Re: (was B_5 Aft Arc)Bombers/raiders

> On Friday, September 5, 2003, at 05:43 AM, Matt Tope wrote:
>
> > In regard to bombers...nope. Bombers only made fairly effective
raiders
> > (specfying a raider as an aircraft or vessel whose purpose it to
> > attack and

At the risk of committing air power heresy I'll go one further and claim
that the importance of the Allied bomber offensives were that they
attrited
the Luftwaffe, draining German men and resources just as the land
battles
did. With "more" of each at their disposal it was a winning proposition
for
the Allies. The secondary advantage lay in virtually eliminating the
Luftwaffe's ability to play a battlefield interdiction role in the west.
As
the campaigns continued even the eastern front was affected by the drain
on
skilled air crew and air frames.

Damage caused to targets of "strategic" bombing was of only tertiary
importance unless you were one of those poor souls living in, or near
the
target areas.

Not the Allied plan certainly but arguably the net effect.

Regards,
Bob