Hello everyone, newbie here. Some questions to forum members regarding research I'm doing on the 16/10/39 Luftwaffe raid on The Firth of Forth, any enlightenment/discussion will be greatly appreciated.
On 16/10/39 Junkers Ju 88A1 aircraft of Kampfgeschwader 30 attacked Royal Navy ships in the Firth of Forth, Scotland. There is much confused and conflicting information out there, some due to wartime censorship, some as a result of the mists of time.
The 88s flew to the Forth from Sylt on the island of Westerland, a straight line return distance of over 1,500 km. This apparently restricted the bomb load each aircraft carried to a reported 2 x 500kg (?). As the aircraft dive-bombed their targets, I'd assume that the ordnance was being carried externally. One bomb hit the Light Cruiser HMS Southampton, cut through three of her decks and exited the bow without exploding! A lucky escape.
In the light of the above, what would be the likely conclusions as to the type of bomb KG30 may have used that day, what did they look like, why were they seemingly so ineffective, and how may they have been carried on the aircraft?
Regards, RL
On 16/10/39 Junkers Ju 88A1 aircraft of Kampfgeschwader 30 attacked Royal Navy ships in the Firth of Forth, Scotland. There is much confused and conflicting information out there, some due to wartime censorship, some as a result of the mists of time.
The 88s flew to the Forth from Sylt on the island of Westerland, a straight line return distance of over 1,500 km. This apparently restricted the bomb load each aircraft carried to a reported 2 x 500kg (?). As the aircraft dive-bombed their targets, I'd assume that the ordnance was being carried externally. One bomb hit the Light Cruiser HMS Southampton, cut through three of her decks and exited the bow without exploding! A lucky escape.
In the light of the above, what would be the likely conclusions as to the type of bomb KG30 may have used that day, what did they look like, why were they seemingly so ineffective, and how may they have been carried on the aircraft?
Regards, RL