Lancaster Vs. B-24

syscom3 · 01-15-2006, 02:19 PM

They had enough to concentrate on 3 or 4 planes and produce them by the thousands.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 01-15-2006, 02:24 PM

And they did do just that. They concentrated on what they needed for survival: Fighters! You have to remember that they were being attacked at the hight of the Blitz. Had the US been in there shoes they would have concentrated on fighters too just like England did.

Look at the time line man!

FLYBOYJ · 01-15-2006, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syscom3

They had enough to concentrate on 3 or 4 planes and produce them by the thousands.

And that's it! They didn't have the ability to bring in the raw materials necessary to construct modern factories (Like Willow Run) and to even attempt to do so could of spelled disaster to an already taxed demand. Why do you think they (the UK) purchased P-40s, Baltimores, Marylands, B-24s, etc., etc. They were fighting for their lives. At the same time this doesn't diminish the effort they put into their aircraft industry and the products they produced....

During the Blitz several of their major aircraft factories were bombed (Supermarine factory in Southampton for one) as a matter of fact, there was an all-out effort to destroy the British ability to manufacture aircraft on August 12, 1940. The Brits had less people, resources, and were being bombed - to attempt to say they should of matched US production numbers is ridiculous!

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 01-15-2006, 02:52 PM

It is rather a matter of common sense. The British did the best they could at the time and built what was necessary to survive. What did they concentrate on at first? Fighters. Bingo you need fighters to destroy the enemy offensive.

FLYBOYJ · 01-15-2006, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

It is rather a matter of common sense. The British did the best they could at the time and built what was necessary to survive. What did they concentrate on at first? Fighters. Bingo you need fighters to destroy the enemy offensive.

YEP!!!

Gnomey · 01-15-2006, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLYBOYJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

It is rather a matter of common sense. The British did the best they could at the time and built what was necessary to survive. What did they concentrate on at first? Fighters. Bingo you need fighters to destroy the enemy offensive.

YEP!!!

Agreed, and then you need heavy bombers to take the offensive back to him.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 01-15-2006, 03:14 PM

And at that point the bomber offensive was not longer just the RAF Bomber Command but also the USAAF B-17 and B-24.

Gnomey · 01-15-2006, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

And at that point the bomber offensive was not longer just the RAF Bomber Command but also the USAAF B-17 and B-24.

Exactly.

the lancaster kicks ass · 01-15-2006, 03:35 PM

and this was wartime, FB made some good points, do you really honestly think that we wouldn't be producing to our fullest capacity? we don't have the manpower of america, to claim we do is rediculous, i shall point out again that at the peak of production Avro had 29,000 men working on lancasters, that's for every factory and many sub-contractors, willow run alone employed 42,000, why? becuase america had the man power, we did not...........

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 01-15-2006, 03:38 PM

Dont forget the Women also. While the men went off to fight the women went it and did the job of building aircraft for them. More so in the US than in Britain.

the lancaster kicks ass · 01-15-2006, 03:51 PM

my figure for Avro includes women, i think it did for willow run too..........

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 01-15-2006, 03:56 PM

Yes I am sure it did, I am just saying that I think that in the US that was more so than in England.

syscom3 · 01-15-2006, 04:04 PM

In 1943, the bombing threat was over. The brits and the US had lots and lots fo fighters to take care of the Luftwaffe.

So what three or four planes should the RAF concentrated on?

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 01-15-2006, 04:07 PM

And they concentrated on what was necessary. Why are you the only one who does not understand this.

They concentrated on Spitfires, Mossies, and Lancasters. They did not have the production capacity to build as many as the US did. Again why are you the only one that does not understand this?

Glider · 01-15-2006, 04:14 PM

Can I remind you again of the thousands of V1 and V2 rockets that were landing on us. You keep forgetting those.
Plus of course.
Having built the factories the disruption in moving them or changing production would have been huge.
I suggest you anwser your own question which would you drop. Typhoon? and leave us without any ground attack
Halifax bit like saying the USA should have stopped building the B17 as the B24 could be produced more easily.
Mossie And leave us without so much
Sunderland and leave us without any long range A/S recce
Spitfire and leave us without a fighter.

In 1940 when we were in our darkest hour we did drop production of all but a few key types just as the germans did in their darkest hour. This is one reason why the MB3 and MB5 didn't enter service, the Mossie was delayed, the development of the jet engine was slowed down and with it the delay to the Meteor and Vampire.