OK, here is where I need some help from some real experts/grinds. I am trying to write a story. I have a flying boat--a Sunderland or her Shetland successor--engaging a surface vessel. Said vessel is a raider type, with the look of a freighter but engines capable of at least 20 and perhaps as many as 30 knots. She is armed with two proper AA guns, one forward and one aft, both probably of about 75mm-3 inch caliber. She also has quite a few MGs, both rifle caliber and .5 inch, but no Bofors or Oerlikons. Now, what sort of tactics would a Short boat use in that situation? Would you do a flak suppression run first, then come back in for a proper bomb run once the AA fire is diminished? Or would you try to do it all in one go, gunning and bombing in the same pass? Would you attack from abeam the vessel, or attack from ahead or astern and sweep over her lengthwise? What would the recommended altitude be for such an attack? All knowledge is welcome, thanks.
Baveystock did machine gunning then multiple bomb runs in his DFC citation Flt Lt Leslie Harold BAVEYSTOCK (139324), RAFVR) [Royal Air Force WW2 Details] But for a different real life outcome you could use the story of the Catalina attack on the Weserland off Spain that saw Sgt Smith and LAC Long end up as PoW in Java. Flight Sergeant J W Piling, Pilot Officer J G Pope, Sergeant R S Rice (RCAF), Sergeant W... | The National Archives "Shot down over Biscay, picked up by the German blockade runner, Weserland, and handed over to Japanese in Java to become FEPOW. Both men were throwing burning ammo out the blister when Catalina AJ162 exploded in mid air and they ended up as only survivors in the sea. RAFCommands Archive :: Jackpot - Bay of Biscay one legged airman saga I subsequently talked by telephone to both Smith and Long who confirmed details of the loss, actions by the German doctor to save Smith's life and added footnotes to say that when Smith was taken to PoW hospital in Java - they carefully collected and reused his bandages as this was more than the hospital had in total before he arrived. Long survived the Nagasaki atomic bomb because he was underground in a mine working as forced labour when it was dropped." Ross
