"what if"

Schwieger · 12-23-10, 03:06 PM

Support or refute this statement:

WW2 could have been won by 1943 had the VVS pursued the same strategic bombing campaign as US and UK.

Raptor1 · 12-23-10, 03:14 PM

Why do people have to post topics without giving their own opinion? Gah!

Anyway, no, it couldn't. The VVS was in a pretty bad position to launch strategic bombing attacks on important targets until well into 1944. It would also have diverted resources from its frontline aviation which was just becoming an effective force in 1943, and thus would've made the VVS considerably less effective. Not to mention the Soviets had no large strategic bomber force to draw on.

There's also the questionable effectiveness of the strategic bombing campaign itself, but that's wildly debated, so I won't go into that.

seaniam81 · 12-23-10, 07:13 PM

And what would they use to bomb with? TB-3?

Schwieger · 12-24-10, 02:15 AM

@Raptor - I actually do not think it would have worked out either; a friend and I were discussing it a few days ago and I thought I would bring it up here.

HunterICX · 12-24-10, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seaniam81

And what would they use to bomb with? TB-3?

Russians did had some decent bomber designs

like the Ilyushin DB-3, the later Ilyushin DB-3F renamed to Il-4, Petlyakov Pe-2 & Pe-8, Tupolev ANT-40 (or Tupolev-SB) & Tu-2 and the Yermolayev Yer-2.

HunterICX

Raptor1 · 12-24-10, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterICX

Russians did had some decent bomber designs

like the Ilyushin DB-3, the later Ilyushin DB-3F renamed to Il-4, Petlyakov Pe-2 & Pe-8, Tupolev ANT-40 (or Tupolev-SB) & Tu-2 and the Yermolayev Yer-2.

HunterICX

Though of those only the Pe-8 and the Yer-2 were really capable of long range strategic bombing. Also, there was a lot of problems with production of the Pe-8, so it would've been hard for the VVS to gather enough of them to do any real damage.

HunterICX · 12-24-10, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor1

Though of those only the Pe-8 and the Yer-2 were really capable of long range strategic bombing. Also, there was a lot of problems with production of the Pe-8, so it would've been hard for the VVS to gather enough of them to do any real damage.

Yes correct, and so the Pe-8 was build in too few numbers to be effective.

and iirc due the increase of Pe-8 losses from 1 every 100ish to 1 every 40-50ish sorties the ones that where still operational where pulled from Combat sorties somewhere in mid 1944 at least they wheren't used as primary combat aircraft anymore.

HunterICX

12-23-10, 03:06 PM	#1
Schwieger Commodore Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: U-142 Posts: 624 Downloads: 62 Uploads: 0	"what if" Support or refute this statement: WW2 could have been won by 1943 had the VVS pursued the same strategic bombing campaign as US and UK. __________________ Support U-Boot_HAHD: Install Dropbox Click Here & Increase The Teams Dropbox space and get 2.25GB of free online Storage space for yourself.

12-23-10, 03:14 PM	#2
Raptor1 Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Stavka Posts: 8,211 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	Why do people have to post topics without giving their own opinion? Gah! Anyway, no, it couldn't. The VVS was in a pretty bad position to launch strategic bombing attacks on important targets until well into 1944. It would also have diverted resources from its frontline aviation which was just becoming an effective force in 1943, and thus would've made the VVS considerably less effective. Not to mention the Soviets had no large strategic bomber force to draw on. There's also the questionable effectiveness of the strategic bombing campaign itself, but that's wildly debated, so I won't go into that. __________________ Current Eastern Front status: Probable Victory

12-23-10, 07:13 PM	#3
seaniam81 Commodore Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 624 Downloads: 87 Uploads: 0	And what would they use to bomb with? TB-3? __________________ Ultima ratio regum. (The final argument of kings) - Inscription on french cannons, on order of Louis XIV

12-24-10, 02:15 AM	#4
Schwieger Commodore Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: U-142 Posts: 624 Downloads: 62 Uploads: 0	@Raptor - I actually do not think it would have worked out either; a friend and I were discussing it a few days ago and I thought I would bring it up here. __________________ Support U-Boot_HAHD: Install Dropbox Click Here & Increase The Teams Dropbox space and get 2.25GB of free online Storage space for yourself.