Originally Posted by 212man
(Post 11584690)
Whats a V3? Did you mean V1 & V2?
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Watching the first episode now as I have Apple TV and it Is forming up to be a cracking series IMHO.
Even you have not got Apple TV I think you will find you can watch the first episode on it as a trial. |
Originally Posted by Geriaviator
(Post 11584696)
which could deliver steady rain of 210lb shells per minute
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Originally Posted by DaveReidUK
(Post 11584730)
What does that mean ?
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Geri wrote:
When the lead bombardier opened his bomb doors, the others followed suit, watching for his bombs to fall, when they too pressed the button, the target receiving a simultaneous rain of bombs half a mile wide and one mile long. So it wasn't carpet bombing? |
Sorry to add fuel to the tread drift of bombing accuracy - in the book "Inferno", the author (Joe Pappalardo) claims that a post war study comparing bombing accuracy between the RAF and the USAAF (IIRC, it was percentage of bombs within a given distance of the 'target'), the USAAF was better, but the difference was slight - as in about 1%.
According to what I've also read, the Norden had the capability of being very accurate, but that was with manufacturing tolerances what were impossible to meet in the sort of mass production that was required and with more knowledge of ambient conditions (especially wind speeds) than the bombers could possibly have in wartime. |
Well, I watched the two episodes last night and to be honest I was thoroughly underwhelmed. I know it’s a drama, based on fact, which at the end of the day is supposed to be entertainment and therefore those of us with some understanding of the valiant efforts of the 8th Air Force and some knowledge of aviation are not really the target audience.
I found the storyline thin and too many of the leading characters looking very unconvincing. The CGI was poor, the scenes inside the aircraft much better. The stereotype token RAF scene was pathetic rather like Nigel Pargetter appearing as a senior Parachute Regiment Officer in Band of Brothers ! I did quite enjoy the crosswind landing scene into Greenland which made me feel rather nostalgic………. Hopefully a disappointing start which will lead to improvement in future episodes. |
Originally Posted by tdracer
(Post 11584774)
Sorry to add fuel to the tread drift of bombing accuracy - in the book "Inferno", the author (Joe Pappalardo) claims that a post war study comparing bombing accuracy between the RAF and the USAAF (IIRC, it was percentage of bombs within a given distance of the 'target'), the USAAF was better, but the difference was slight - as in about 1%.
According to what I've also read, the Norden had the capability of being very accurate, but that was with manufacturing tolerances what were impossible to meet in the sort of mass production that was required and with more knowledge of ambient conditions (especially wind speeds) than the bombers could possibly have in wartime. |
Originally Posted by beamer
(Post 11584776)
Well, I watched the two episodes last night and to be honest I was thoroughly underwhelmed. I know it’s a drama, based on fact, which at the end of the day is supposed to be entertainment and therefore those of us with some understanding of the valiant efforts of the 8th Air Force and some knowledge of aviation are not really the target audience.
I found the storyline thin and too many of the leading characters looking very unconvincing. The CGI was poor, the scenes inside the aircraft much better. The stereotype token RAF scene was pathetic rather like Nigel Pargetter appearing as a senior Parachute Regiment Officer in Band of Brothers ! I did quite enjoy the crosswind landing scene into Greenland which made me feel rather nostalgic………. Hopefully a disappointing start which will lead to improvement in future episodes. |
An interesting article on the pros and cons of the RAF approach and the USAF approach to bombing. The Norden bomb sight was quite accurate at 1500' and lower, but as would be expected rose considerably with increased altitude.
The Allied Rift on Strategic Bombing | Air & Space Forces Magazine (airandspaceforces.com) On average, in 1939, only a third of the bombs hit within five miles of the aiming point. In the Ruhr Valley—Germany’s industrial heartland, defended by guns and fighters—strikes were even less accurate. “ In 1943, rather than dropping bombs into pickle barrels, 8th Air Force bombardiers were having trouble hitting the broad side of a barn,” said historian Stephen L. McFarland of Air University. Average CEP soared to 1,200 feet. |
2 episodes in and I liked. it. I tend to be overly analytical on computer animation and aircraft details, but I told myself to just sit back and enjoy it, and I did. The interior aircraft sets and the detail, such as switches, checklists, etc. are incredible. The CGI is acceptable and the characters (from an American point of view) are fine.
