ANSWER 3: “A great amount of technical, technological and tactical innovation was demonstrated by both sides during this campaign. Deliberate diversions and distractions by Bomber Command abounded, and increasingly indirect routes were employed. Concentration of force over the target was developed to an art form, until a force of 800 aircraft could be placed on the target within just a twenty-minute window. Collaterally, the length of the bomber stream, considered to be exceptionally vulnerable when it grew to 300 miles in length, was tightened up to a mere 70 miles, less than a quarter of its 1942 length. A specialist support organization in the form of 100 group had been added, and their contributions were highly significant. Older equipment, such as the Stirling and the Halifax II/V series., were retired from the Main Force, while new equipment in the form of the early series Halifax III was introduced. However, the initial results with this new aircraft did fall somewhat short of expectations, and these crews had a harder time of it, since. 'When the fighters struck and bomber pilots made for altitude, whatever their orders, the Halifax IIIs were now left at the lower altitudes (than the Lancasters) and the Germans found them first.' The later variants with greater wingspans and improved service ceilings fared much better.”

Source:

No Prouder Place,

pg. 309 (Bashow)

Select a chapter to discover what they have been up to since the last newsletter.

Many of our Chapters remain very active on Zoom with presentations every bit as good as they would be if we did not have pandemic restrictions to deal with!