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Posts:
5,057
Registered:
2/15/03
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(46 of 48)
Jul 13, 2009 6:29 PM
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Marmat-very interesting but I saw a documentary recently on BBC tv where American vets of Omaha said that they'd been told to expect bomb craters on Omaha where they could shelter but in fact found none as the bombers had missed the beach most of their tonnage falling further inland.
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Posts:
19,138
Registered:
1/13/03
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(47 of 48)
Re: SO MUCH FOR PRECISION AYLIGHT BOMBING AND THE PICKLE BARREL
Jul 13, 2009 8:38 PM
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Wicki estimates that from 15,000 to 20,000 French civilians were killed by Allied bombing raids in Normandy. At least the bombers hit France.
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Posts:
594
Registered:
2/3/05
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(48 of 48)
Re: SO MUCH FOR PRECISION AYLIGHT BOMBING AND THE PICKLE BARREL
Jul 15, 2009 7:22 AM
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> The heavies dropped 74% of the tonage in Europe, but
> that's a moot point as the figures I used were for
> heavies only - no medium of fighter tonage included.
I've just found (again) the USAAF statistical digest. That gives incendiary totals by heavy bombers:
ETO - 12.67%
MTO - 1.87%
;
> If they're loaded down with incendiaries then I
> think it's fair enough. Incendiaries were not that
> suitable for damaging railway lines.
>
> The primary objective in attacking marshalling yards
> is not to destroy railroad track - that can be
> quickly repaired. The primary objective is to
> destroy the rolling stock and the supplies contained
> therein; the associated warehouse facilities and the
> supplies contained within; and the repair facilities
> of the yard.
Strangely the other air forces didn't share that view. The 8th didn't share that view over France, either.
Bomber Command used 2.14% incendiaries on marshalling yards. The 15th AF used 2.21%. The 8th AF used 17.16%.
When you break that down by country, the 8th AF used 0.71% over France, 18.64% over Germany.
The 8th used "marshalling yards" as a euphemism for are bombing, pure and simple. That's why they used such a high proportion of incendiaries for a target that other air forces, and the 8th themselves over occupiedterritory, considered unsuitable for large numbers of incendiaries.
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