From accounts i've read it seems accurate- the RAF was desperate to get reliable cannons to equip their fighters as they realised relatively small calibre machine guns were inadequate.
The RAF trained squadrons to attack bombers in sequence- that's why prewar films of RAF planes show formations of fighters 'peeling off' and then forming a long chain, one behind the other. The rapid defeat of France that allowed the Luftwaffe to have airfields close enough for their single engined fighters to provide bomber escort was something the RAF wasn't really prepared for (it was probably at the bottom of their tactical files marked 'Worst case scenario!').
When the RAF got to use these tactics against unescorted bombers they were very effective, as demonstrated when the Luftwaffe sent bombers to attack north England beyond fighter escort.
It takes a lot of .303's to shoot down a fast all-metal bomber, but only one to kill a pilot. As they say in 'Shawn of the dead'- AIM FOR THE HEAD
04-16-2011, 12:09 AM
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