Doing Bomb runs in a B-17G

by Gen.Richi (c57v) The NFL Squadron

 

These are some of the things I do.
When i take off i get as much altitude as i can as you can never have enough. Any speed that I have is turned into altitude. When I slow for the target I climb to slow, never cut the throttle. When I go to the bomb sight I turn off the auto pilot and climb until I am very close to the target. Just before I lower the flaps I go back to auto pilot and when I turn to line up on the target I use the auto pilot but go back off to climb when I have the proper heading. I lower my flaps at the last minute, just in time to get over the target at a steady speed. Speed at the drop should be as slow as you can go before stall. Slow but steady. The higher you are the slower you can go. I find that I can’t go to full flaps just over 31k and keep from stalling (wep can be used here if you are near stalling to keep you in the air rather than move the flaps up) so I use ¾ flaps.

Bomb Sight and WEP
I use wep only for evading bogies or keeping my speed above stall at the drop. When I am flying I spend most of my time on radar looking at the map. I go off when I turn and when i'm not on auto pilot. I keep track of the markers in the sectors and my position. I change the zoom often when I am near the target area to keep track of the bogies and to make adjustments to my heading. When you can see a factory on radar this is the time to start adjusting your heading so your path will intersect it. All I do is look at the sector lines and estimate the angle I need. The closer you are before you are on the bomb sight the easier it is to find it when you are on bomb sight. The higher you are the less time you will have to make adjustments. I open the doors before I go on bomb sight. When one sector fills the screen and the target is just coming into the screen. This is roughly the time to go to the bomb sight. When I am on it I still go back to the map to confirm my heading if the factory does not show in the sight. I zoom keeping the factory in the sight until I am at full magnifaction.

Evading bogies
The higher the better to do this. Fighters do not turn as well as the B17 at high altitude. This is your protection. Turn. Remember your top speed and stall speed will not be far apart. Remember do not stall you loose alt. The object is to get the fighter to stall or just stay out of his guns. This is what I save my wep for, turning and climbing when I am being chased. Beware the cricling fighter. He is trying to get to your alt with speed so he can turn when you do. One thing you can do is to turn inside his arc. But always climb if you can. When you can at high alt go level to gain some speed, I use auto pilot here. When the fighter comes up on you you can climb and turn better. Some just give up when you turn on the wep and climb as fast or faster than them :^] You are safe from a Fw190 above 38k but spits, p38 and others will come up higher. To out turn them easly you may need to be at or as much as 42k depending on the skill of the fighter pilot.

Ack
Your ack is your friend. C81 has real strong ack and will kill bogies for you and aid your gunners if you have them. Your factorys have strong ack too but not all fighters will follow you in so you are better off if you have a place to land. If you are being chased before you drop. Like just as you get there, do not give up. Go on the bomb sight and climb to just before stall (with no flaps) and make your drop. You will be lighter and better able to run.

Coming down with bogies
I dive from the altitude I am flying at by cutting to idle and diving to maintain a speed of at least 250kts. I go faster but remember your wings rip off at 325kts and you will turn better at 225kts to 250kts. If you start out as fast as you can go and slow to 225 you can make a turn to cut back on yourself and many bogies diving on you will over shoot.

Hehehe More stuff later.

General Richi (c57v)
The NFL Squadron