ValMORNA,
Not much ! 168 Wing is right (Wg.Cdr. Chater, I think). They were in Khumbirgram all right, the D.Tel. has it wrong.
...(Continuing) 'By careful attention to engine handling during the climb over the mountains en route to the target and during the cruise at 10,000-12,000feet 84 squadron were able to accept targets deep into Burma almost half as far as any of the other Vengeance squadrons...
What a load of bovine droppings ! (where did
that come from ?)
Somewhere I have recounted how 110's Engineer Officer (name forgotten) offered a prize of a bottle of (Welfare supplies) Scotch to the first pilot to do an 'op' on less than 60 (US) galls/hr. It was won in a week. (His lads then spent the next two weeks changing burnt-out exhaust valves).
A 'light' VV will cruise at 150 mph on 3 ampg. Full bomb and ammo load and in formation, lucky to get 2. You have 220 (US) gallons (and no room for any more). Do the sum: 400 is the max comfortable range, a radius of 200.
...84 squadron were able to accept targets deep into Burma almost half as far as any of the other Vengeance squadrons...
So these people arrive at the very end, spend three months at it before the '44 monsoon, and show the other poor benighted squadrons (who'd been doing it since early '43) how to do it ?
Bah, Humbug !
A VV was not supposed to go after targets "deep into Burma" (Liberators and the like do that). Its business is Army Close Support - 50 miles from its strip to the Jap bunker which the Army ask us to dig out.
Will have a good long read of "
Vengeance" (Peter C. Smith), to see if I can add anything.
Danny.