Jonathan_S wrote:That's also why the ideal for torpedo bombers was the "anvil" attack where the squadron split in two and attempted to catch the ship in a crossfire of perpendicular torpedo tracks (preferably launched from 45 degrees off each side of the bow). Any attempt of the ship to turn and "comb the tracks" of one set of torpedoes would put it broadside on to the other.cthia wrote:But yea, if the target doesn't hold course, you're tanked. But you don't necessarily lose your shot because you are continuously tracking him. Data being fed to the TDC is continuously variable in real time. Another shot can oftentimes be gotten off very quickly if target's altered vector is still amenable. With slide rules, a follow up shot is often missed.
In wolf packs, the tactic is as wolves hunting a single prey at a time. In support of the pack. It would be akin to an RMN launch spreading its fire amongst only one ship! LOL
Altering course turns enemy ship into one of the others in the pack. Akin to the instance Honor arranged her wall in an inverted V to allow every ship in the wall at least one shot at target.
Oh yea, sitting ducks are like manna.
Unfortunately this was often quite hard to accomplish in practice, and exposed the attacking (and usually pretty slow) torpedo bombers to prolonged fire from escorts and defending fighters.
Absolutely/ Midway was the perfect example. The torpedo planes were not much more than targets. But they pulled defenders away from higher altitudes which let the dive bombers take out the Japanese carriers.