM

A simple question, but with, I think, a complicated answer.

My opinion? It was a matter of a lack of well trained USAAF navigators, plus a doctrine that sacrificed bomb load, for defensive firepower, and the comfort of that flying block of planes.

On the other side, the RAF and the RCAF flew both day and night, and at night the individual aircraft HAD to have a well trained navigator, who could get to the target AND back home, in the dark, without a "lead navigator " that everyone else followed like sheep.

Of course as I tell people at the air shows, "the Yanks flew during the day so they could find England before it got dark ".

OK serious discussion . Why didn't the USAAF bomb at night, in your opinion ?

Jim Bunting. Toronto.

03-05-2008, 02:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
canadiancitizen Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 14	Why didn't the USAAF bomb at night ? A simple question, but with, I think, a complicated answer. My opinion? It was a matter of a lack of well trained USAAF navigators, plus a doctrine that sacrificed bomb load, for defensive firepower, and the comfort of that flying block of planes. On the other side, the RAF and the RCAF flew both day and night, and at night the individual aircraft HAD to have a well trained navigator, who could get to the target AND back home, in the dark, without a "lead navigator " that everyone else followed like sheep. Of course as I tell people at the air shows, "the Yanks flew during the day so they could find England before it got dark ". OK serious discussion . Why didn't the USAAF bomb at night, in your opinion ? Jim Bunting. Toronto.