Close Escort: 8th AF

 

 

Artist Credit: Dace Screenshot

 

Mid-way through the war, the United States Army Air Force arrived to begin its strategic bombing campaign, which was conducted in daylight. In Europe, the American Eigth Air Force heavy bombers carried smaller payloads than British aircraft (because of the need for defensive armament) but were generally able to deliver them somewhat more accurately. USAAF leaders firmly held to the claim that they were conducting "precision" bombing of military targets for much of the war, and energetically refuted claims that they were simply bombing cities. In reality, the day bombing was "precision bombing" only in the sense that most bombs fell somewhere near a specific designated target such as a railway yard, whereas the night bombing campaign targeted cities with area bombardment. Nevertheless, the sheer tonnage of explosive delivered by day and by night was eventually sufficient to cause widespread damage, and, more importantly from a military point of view, force Germany to divert resources to counter it. This was to be the real significance of the Allied strategic bombing campaign?resource allocation. This tour of Close Escort will try to recreate these battles over the skys of Europe, ending with an attack on the French coast in preperation for the Invasion that was to come.

Frame 1	Allies	Axis
Units	Based at A63  B17G  P47D-11	Based at A22  Bf-109G-2  Fw-190A-5  Bf-110G-2
Orders	Attack the Radar Facility at  Marburg. (sector 11,13)	Defend the Radar Facility at  Marburg. (sector 11,13)
Restrictions	Escorts must stay within visual  range of the bombers until enemy  is in icon range.  Bombers must operate between  12-20K altitude.	The Luftwaffe must stay east of  the 10 line at all times.

 

 

 

Frame 2	Allies	Axis
Units	Based at  A75  B17G  P47D-11  P51B	Based at A22  Bf109G-2  Fw-190A-5  Fw-190A-8
Orders	Attack the Fuel Refinery at  Weisbaden. (sector 11,12)	Defend the Fuel Refinery at  Weisbaden. (sector 11,12)
Restrictions	Escorts must stay within visual  range of the bombers until enemy  is in icon range.  Bombers must operate between  12-20K altitude.	The Luftwaffe must stay South  of the 14 line and East of the  10 line.

 

 

 

Frame 3	Allies	Axis
Units	Based at A21  B17G  P47D-25  P38J	Based at A39  Bf-109G-2  Bf-109G-6  Fw-190A5
Orders	Attack the Vehicle Bases at  V98 and V99.	Defend the Vehicle Bases at  V98 and V99.
Restrictions	Escorts must stay within visual  range of the bombers until enemy  is in icon range.  Bombers must operate between  12-20K altitude.	The Luftwaffe must stay South of  the 8 line.