14.12.2009, 01:25
Droop Snoot Lightnings were not used as dive bombers. That would be missing the whole point of the airplane. They carried a bomberdier. You don't use one in a dive bomber...the pilot drops the bomb.
Droop snoots would fly as lead airplane in a fighter formation that was bombing a target. The bomb aimer in the P-38 would use his Norden and release his bombs, in level flight, as on any other type of bombers.
The fighter pilots would wait for the release, and when they saw the bombs fall, they'd release theirs. That's it. Then turn around and go home, or the Lightning would would head back and the fighters would go looking for targets to shoot up. As you can imagine, fighter pilots didn't like it very much. You can just imagine,"I'm a fighter pilot, not a damned bomber pilot!" being repeated several dozen times from various units!
Droop snoots would fly as lead airplane in a fighter formation that was bombing a target. The bomb aimer in the P-38 would use his Norden and release his bombs, in level flight, as on any other type of bombers.
The fighter pilots would wait for the release, and when they saw the bombs fall, they'd release theirs. That's it. Then turn around and go home, or the Lightning would would head back and the fighters would go looking for targets to shoot up. As you can imagine, fighter pilots didn't like it very much. You can just imagine,"I'm a fighter pilot, not a damned bomber pilot!" being repeated several dozen times from various units!