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Great War 1&2

Bombing tips from the "Mad Bomber":

1. The two ways I fly to a target are very low (on the deck) and very high (over 12,000 feet). I have little luck reaching targets in enemy territory at medium altitude. The idea is to not be seen and locked onto by enemy fighters. Terrain helps mask a bomber on the deck, the "N" key may give him a heading to you, but if the enemy fighter can't actually see your aircraft, he will often not pursue. Very high altitude also helps with masking your position. The "N" key only works up to a certain distance. That distance can be vertical as well as horizontal, so, if you are flying very high, an enemy fighter will have to pass almost directly under you to get an "N" contact reading on your plane.

2. Even one escort fighter is worth waiting a long time for. Whether flying high or low, the enemy will swarm a lone bomber every time they see one. When enemy fighters see two aircraft at a distance, they know at least one is a fighter and they are less prone to just dive right in. It is often the case that single enemy fighters will not even pursue an escorted bomber, especially if the bomber's flight has an altitude advantage.

3. I like to bomb on the deck, as low as possible without going "dirt torpedo." Approach the target in a dive, if you can, and pick up speed. When you have a visual lock on the target, go into "F5" external view. IMHO this view is by far the best for bombing. It allows you to line up with the target and provides good depth perception (essential if you plan to hit anything). It is smart for a bomber fly below the ground fire when near a target. Those ground-based MGs have real hitting power at close range, just a couple of bursts will trash your wings! Safe altitude over a target is just a bit lower than the building roof peaks (after you hop over a building, get a bit lower again quick). You'll notice the lines of tracers from the ground fire stop when you do get low enough. Practice letting your bomb go well ahead of reaching the building or hanger you want to hit. The proper distance varies with your speed. Try to time it so the bomb explodes against the building's side just after you pass over. That way you will not frag yourself in the explosion even if you are so low you just skim over the roof. Never release a bomb so late that it sails over the target and explodes past it, this is just asking to be killed by your own bomb.

4. Attacking with rockets and incendiary ammo should be done with care (watch out for ambulances!) and in normal forward cockpit view. The "F5" external view does not allow for accurate aiming of rockets and guns. I find these types of ordinance work best against aerodrome hangers and factory buildings. It is actually possible to take out a factory fairly quickly using only incendiary ammo.

5. My favorite targets are RR depots. Just get low, sail one well-placed bomb into the side of the white depot building, and down she goes! Factories are fun, what with dodging between smoke stacks and all. They also report themselves destroyed more reliably than do supply dumps and aerodromes. Bridges are tougher than the 2 point value given for their destruction suggests. The difficulty of lining up to place a bomb on that narrow bridge bed while being a sitting duck for enemy ground fire has cost me more than a few bombers. I prefer to have an escort along to at least distract some of the "triple A" and allow me to make the three or four hits necessary to destroy a bridge.

6. I generally do not use incendiaries on aerodromes or supply depots until I am out of bombs and rockets. There is talk of "magic buildings" on some of these targets, that if taken down instantly kill the target. If you discover these, let me know what they are. In general, hit the big buildings of supply depots and the big hangers of aerodromes. If all of the big buildings are down, a supply dump will usually report itself killed. Aerodromes are less reliable but taking out the largest hangers is always a good way to start.

7. The two best defenses for bombers are fighter escorts and more fighter escorts. If you do get jumped alone in a Halb. DII, you have a chance against an N11 or a DH2. The Halb. DII in bomber FM still turns well and has a very effective gun. I haven't yet experimented with the Alb. DII bomber but I imagine it can also dogfight reasonably well, especially with those two killer Spandaus!

8. As Buffalo Wings (I think it was) once said, ". . . most bombing missions are one way trips." It is sad but true, even with escorts your chances are not that good of getting your crate home safely. This makes it imperative that you kill your target. Otherwise, you may end up losing a point for your shot-down bomber and gaining nothing in return for the squadron or yourself. Teaming up with another bomber or two may mean dividing target points, but it also goes a long way toward making target destruction certain and that, in turn, assures a positive point balance at the mission's end.

9. I like to regain lots of altitude before recrossing the lines after a bombing attack. If one has the fuel and the patience, this is most safely done by flying further into enemy territory while one climbs. The enemy rarely will pick up on this tactic. Try to get well above 6,000 feet before heading home if, again, you have the luxury of plenty of fuel. Alternatively, if the target you attacked is quite close to the front lines, a deck level mad-dash for safety is often the better choice. If you have additional questions or comments, just send me an e-mail or post on our squadron message board.

Good Hunting Eagles!

SE_Athar

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