The Tactic that Killed P-51 Mustang Pilots

This is a story about WWII’s most forgotten tactics that got a lot of 8th Air Force P-51 and P-47 pilots killed. What is this tactic? Is it worth it or was it a strategic blunder?

Greatest Threat

The P-51s’ objective was to escort Allied bombers and to shoot down enemy fighters all at once. Unfortunately, German aircraft hidden from the ground were difficult targets to attack not because of the lethality of German aircraft, but because of the flak. Anti-aircraft was the greatest threat to American fighters in 1944, especially to the liquid-cooled P-51 Mustang.

One placed bullet even from a machine gun could cause the P-51 to lose coolant, overheat, and go down. This is a contrast to the P-47’s radial engine that’s well-known to absorb an incredible amount of damage.

Deadliest in the World?

Aerodromes or airfields are some of the most well-defended locations in the Reich. Unlike their fighter pilot counterparts, flak and anti-aircraft gunners weren’t dwindling. In fact, they were the deadliest in the world.

Although German took heavy losses in the air, the opposite was true for anti-aircraft crews. They gained valuable experience over the last couple of years, making them deadly sharpshooters.

In early 1944, attacking a German airfield was a very risky endeavor. Tragically for the 8th Air Force, German aircraft were still the highest priority even on the ground and attacked until the lead-up to D-Day.