Typical WWI bombing technique

[Slipstream22 0]

Hi bro,

 

I'm enjoying flying a Hannover CIII and wondered what was the typical bombing technique used in WWI? I'm sure that they didn't dive bomb like a Stuka nor skip bomb.

Did a WWI bomber simply fly at some set altitude at a constant speed and make an eyeball estimate as to when to release or was there a practiced method? For you bomber pilots, what type of method do you use in OFF for a realistic bombing run?

 

Also, maybe it's just my imagination. I noticed a interesting realistic effects by an AI on the tail of a two seater I'm flying. Whenever I take the rear gunners seat and an AI has come close to my tail, on occasion a few hits appears to ward him off and sometimes the AI justs quits and turns tail. Other AIs appear to sometimes loop around for another try again at my tail or darn near chase me all the way back to my aerodrome! Another effect is when your able to hit a persuing AI enough that he will peel off with some damage that you thought didn't affect him, drop down from sight and after a period of time you get an OFF message that you destroyed the AI. Now that's fantastic realism! Whomever at OFF wrote the software put some reality in this flight simulator and it is constantly surprising.

 

I'm having more fun flying two seaters bombing railheads and aerodromes these days as they seem to be more of a challenge in their fragile flight capabilities and vulnerability to persuing aircraft. Maybe OFF will include a Gotha or Handley Page 0/400 future updated file releases?

[carrick58 23]

I Cant speak about others, But I use the Guess-I -Mate method. U can get fairly close by setting the cam directly overhead so u look directly down from the aircraft . At 3000ft punchoff the bombs just as the nose lines up with the target. At 6000ft let go the bombs way before u get to the target. I used airfields so u can spot the bombs hits and adjust. Under 3000ft not a good idea.

[Check Six 2]

I have been very successful bombing in a Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter fpr the RNAS (mostly so far on rail stations). Generally, you are told you will lead the mission. As you approach the target, Mess around in your TAC (if you use it) and select "Vehicles". You'll find out there's usually heaps of them, so you might want to pause the sim. Keep pressing "TAB" (next target) until you find the particular "blip" that sits right at the end of your light blue waypoint line. (Have a good look around or call up "Aircraft" first to see if you're going to be disturbed in your work by enemy fighters).

 

I take some time lining up on the rail line (or along a line of huts, hangars , or aircraft out on the aerodrome), and begin to drop down to altitude. I bomb at about 100 feet or less. This might be a bit daunting for some, but so far I haven't been shot down during this phase of the bombing run (only after bombing is finished, and I'm heading for home have I been shot down). I hit "R" (rejoin) several times as I approach to make your flight stick with you, but sometimes they stay up high and ignore your commands.

 

As I begin my run, I make sure I'm lined up along the line of attack, and begin just a short strafe with my forward guns to make sure I'm lined up. Once I'm satisfied with that, I'll watch carefully to see where the train I've picked as my target is. Once I am mere feet away from the rearmost carriage, I drop my bombs. Usually you've got several bombs so I hit "Enter" (drop ordnance) repeatedly until all your bombs are gone. Depending on your reflexes, you'll either have hit all the cars full of troops or equipment, or if you're a tad slower, you'll get the engine as well.

 

At that point, I concentrate on staying LOW (I mean picking up tree branches in your undercarriage low). At this point, repeatedly hit "A" (wingmen attack), and look behind you. You'll probably see their bombs hitting all over the place, but they'll be up higher than you. A quick wingover and make a fast pass on the target, strafing in short bursts.

 

That's usually enough (though I have been guilty of making three or four passes). Remember too that you're probably going to NEED a lot of ammunition for the trip home.

 

Wait until you're far enough away from the target, then beging a climb, once again repeatedly hit "R" (rejoin) and watch to see if your wingmen join you. Time to run for home. Most people just hit warp at this point (if there's no enemy aircraft around) to get themselves home. Bad mistake. Change your TAC back to "Aircraft". If you're being pursued or bounced, deal with it as best you can. If you are still alone, no enemy fighters, make your way home. Hit CTRL+W (Next waypoint) and check the range and direction to ENSURE that it is directing you to home (those that warp immediately after climbing out get shot down a LOT because your mission brief usually tells you to hang around in the area for 17 minutes (or something silly like that) and when they hit warp, they are sent right over the target they just bombed. Understandably, those there are somewhat angry and they'll shoot at you. MAKE SURE by looking at your map and the range to next waypoint that you are being directed to home, and then warp.

 

There you have it. I have a 100% hits rating on bombing runs due to my very low altitude, and as yet, I haven't been shot down by target defenders (I have been shot down some miles away but that's not due to this being a bad tactic). Of course, you can choose your own methods.

 

The reason Stukas and other dive bombers were so successful in their bombing attacks is that it is a straight forward ballistic "lob" and will travel in a straight line, and once you've practised it, it's hard to miss. You can do that in these WW1 aircraft. Just remember, you're in a fragile canvas and wood beast, not a metal monoplane, so don't dive as steeply as you would in a metal monoplane, and leave a LOT more altitude to pull up (and pull up gently, not yank it up).

 

You must choose a method that works for you.

 

I prefer to bomb very low, it's very accurate, but just beware of the consequences.

[Mr. Lucky 0]

Sholto Douglas wrote that he flew Sopwith 1 1/2's during Bloody April and used to bomb from 200 feet almost exactly like you said, so your technique is a good approximation of the method used. Though I only ever make one pass, because it's almost impossible to coordinate the wingmen, leaving me as the sole object of affection for the ground gunners and I want to make it back home. Also the Sop 1 1/2 had 'dive brakes' which are modeled in OFF.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Slipstream22, here is a link to an earlier thread where I outlined my method of high alt bombing:

 

A Bombing of Berlin

 

Nice to see we have another bomber puke in our midst. And I agree with Check Six, the Strutter can't be beat for bombing. It is my fav Allied plane for the task. Love those operational dive brakes...very neat.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Bullethead 12]

Here's my $0.02 on the subject.....

 

I haven't yet tried divebombing, although there are probably a few planes that can do it. Most of them tend to go nose-up too strongly to make it effective, however, or are too flimsey.

 

Glidebombing as described by Check Six is my main attack profile. I vary it somewhat in that I come down steeper from closer to the target. I want to be in about 35-40^ dive. I usually hose the target down with MG fire as I do so. When I'm about 200 feet up, though, I pull up slightly to like a 20^ dive and drop the bombs just as the target disappears under my nose. This works for relatively large targets like hangars and other buildings, but if you're trying to hit troops, parked planes, etc., you need to get lower and drop just as you're pulling up to avoid crashing. Just be careful of getting caught in your own bomb blast.

 

For level bombing, the DFW has a built-in bombsight that actually works. Unfortunately, it doesn't have crosshairs, but it does seem to put bombs in the center regardless of your speed, altitude, angle of attack, and whatnot. I think it's got some computational holdovers from WW2 in it. Access it with F7, then get back to the pilot with F6. While in the bombsight, correct for line with the rudders, which behave differently than normal--they don't bank you so much.

 

None of the other 2-seaters have working bombsights, so if you want to do high level bombing with them, you need to use Lou's method described in that thread he linked above.

 

FWIW, in WW1 I don't think any of the bombsights that made it to service compensated for the wind drift. Thus, the bombers spent some time en route to the target trying to figure out the effect of the wind so they could make their bomb run directly downwind. The flak gunners knew this so already had their guns pointed upwind as the bombers approached. And when bombing through a hole in an undercast, the bombers often had to make 2 passes over the target: 1 to judge the wind and the 2nd to drop. This gave the flak a mulligan to get their altitude right...