Those massive air raids were lucky to put a few bombs on target. Worse, the payload was much smaller.
B-17: 4500lb (long range) to 17,600lb (overload)
B-24: 2700lb (very long range) to 8000lb (max rated)
B-29: 20,000 lb
F-18: 13,700 lb (bombs, rockets, missiles)
Importantly, the F18 handles PGMs with ease.
Simply put, we don't need those huge raids any more, and are spared the enormous losses they entailed.
What was an A-6 Full loadout?
something like 22 Mk-82s
or 5 Mk-84s
Which would be about 10000 lbs.
Post-war BDA showed how lousy our bombing accuracy was, but those few great surviving B/17/24/29 crew members still swear by the accuracy of the Norden bombsight. SAC made similar grossly optimistic claims for bombing accuracy in Korea and Vietnam, with minimal real world improvement. Although I presume that those in the target neighborhood found the quantity of misses made for some well deserved Psyops ‘quality’ of sorts. But history shows that failed to break England, Germany or Japan’s will. Nagasaki barely broke Japan’s.
Its amazing, now, that the Air Force can actually deliver what it promises. Alas, POTUS is on the other side so I have to watch the Aussies deliver instead.