My next door neighbor flew B-17’s. He said that gunners shooting down planes was more due to luck because the Bombers moved around so much. Moving around made you a harder target to hit. The only time they tried to fly completely level was when the bomb bay doors opened.
He later moved to fighters after his tour was up and said it felt like he had previously been flying a kite.
Spray and pray.
Leading them, I’m sure, was very difficult.
Still, glad to read at least 9 bought the Nazi farm.
” Moving around made you a harder target to hit. The only time they tried to fly completely level was when the bomb bay doors opened.”
Thats early in the war. Curtis Lemay proved that evasive maneuvering was of little value compared to tight formation flying allowing massed gunfire. Also the bombing results were atrocious during the evasive action era.