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Mobility, firepower, protection - pick 2 you can’t have all 3 😂. Did you know that army’s longest serving tank, the CVR(T), isn’t really a tank at all but a reconnaissance vehicle? And by the standards of most tanks it’s tiny (8 tonnes or so). But it is fast, manoeuvrable, and reasonably well armed for it’s size.
"In August 1939. He clocked up his hours and received combat training from his squadron until he finally flew in a combat mission in June 1939. Even then he wasn’t in a “front line” squadron. He wasn’t in the front line until September 1939. So over a year later."
gobuchul, I have enjoyed your contributions but you may want to check your dates on this one - Britain was at war with Germany from 11:00 on 03 September 1939.
From Wellum's wikipedia page
"Aged eighteen, Wellum signed up on a short-service commission with the Royal Air Force in August 1939. The first aircraft he flew was the Tiger Moth at Desford airfield in Leicestershire. Wellum's first solo flight was on 1 September 1939. Two days later Britain declared war on Germany.<sup id="cite_ref-The_Times_4-0" class="reference">[4]</sup> After successfully completing the course he then went on to fly the North American Harvard at RAF Little Rissington with 6FTS.
In May 1940, before his flight training was complete,<sup id="cite_ref-The_Times_4-1" class="reference">[4]</sup> Wellum was posted to 92 Squadron, which was a combat squadron flying Spitfires"
Interesting book - "We march against England" - by Osprey - argues had Germany delayed Sealion (and not invaded Russia) the UK would have been in trouble. One other point that's not been raised is the UK dominance in small ships - destroyers and smaller - would still have caused the German invasion force huge difficulties even in the the 1942 invasion scenario.
the RAF had more faith in the structural strength of both their main fighters whereas the Me109 was known to pull the wings off in highest speed dives. Not sure of evidence for this.
Evidence was probably buried.
Ooooo, that's dry! 🙂 I too am enjoying this thread greatly. 🙂
some of what the raf thought of the me109e
We have all concentrated on an invasion across the Channel.
There was another option. Paratroopers from Norwegian bases on to an airfield in the north of Scotland to secure an initial base then funnel in troops and material from there while U-boats and bombers played havoc with the fleet in Scapa Flow and secured harbours.
This would have allowed Germany to cut off the North Sea, and have a land base on the UK mainland which would have enhanced their aerial attacks if nothing else.
Churchill's solution to this is rumoured to have been to abandon Scotland to the Germans.