"WalterM140" wrote in message
...
Fact is the factory was repeatedly attacked and the most damaging raid
of them was that by the RAF in March 1942 which destroyed 40% of the
factory


Details?


I'll ask again. Details?


From MOD Archives

Bomber Command launched its largest raid thus far of the war, in March 1942
against the large Renault factory at Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, which was
an important source of trucks for the German military. Some 235 bombers
attacked, in an hitherto unprecedented concentration over the target - 121
per hour - which demonstrated that the risk of collision at night was lower
than feared, no accidents being suffered. The raid was a great success -
300 bombs fell directly on the factory, causing an estimated loss of
production of 2,300 trucks and destroyed 40% of the factory.

Well, that is clearly not the -most- successful attack as the 4/4/43 raid
deprived the Germans of over 3,000 lorries and 498 out of 500 bombs fell into
the factory area.

What you've also shown inadvertantly is that, given the accuracy over this
French target, defenses over German targets degraded RAF accuracy very badly
indeed.

The German night fighters in particular degraded RAF accuracy on many, in fact
most occasions, where they made an effective interception.

German defenses degraded RAF accuracy in a way that there is no parallel for
on the USAAF side. In some instances of almost fanatic resistance by the
Germans, some of the most accurate bombing of the war was still done by USAAF
units.

Two instances:

"Over 900
bombers were detailed and 886 actually dispatched over the Essex coast
for
plants in the Leipzig area; although the two leading combat wings
attacked
an FW 190 repair depot at Zwickau in the same area which, apart from
its own
importance, served to mislead the enemy as to the chief
objectives...Soon
after the leading bombers of the 3rd Division had turned north-east
after a
south-easterly thrust across Belgium, they were met by an estimated
200
enemy interceptors. Spaatz was correct in his speculation that the
Luftwaffe
would rise to meet strikes against oil plants, although at this point
the
enemy could not have known the bombers' ultimate destination. From
12.25
hrs. for 35 minutes, the two composite 4th wing formations headed for
Zwickau experienced determined oppostion. Mass saturation tactics were
pressed so close that at least one rammed a B-17. From this ordeal the
4th
emerged in some disorder. Colonel Vandevanter flying with his 385th
Group in
the lead, ordered the formation to reduce speed so that others could
reform;
this undoubtedly added to the good bombing later achieved-- the 385th
managed to place 97% of their bombs within 2,000 ft of the aiming
point.
Four times the 4th Wing was attacked on the mission, losing 11
Fortresses, 7
from the 447th group.
The 3rd division's 45th and 13th wings attacked the Brux oil plant
leaving
it burning and inoperative, while Liberators of 2nd Division achieved
similar results at Zeitz and Bohlen; great damage too, was inflicted
at
Merseburg and Lutzendorf by the 1st Division."

--"The Mighty Eighth" p. 141-42 by Roger Freeman

"Lt. Col Ross Milton, formerly of Polebrook and now of the 91st, was
allergic
to tough rides. It seemed every time he led the Wing, he would
ineveitably
wind up in the front position, whether the mission was so laid out or
not, and
the mission would meet violent opposition. Oschersleben was no
exception.
Leading the combat wing formation, he found himself in front and, for
the most
part, without fighter escort almost throughout the trip. Over an hour
before
reaching the target, the Wing was jumped by a large number of Jerry
fighters.
The lead aircraft was badly hit. An engine was lost, several cannon
shells
exploded in the cockpit, and Col Milton and Captain Everett, the
pilot, were
both painfully wounded. The Wing nevertheless ploughed through and
bombed the
target, although 13 aircraft were lost in the attack. The 91st
Group's bombs
went astray due to structural damage in the lead ship which affected
the
mounting of the bombsight, but the 381st's bombs fell true and
straight on the
MPI, and these bombs and those of the wings that followed did a
complete
demolition job on an important aircraft factory."

-"Mighty Eighth War Diary" pp. 165-66


Walt

Walt

Walt