Fighter Combat

332 FIGHTER MISSIONScan be turned back on just prior to weapons firing. The advantages andlimitations of various weapons in the low-altitude environment werediscussed in previous chapters.We carried out many trials to try to find the answer to the fast, low-levelintruder, but there is no adequate defense.Air Vice-Marshal J. E. "Johnnie" Johnson, RAFA fighter pilot attacking a low-level penetrator from the rear hemisphereshould be especially cautious of a particularly nasty countertactic.Bomber pilots, when they are threatened from the rear, will often drop aretarded bomb that is intended to explode right in the face of the pursuingfighter. A retarded bomb is fitted with a high-drag device that slows itsforward speed after release, allowing the bomber to gain safe separationbefore weapon impact. A pursuing aircraft, however, may well be caught inthe weapon's fragmentation pattern. At the first hint of something fallingoff a bomber ahead, the attacker should break as hard as possible left orright to avoid the frag pattern. A quick pull-up may also work, but itusually provides less separation than a hard turn and makes rejoining thechase more difficult.If at all possible the enemy fighters should be avoided completely and strictattention given to attacking the enemy bombers. With a high-speed airplaneof the P-38 type this is entirely possible. ... If the attack is delivered swiftlyand the breakaway completed the enemy fighters can be avoided easily. Theinitial attack should be designed to break up the bomber formation. If thisplan is successful the squadron can then break down to flights and proceed topick off stray bombers. If the formation is not broken the squadron attackshould be delivered a second time. 1Captain Thomas J. "Tommy" Lynch, USAAF20 Victories, WW-IILow-level penetrators are usually not escorted closely by defendingfighters, since their presence is more likely to give away the position of thepenetrator. Massed attacks, however, are a different matter, and fighterescort is a probability. One of the first considerations when attackingmassed bombers, therefore / is how to deal with the escort. If the escort ispoorly positioned and can be avoided, it is generally best to do so and makehit-and-run attacks on the bombers, then separate before the escort canreact. Otherwise the escort usually must be neutralized if the fighters areto stand much chance of inflicting serious losses on the bombers withoutincurring heavy attrition themselves.The first and most important requisite for the destruction of the bombers wasthe achievement of air superiority against the American escort fighters.Lt. General Adolph Galland, LuftwaffeOne of the most effective means of neutralizing the fighter escort is todevote some defending fighters to the task of attacking and engaging theescort. When forced to defend themselves, the escorts quickly becomeseparated from their strike group. Fighters are typically much more shortleggedthan bombers, and they often must carry external fuel "drop-tanks"to provide the necessary escort range. Because of this the escort should be