Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

334 FIGHTER MISSIONS
the enemy. Such a pilot will always stand out. Shoot him down. It is more
important to send one down in flames—so that all the enemy pilots can see
the loss and experience its psychological effect—than to wade into a twentyminute
dogfight in which nothing happens.
Colonel Erich "Bubi" Hartmann, GAF
Generally speaking, a massed attack should be met as far from the target
as possible. Long-range CAPs are often in position for first intercept, but
unfortunately its strength is seldom sufficient for a CAP to have great
success in destroying large numbers of enemy aircraft or in breaking up a
large massed attack, particularly if fighter escort is present. A long-range
CAP, therefore, might best be used in an attempt to strip the formation of
its escort.
There are several advantages of early interception of massed attacks.
Obviously, the longer the fighters can maintain contact, the more damage
can be done to the attackers. Quite often determined attacks will result in
damaged bombers and stragglers which provide easy pickings later in the
battle. Early attacks may also slow the progress of a massed attack, allowing
more defending fighters to make an intercept. In many cases fighterbombers
planning low-level penetration attacks will proceed in massed
formation, possibly with fighter escort, to some point short of the target,
and then split up for individual penetrations by different routes. These
raids are usually more vulnerable to serious damage if they are intercepted
before the break-up point.
The demand of the hour was quantity against quantity. The massing of our
fighters was impossible at the periphery and could only be done in the center.
Lt. General Adolph Galland, Luftwaffe
Regardless of its advantages, however, early interception of a massed
attack is not always possible; attack may have to be delayed to provide for
greater numbers in the attacking force. Multiple small, uncoordinated
attacks are more easily defended against by the bombers and fighter escorts
than are larger, more concentrated assaults. Depending on the number of
escorts, distance remaining to the target, and the likelihood of reinforcements,
the first interceptors to arrive on scene might best "shadow" the
formation from a good attack position and call for help. Once the fighter
force is as large as it is likely to get, or is considered strong enough to take
on the escorts on roughly equal terms, the attack can begin.
The ballistic rocket struck the death knell of the fighter-interceptor.
Air Vice-Marshal J. E. "Johnnie" Johnson, RAF
Integrated Air Defense
A fact that brings the air defense picture into perspective is that, in nearly
all conflicts since and including World War I, more aircraft have been lost
as a result of surface-to-air defenses than have been victims of fighter
action. This is primarily because of the sheer volume of AAA, SAMs, etc.,
and the great number of firing opportunities encountered. Surface defenses
alone, however, have rarely been sufficient to prevent destruction or heavy
damage to high-value targets. Only determined fighter defenses have