von Shagmeister
Posts: 1273
Joined: 10/8/2005 From: Dromahane, Ireland Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Hard Sarge Freeman two different books on the 56th also, seeing, for Aug 17th, the IXth has 4 BGs of B-17s to aid in the raids of this day, and they are counting on sending 180 bombers to southern France ( I don't know where those numbers are coming from, but that is what Middlebrook is saying) The Mighty Eight War Manual - Roger A. Freeman Page 59 With the increase of some fighter groups of squadron aircraft complements to 32 and pilots to 45 in the winter of 43/44 ..... The Mighty Eight War Diary - Roger A. Freeman Page 89-90 17Aug43 1BW (9xBGs: 91BG, 92BG, 303BG, 305BG, 306BG, 351BG, 379BG, 381BG, 384BG) Despatched 230 B-17s (average per group = 25.5) 4BW (7xBGs: 94BG, 95BG, 96BG, 100BG, 385BG, 388BG, 390BG) Despacted 146 B-17s (average per group = 20.8) Total despatched 376 by 16xBGs (average per group = 23.5) This was a max effort by 8BC with the 4th Sqn in each bomb group being required to fly as well as all servicable spares. Totals fall far short of the 32 per BG available for ops normally at the start of BTR (once the groups have filled out). The fact that the 48 a/c TOEs for BGs were starting to be adopted during this period isn't in dispute, but the amount of a/c they can routinely despatch is. von Shagmeister EDIT: Add date
< Message edited by von Shagmeister -- 10/29/2009 8:49:21 AM >
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