Basic History Question
- Thread starter burcham8
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sandar
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Nothing to do with the US military is straightforward, so there is no easy, or correct answer.
USAAF fighter and bomber squadrons should have 24 aircraft, of which at least 16 would be ready to fly.
US Marine fighter squadrons had 18 aircraft, but did increase this figure to 24 later in the war.
US bomber squadrons were listed as, Very Heavy, Heavy, Medium and had different numbers of aircraft. Numbers varied according to where in the world and duty required, IE tactical air force or strategic, around 24 though per squadron.
Groups and wings also varied in size, with 3-4 squadrons to a group and 3-4 groups to a wing.
USAAF fighter and bomber squadrons should have 24 aircraft, of which at least 16 would be ready to fly.
US Marine fighter squadrons had 18 aircraft, but did increase this figure to 24 later in the war.
US bomber squadrons were listed as, Very Heavy, Heavy, Medium and had different numbers of aircraft. Numbers varied according to where in the world and duty required, IE tactical air force or strategic, around 24 though per squadron.
Groups and wings also varied in size, with 3-4 squadrons to a group and 3-4 groups to a wing.
Mick
SOH-CM-2024
There's no standard "right" answer.
Once upon a time a fighter squadron had sixteen aircraft. Then it was however many they thought necessary to have sixteen operational at pretty much all times. By some time towards the middle of the war, at least in England, they went to thirty-two planes, so they could fly two sixteen-plane missions without having to repair replace and recuperate. Then it was however many it took to have thirty-two operational pretty much all the time. Eventually there were forty-eight, so they could fly two full-squadron missions and rest a full squadron's worth of pilots and planes, and then I suppose, however many it took to keep fourty-eight operational. I don't think squadrons got that big outside the 8th Air Force, but there certainly wasn't any universal standard number.
I think the original theoretical number of planes in a bomber squadron was twelve rather than sixteen. I don't know of bomber squadrons growing as big as fighter squadrons did.
There were usually three squadrons to a group, but there cold be just two and there were frequently four. There may have been more than four on occasion.
Likewise, there were typically three groups to a wing, but there could be two and often there were four. I don't know if there might have been more than four on some occasions.
Then there were Air Divisions, which were unique to the Eighth Bomber Command. An Air Division had however many groups it took to put all the B-24 groups in one division, and all the B-17 groups into two divisions, so the three Air Divisions got bigger as more groups became operational.
So you can see why nobody seems to know the answer...
Once upon a time a fighter squadron had sixteen aircraft. Then it was however many they thought necessary to have sixteen operational at pretty much all times. By some time towards the middle of the war, at least in England, they went to thirty-two planes, so they could fly two sixteen-plane missions without having to repair replace and recuperate. Then it was however many it took to have thirty-two operational pretty much all the time. Eventually there were forty-eight, so they could fly two full-squadron missions and rest a full squadron's worth of pilots and planes, and then I suppose, however many it took to keep fourty-eight operational. I don't think squadrons got that big outside the 8th Air Force, but there certainly wasn't any universal standard number.
I think the original theoretical number of planes in a bomber squadron was twelve rather than sixteen. I don't know of bomber squadrons growing as big as fighter squadrons did.
There were usually three squadrons to a group, but there cold be just two and there were frequently four. There may have been more than four on occasion.
Likewise, there were typically three groups to a wing, but there could be two and often there were four. I don't know if there might have been more than four on some occasions.
Then there were Air Divisions, which were unique to the Eighth Bomber Command. An Air Division had however many groups it took to put all the B-24 groups in one division, and all the B-17 groups into two divisions, so the three Air Divisions got bigger as more groups became operational.
So you can see why nobody seems to know the answer...
Motormouse
SOH-CM-2024
So long and thanks for all the fish?
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Snuffy
Happiness Consultant
A look at any plan view of a ww2 8th usaaf base in england would indicate approximately 50 hardstands.
Be assured though that some of those hardstands were double parked.
Towards the middle and late ww2 bombing campaign, the 8th usaaf was known to put 2500 bombers in the air, this doesn't count escorts or other 9th, 12th, or 15th aircorps action.
Be assured though that some of those hardstands were double parked.
Towards the middle and late ww2 bombing campaign, the 8th usaaf was known to put 2500 bombers in the air, this doesn't count escorts or other 9th, 12th, or 15th aircorps action.