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Originally Posted by cynicalint
(Post 11585337)
An interesting article on the pros and cons of the RAF approach and the USAF approach to bombing. The Norden bomb sight was quite accurate at 1500' and lower, but as would be expected rose considerably with increased altitude.
The Allied Rift on Strategic Bombing | Air & Space Forces Magazine (airandspaceforces.com) |
Episode three:
’This is the largest air armada ever assembled in the history of mankind!’ Well, apart from the three RAF 1,000 bomber raids over a year earlier, all of which were bigger… |
As with all CGI of WW2 aeroplanes, the speeds they fly at look completely wrong. The ME109s flashing through the B17 formations appear to be going at phenomenal speeds, way in excess of the 350 - 400mph they were probably doing. If you look at actual footage from these battles, the German fighters are going nowhere near the speeds portrayed by CGI. I assume that they're all speeded up to add to the excitement, but it just looks wrong to me.
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I enjoyed seeing the houses outside the airfield perimeter with the UPVC guttering!
Im enjoying it. The incident with the RAF in episode 2 smacks of lazy stereotyping to me, but then the target market is the US audience, not the UKs. |
I find the randomness at which crews are lost utterly terrifying. It’s telling a terrible story which needs to be retold
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Originally Posted by Hamish 123
(Post 11591490)
As with all CGI of WW2 aeroplanes, the speeds they fly at look completely wrong. The ME109s flashing through the B17 formations appear to be going at phenomenal speeds, way in excess of the 350 - 400mph they were probably doing. If you look at actual footage from these battles, the German fighters are going nowhere near the speeds portrayed by CGI. I assume that they're all speeded up to add to the excitement, but it just looks wrong to me.
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Originally Posted by Stuck On The Ground
(Post 11591565)
I enjoyed seeing the houses outside the airfield perimeter with the UPVC guttering!
Im enjoying it. The incident with the RAF in episode 2 smacks of lazy stereotyping to me, but then the target market is the US audience, not the UKs. |
Originally Posted by pba_target
(Post 11591636)
Easy to forget the assessment at the end where they decide the RAF are probably right...
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Originally Posted by snapper41
(Post 11591640)
But still called him an ‘RAF prick’…
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Originally Posted by snapper41
(Post 11591640)
But still called him an ‘RAF prick’…
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I had no idea about the German Air to Air rockets until I saw that early trailer...and admittedly scoffed at it, but it only highlighted my ignorance of the matter. If anything, the show has taught me something. :ok:
(Aside from the old RAF vs USAAF rivalry still exists!) :E |
Originally Posted by tdracer
(Post 11591751)
I have little doubt that the RAF called some of the 8th Air Force people just as bad (or worse).
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I am reminded of the John Mills movie ‘The Way to the Stars’ in which the over confident and cocksure 8th Air Force learnt the hard way. Twelve o’ Clock High is worth another look too…….
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Originally Posted by Hamish 123 As with all CGI of WW2 aeroplanes, the speeds they fly at look completely wrong. The ME109s flashing through the B17 formations appear to be going at phenomenal speeds, way in excess of the 350 - 400mph they were probably doing. If you look at actual footage from these battles, the German fighters are going nowhere near the speeds portrayed by CGI. I assume that they're all speeded up to add to the excitement, but it just looks wrong to me.
Originally Posted by GlobalNav
(Post 11591614)
Perhaps, but keep in mind you’re viewing from a moving platform and seeing closing speeds of 600+ mph. And from the crewmen’s perspective, they were coming fast and furious.
Wartime recordings |
Very interesting, and indeed poignant footage, Nutty. Although the 'gun' sounds detracted from the overall somewhat - more .303 than .5"!
A general query to 'the body of the Kirk', if I may...although the elevation/depression of the twin .5s in the B-17s rear 'turret' (sic) seems adequate, what was their range of movement in azimuth like? Were they fixed fore-aft, or was there a bit of lateral movement available? The B-17 rear armament configuration appears prima facie to be less effective than the standard RAF heavy bomber rear turret, or even that of the B-24! |
Originally Posted by OJ 72
(Post 11592437)
Very interesting, and indeed poignant footage, Nutty. Although the 'gun' sounds detracted from the overall somewhat - more .303 than .5"!
