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Old 12-06-2018, 07:10 AM
Olefin Olefin is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Greencastle, PA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Raellus View Post
I guess in some cases, some operational aircraft are better than none, but the Avengers probably wouldn't be worth the trouble to operate, except for as reconnaissance aircraft. As attack aircraft, TBFs would be very vulnerable to modern AAA and even small arms fire. To avoid it, a TBF would have to drop bombs from a significantly higher altitude, seriously compromising accuracy.

Avengers worked as light bombers during WWII because they were usually escorted by scores of Hellcats, which would strafe AAA positions to hell just before or as the Avengers started their bombing runs, allowing the TBFs to drop their bombs unmolested. And Japanese troops were equipped with relatively few automatic weapons, so ground fire from infantry was a negligible threat.

Unless you're operating TBFs against lightly armed bandits, or dropping bombs from beyond effective small arms range, I don't think Avengers are suited to even low intensity modern warfare, a la T2K.
Recon is exactly the mission I was thinking about - that and being used against groups that dont have anything beyond light machine guns for AA and using them at medium altitude as bombers - keep in mind just having an airplane you can use for recon and spotting is a huge advantage even if its not used in any kind of attack mode - and as opposed to a Cessna the plane was built for combat - i.e. it can take hits and keep going if it has to
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