Air battles, events or organizations from WW2 to research?
Posted by Xx-DinoBones-xX@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 9 comments
I have a research project where I must explore a certain aspect of air warfare during WW2, but I'm dry of ideas. I'd appreciate any suggestions on topics to research that you think are cool! I'm also open to researching specific airplanes, was thinking of doing the P-51
Specialist_Reality96@reddit
You are limited to fighter type aircraft only? Ground attack? Maritime Patrol? USAF only? The operation of the RAAF black cats in the Pacific or you could look at the order of the double sunrise.
There was also a number of Beaufighter operators, standard attach approach often involved climbing to mast top height to attack shipping.
If you can find it WGCMDR Guy Gibson's Enemy Coast ahead is an interesting read or just 617SQN in general.
A little harder to find but there is also a bit of information on the British Westland Lysander operations.
Terrible_Log3966@reddit
What you could do is a comparison of an early war battle like the battle of britain vs a late war air battle like the "little friends" protecting the allied bomber streams.
The comparison will highlight the immensely rapid pace of aircraft development on both sides (European conflict)
Pearl Harbor and the massive use of Naval aviation is a good one.
If you want a smaller and more defined subject, the events surrounding the sinking of the Tirpitz could be a good one.
More niche subjects I can think of are:
The Night Witches and their PO-2's
The use of liason aircraft as spotters and communicstion aircraft during D-Day
And the exploits of the A.T.A.
Xx-DinoBones-xX@reddit (OP)
Thanks!
thatCdnplaneguy@reddit
The raid on Toranto is an interesting topic. Little known outside RAF historians. First all aircraft, ship on ship battle and it was heavily studied by Japanese in the lead up to the attack on Pearl Harbour.
Terrible_Log3966@reddit
The fact that the Swordfishes basically flew so low and slow that the italian gunners missed them always baffles me.
thatCdnplaneguy@reddit
Same as the attack on the Bismark. The guns had automatic lead computing on them, but they were designed for faster aircraft and couldn’t be set for such a low airspeed.
Terrible_Log3966@reddit
Yes! Exactly. The Swordfish stayed relevant for a surprising amount of time!
Altruistic_Apple_252@reddit
No ideas?
None?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_warfare_of_World_War_II
DaveTV-71@reddit
The Siege of Malta in 1941 in an important but often overlooked campaign with a sizable air component.