A general query to 'the body of the Kirk', if I may...although the elevation/depression of the twin .5s in the B-17s rear 'turret' (sic) seems adequate, what was their range of movement in azimuth like? Were they fixed fore-aft, or was there a bit of lateral movement available? The B-17 rear armament configuration appears prima facie to be less effective than the standard RAF heavy bomber rear turret, or even that of the B-24! The tail guns were pedestal mounted - similar to the waist gunners (but obviously a twin instead of single 50) so range of fire was pretty good - plus both the top turret and bottom ball turret could fire aft (obviously with care not to hit their own tail). IIFC, the RAF didn't use 50's, instead going for 30 cal - 50's were far more effective in arial combat. According to one book I read on the 8th Air Force, it was calculated that it took the fire from 10 50 cals to discourage an attacking fighter (not to shoot it down, just to discourage him from pressing the attack home). Hence the empasis on tight formation flying. The weak point of the earlier B-17 wasn't so much the tail as head-on - which is why a 'chin turret' with dual 50 cals showed up on (IIRC) the "G" model. |
If you look at about 4.50 on the last post (B-17s over Europe) there appears to be one of the "Escort" B-17s (cannot recall their actual designation at the moment, something like YB-39?) with what appears to be TWO ball turrets hanging underneath. I presume this image was taken by a member of the Luftwaffe?
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Originally Posted by dduxbury310
(Post 11592472)
If you look at about 4.50 on the last post (B-17s over Europe) there appears to be one of the "Escort" B-17s (cannot recall their actual designation at the moment, something like YB-39?) with what appears to be TWO ball turrets hanging underneath. I presume this image was taken by a member of the Luftwaffe?
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The G introduced the unmanned nose turret to counter the Germans use of head on attacks, where the earlier B17’s were poorly defended.
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In such a crowded sky amongst all of the chaos, surely some of the B17 formation must have been hit by their own gunners.
Was that in fact ever an issue ? El Grifo |
Originally Posted by NutLoose
(Post 11592637)
The G introduced the unmanned nose turret to counter the Germans use of head on attacks, where the earlier B17’s were poorly defended.
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Not wishing to be pedantic, but...:rolleyes: :8 Was the B-17G 'Nose Turret' not more properly called the 'Chin Turret'?
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Grabbed Masters of the Air on Audible - all 25 hours of it.
All three TV episodes are dealt with before chapter one even begins, and episode 4 (if it deals with the Munster raid) will be episode 3 turned up to eleven. Don't read/listen to the forward if you don't want spoilers! Edit: I picked up the book to see why the TV series decided that the 389th BG was a B17 group early in Ep1 - sat as I am next door to Hethel airfield every day and well aware that the Sky Scorpions operated the B24 (ok, I'm a geek) |
Originally Posted by OJ 72
(Post 11592872)
Not wishing to be pedantic, but...:rolleyes: :8 Was the B-17G 'Nose Turret' not more properly called the 'Chin Turret'?
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Originally Posted by El Grifo
(Post 11592762)
In such a crowded sky amongst all of the chaos, surely some of the B17 formation must have been hit by their own gunners.
Was that in fact ever an issue ? El Grifo Live and learn ! "Gunners on US bombers flying in tight formations did not just spray machine gun fire all over the place trying to track fighters. The formations were designed to give clear fields of fire to the gunners, but each gunner was assigned a certain sector to cover and he only fired at targets entering his sector. A aerial gunner who broke discipline and hit other aircraft would be removed from flight duty quickly and likely find himself as an infantry replacement. Aircrew took a dim view of undisciplined gunners." El Grifo |
Originally Posted by El Grifo
(Post 11593214)
A aerial gunner who broke discipline and hit other aircraft would be removed from flight duty quickly and likely find himself as an infantry replacement. Aircrew took a dim view of undisciplined gunners."
El Grifo er |
Hilarious reading here.
its a movie/series not a documentary!! Who cares if they don’t wear masks at 18000 feet or the P51s had red tails? Do you criticise the technique of the staff in BBCs Casualty? Or the authenticity of the Expendables? If you do, get a life. It’s entertainment pure and simple. The audience DONT CARE if the aircraft have the wrong markings…… |
Originally Posted by tdracer
(Post 11593297)
The B-17 gunners had only enough ammo for ~60 seconds of fire (I think the top turret had a little more). While that's a lot compared to (for example) the ~14 seconds of fire for a Hurricane fighter, fighters were not in the 'fight' for hours at a time - a B-17 might be over enemy territory for 4 or 5 hours straight! So aside from the risk his fellow airman of 'undisciplined' fire, they needed use care that they didn't run out of ammo early and leave themselves defenseless against further attacks.
er Was that per gun or in total? |
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