Line of 4 or Line of 9

[P.Hausser]

I like my Dive bombers to dive in a line of 9.. and i usually set them up to do that.
But I know that many like them to bomb in a line of 4, what do you preferr and why ?

(Dive from 15 000 or 5000 )

[USSAmerica]

I know in WitP, DB's would attack in waves of 9 if flying at 15k feet or higher, but waves of 4 if below that.  I didn't think there was a way to get them to attack in waves of 9 in AE.  It seems they only perform dive bombing attacks from 10k - 14k feet and glide bomb above that altitude.

FWIW, in WitP, I preferred 9 for attacking warships and 4 for attacking merchants....of course if I knew what the target was.

[findmeifyoucan]

So tell me, what happens when you bomb at less than 10000 feet. Like 9000 feet for example?

[P.Hausser]

ORIGINAL: USS America

I know in WitP, DB's would attack in waves of 9 if flying at 15k feet or higher, but waves of 4 if below that.  I didn't think there was a way to get them to attack in waves of 9 in AE.  It seems they only perform dive bombing attacks from 10k - 14k feet and glide bomb above that altitude.

FWIW, in WitP, I preferred 9 for attacking warships and 4 for attacking merchants....of course if I knew what the target was.

Level bomb from 9k and dive from 10k you say ?

[BShaftoe]

Mmmm... I know what's the difference between dive bombing and level bombing, but, what's the difference between glide bombing and the other "bombings"?

[vlcz]

ORIGINAL: BShaftoe

Mmmm... I know what's the difference between dive bombing and level bombing, but, what's the difference between glide bombing and the other "bombings"?

From : NAVAL ORDNANCE AND GUNNERY, VOLUME 2
CHAPTER 23
AIRCRAFT FIRE CONTROL

Glide bombing is similar to dive bombing except that the attack angle is less than 60 degrees. This technique is better adapted to fighter-type aircraft which tend to develop excessive speeds in steep dives. Glide bombing is high-speed attack and bombs are released at an altitude of from 2,000 to 3,000 feet. Advantages over horizontal bombing include surprise and quick getaway. The disadvantages are that the bomb velocity is less than in dive bombing and AA vulnerability is greater than in dive bombing.


Do not confuse with glider bombs developed later .

[Rob Brennan UK]

ORIGINAL: BShaftoe

Mmmm... I know what's the difference between dive bombing and level bombing, but, what's the difference between glide bombing and the other "bombings"?

Glide bombing is a half way house between dive and level bombing , involving a shallow dive so the pilot could see the target on approach but few away from the semi vertical dive bomb approach. in game terms it should be more accurate than level bombing and less accurate than dive bombing but much more surviveable against flak.

[BShaftoe]

Thanks!

[freeboy]

NOT much more survivable   less survavable that dive bombing, see above, you are presenting a larger area of scy to be shot at... and a lower altitude, which in theory is "worse" for aaa lsses than either level ofr dive... unless I am off, possible but not likely! lol[X(]

[ChickenOfTheSea]

The altitude bands for dive bombers correspond to the altitude bands for fighter performance so the dive bombing band is 10000-15000 ft. At 15000 feet they will dive bomb. Miller just learned this the hard way.

[Mynok]

From 2k-9k they level bomb. This is helpful as one can set Kates to level bomb at 9k so they don't glide bomb and get wasted.

[Rob Brennan UK]

ORIGINAL: freeboy

NOT much more survivable   less survavable that dive bombing, see above, you are presenting a larger area of scy to be shot at... and a lower altitude, which in theory is "worse" for aaa lsses than either level ofr dive... unless I am off, possible but not likely! lol[X(]

VLCZ posted at the same time as i did , so couldn't refer to his post. I was just stating what i thought the 'game' represents rather than the letter of the defition.

It wouldnt be the first time that game mechanics were not 100% doctrinal and were intead a fudge between two opposites (dive and level).

just my 2p

From 2k-9k they level bomb. This is helpful as one can set Kates to level bomb at 9k so they don't glide bomb and get wasted.

you sure Mynock ? as DB's afaik glide bomb upto 9k , dive 10-15 , glide again 16-20 and level bomb 20+ .. if TB's are differant or im wrong i'll be happy to admit ignorance on the subject. I just had TBD's torpedo bomb from 8k alt so i'm pretty sure TB's wont level bomb at there low alts , UNLESS they do not have torpedoes (which may be what you encountered)