DG, I wish you and all who follow this very special thread a Happy New Year too, and thank you for drawing attention to this follow up to Peter C Smith's 'Vengeance'. Danny treasured his copy of that authoritative tome and made sure that it would be safe in the hands of someone who would safeguard it in the future. I'm not sure he would approve of the front cover of this history, given that the aircraft (which is presumably in the process of dive bombing some hapless target) is not diving from the vertical. He was even somewhat dismissive of the infamous Stuka which delivered its bomb from some 70-80 degrees, hence inducing a throw-forward which had to be accommodated for in the aiming (ie short). Danny's Vengeance had a zero angle of incidence (hence the ungainly nose high attitude when in straight and level flight). The attack would thus be from the vertical, from immediately above the target. There was no tendency for the nose to rise thanks to the zero incidence and he simply kept his sight on the target down to the release altitude. The bomb then carried on maintaining the aircraft's trajectory, while the aircraft itself was pulled out of its dive, often inducing blackout, and usually at treetop height. By going into the dive on different headings, his 'box' would end up like a Red Arrows star burst when flying away from the target, thus confusing the A/A gunners. All this did not apply to the Mk4 which had a positive incidence and hence flew more conventionally, but thus less effectively as a dive-bomber. As the RAF employed them for target-tugs it mattered little.
Your point about Strategic v Tactical bombing is well made and illustrated by the vast numbers of long range heavy bombers based in England and the cascading of unwanted types such as the Vengeance and Hurricane to overseas battle fields, where they did stalwart service. The concept of the Corporation Dust-Cart syndrome is a well trodden path in the RAF. I flew the Handley Page Hastings, with wings and systems from the wartime Halifax, and generally seen as obsolete in the 60's when it equipped my squadron. It could still outrange and outhaul its 'replacement'. Just as Danny treasured his memories of his dust-cart, so did I of mine.
The kindle version of the History of Dive Bombing is a bargain and duly grabbed. Thanks for the heads up!
Last edited by Chugalug2; 1st Jan 2021 at 11:44.
Reason: Details, dear boy, details!