Attacking Airfields with Strike Aircraft- What's Your Strategy?

[Admiral DadMan]

Goal: Striking an Airfield that you know houses a ton of planes. Are you dive bombing? Level bombing? Low level strafing with fighters?

And... GO!

[Dante Fierro]

Goal: Striking an Airfield that you know houses a ton of planes. Are you dive bombing? Level bombing? Low level strafing with fighters?

Dirigibles FTW!

[Platoonist]

ORIGINAL: Admiral DadMan

Goal: Striking an Airfield that you know houses a ton of planes.

My most ideal method would be a bombardment with battleship caliber guns if I can get away with it. But sadly not always possible.

[RangerJoe]

Level bombing with 4Es if available. The more bombs the better. Night attack as well then daylight attack. Cut the railroads if possible then capture the base.

[btd64]

ORIGINAL: Admiral DadMan

Goal: Striking an Airfield that you know houses a ton of planes. Are you dive bombing? Level bombing? Low level strafing with fighters?

And... GO!

Sweep, then Level bomb it into the stone age....GP

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: btd64

ORIGINAL: Admiral DadMan

Goal: Striking an Airfield that you know houses a ton of planes. Are you dive bombing? Level bombing? Low level strafing with fighters?

And... GO!

Sweep, then Level bomb it into the stone age....GP

Wrong.[;)] It depends upon when and what side your are playing.

[Admiral DadMan]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: btd64

ORIGINAL: Admiral DadMan

Goal: Striking an Airfield that you know houses a ton of planes. Are you dive bombing? Level bombing? Low level strafing with fighters?

And... GO!

Sweep, then Level bomb it into the stone age....GP

Wrong.[;)] It depends upon when and what side your are playing.

For sake of argument, let's say Allied early 1942

[1EyedJacks]

The more bombs the better is still a good rule of thumb. Factors to take into account:

- The number of bombs in the payload. Against an airfield, I think that's more important than the size of the bombs. If I will be dropping "sticks" of bombs then I want more bombs and more bombers. In this case, I'll probably go with level-bombing as a tactic. For the allies, I'd also compare airframes and look for something that has a good replacement rate also.

- The experience level of the bomber group makes a big difference.

- fighter escort and sweeps before the bombers arrive to keep your bombers flying happy (better morale).

[obvert]

Different base type, size, proximity to other airfields on map and whether there are rail connections or not change tactics. Also whether the KB is nearby and can support. If the IJ is using this as an offensive base this can be useful as the F in base might be on sweep or escort missions rather than CAP.

Early 42 complicates anything the Allies will try as there are no really good sweepers available. You can get a full group of Lightnings but I prefer these in defensive CAP at this stage to save best pilots and reduce fatigue on airframes. So you're stuck with range 5/6 P-40B/E. Some Hurris.

I'd wait until the IJ take a few hits from their sweep/escort missions and have some repairing planes at the field, then (if possible) sweep a few sacrificial groups in ahead of a B-17D/E strike. Not much else possible.

It's much easier to catch the IJ out by hitting it's strike missions rather than it's airfields at this stage. Recon is not good enough for the Allies to really "see" deeply to hit behind the lines in less well defended areas. It's risky and the assets are too valuable to waste. I'd rather hit newly conquered oil than airfields unless the IJ is being very carreless.

As mentioned above the best method in earl 42 is night naval bombardments. It's inevitable the IJ will use seaside airfields in the DEI, and you can plaster them pretty good with a few cruisers.

[Ian R]

ORIGINAL: Admiral DadMan

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: btd64




Sweep, then Level bomb it into the stone age....GP

Wrong.[;)] It depends upon when and what side your are playing.

For sake of argument, let's say Allied early 1942

Work your fist few p38s into a group, 35k sweeps, followed by medium bombers at 7k.

In the preceding night impulse, the 4Es (so a gaggle of early mark B17 & LB-30 ) should be going in at 5k.

[Alamander]

It just depends on so many factors. What is based there? Is it Nells and Betties, probably set to naval strike with a secondary target? Then attack in the AM phase. What is likely to be on CAP? Is it Zeros? Don't bother... find another target... unless you can bombard the base first by sea. Is there radar there? Early war Japanese radar isn't much better than sound detectors, but any radar combined with Tojos can be deadly to fighter sweeps. Is it an Oscar Ic base with Sallies or Lillies, probably set to strike a ground target? Sweep the base with Hurricanes if you can as your first option, P400s as the second, and P-40s as the last in the PM phase (by setting their primary mission to naval strike) then bomb it in the PM phase as well after the bombers have returned from their mission.

Basically... avoid Zeros and Tojos unless you can naval bombard first. Use Hurricanes against Oscar Ics whenever possible. Strike in the AM or PM phase depending upon when you expect the enemy planes to be on the ground. Don't strato sweep unless your opponent is using poor air doctrine and flying his CAP far too high. Against low-layered CAP it is better to come in at 15-20K. Again... though beware of Tojos or Nicks which could be stationed above. Again, best to just avoid anything but Oscars.

[Scott_USN]

Every bomber I have in South East Asia which in late 42 early 43 is many. I switch between their airbases from Mandalay and rarely on Rangoon. All over south pacific, so many units is difficult to manage. 42 is a bit depressing by 1943 it is bomb everything!