AAF Fighter Combat Formations (Special Informational Intelligence Report, No. 44-201, August 1944)
AAF Fighter Combat Formations
Special Informational Intelligence Report No. 44-201
Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence, Washington, D.C., August 1944
This report reproduces a study dated 9 March 1944 by the Army Air Forces Board (Project No. (T-2) 16).
Sketches of the formations employed by AAF units in the various theaters, including a description of the tactics employed, are appended.
This report has been reproduced at the request of the Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Operations, Commitments, and Requirements.
The object of this study is to present the different types of fighter formations and tactics flown in the combat theaters.
This report does not attempt to evaluate relatively the different types of fighter formations as they are flown in the different theaters. The formations are drawn and explained in the hope that Group Commanders and all others interested may increase their knowledge of the different formations that have proved successful against the Germans and Japanese. These formations have proved sound by combat experience. The ratio of victories to losses, and the small losses of bombers sustained when escorted by fighter formations clearly demonstrate this fact.
Contents
- Foreword
- Conclusions
- Recommendations
- Discussion of Basic Formation Principles
- Sketches and Descriptions of Formations Flown:
- U.S. AAF Spitfires (12th AF Africa)—Flight Formation
- U.S. AAF Spitfires (12th AF Africa)—Flight 90° Turn
- U.S. AAF Spitfires (12th AF Africa)—Squadron Formation
- U.S. AAF Spitfires (12th AF Africa)—Squadron 90° Turn
- U.S. AAF Spitfires (12th AF Africa)—Squadron 180° Turn
- U.S. AAF Spitfires (12th AF Africa)—Bomber Escort
- U.S. AAF P-40s (12th AF Africa)—Two-Plane Element
- U.S. AAF P-40s (12th AF Africa)—Flight Formation
- U.S. AAF P-40s (12th AF Africa)—Flight 90° Turn
- U.S. AAF P-40s (12th AF Africa)—i Squadron 90° Turn
- U.S. AAF P-40s (12th AF Africa)—Squadron Formation
- U.S. AAF P-40s (12th AF Africa)—Squadron 180° Fast Turn
- U.S. AAF P 40s (12th AF Africa)—Squadron 180° Slow Turn
- U.S. AAF P-40s (12th AF Africa)—Squadron Dive Bombing (Large Target)
- U.S. AAF P-40s (12th AF Africa)—Squadron Dive Bombing (Small Target)
- U.S. AAF P-40s (12th AF Africa)—Strafing
- U.S. AAF P 40s (12th AF Africa)—Bomber Escort
- U. S. AAF P-40s and P-38s (14th AF China)—Dive Bombing Escort Against Point Target with Heavy AA Protection
- U.S. AAF P-40s and P-38s (14th AF China)—Normal Squadron Sweep Formation
- U.S. AAF P~40s and P-38s (14th AF China)—Strafing Formation Against Shipping under 2,000 Tons
- U.S. AAF P-40s and P-38s (14th AF China) —Strafing Formation Against Undefended Columns
- U.S. AAF P-40s and P-38s (14th AF China)—Bomber Escort for One Flight of Six Bombers
- U.S. AAF P-40s and P-38s (14th AF China)—Flight 90° Turn
- U.S. AAF P-40s and P-38s (14th AF China) —Flight Formation
- U.S. AAF P~38s (North Africa) —Flight Formation
- U.S. AAF P-38s (North Africa)—Squadron Formation
- U.S. AAF P-38s (North Africa) —Squadron 90° Turn
- U.S. AAF P-38s (North Africa)—Squadron 180° Turn
- U.S. AAF P-38s (North Africa) —Bomber Escort
- U.S. AAF P-38s (North Africa) —Dive Bombing
- U.S. AAF P-38s (North Africa) —Strafing
- U.S. AAF P-47s (8th AF England)—Flight
- U.S. AAF P-47s (8th AF England)—Squadron Formation
- U.S. AAF P-47s (8th AF England)—Squadron 90° Turn
- U.S. AAF P-47s (8th AF England)—Squadron Line Abreast
- U.S. AAF P-47s (8th AF England) —Group Escort Mission
- U.S. AAF P-47s (8th AF England)—Close Escort One Squadron
- U.S. AAF P-47s (8th AF England)—Squadron Formation
- U.S. AAF P-47s (8th AF England) —Squadron Sweep Formation
- U.S. AAF P-47s (8th AF England) —Escort Squadron
- U.S. AAF (9th AF Africa)— Four Plane Line-Abreast Squadron
- U.S. AAF (9th AF Africa)—90° Turn
- U.S. AAF P-40s (9th AF Africa)—180° Turn
- U.S. AAF P-40s (9th AF Africa)—Bomber Escort
- U.S. AAF P-40s (9th AF Africa)—Six-Plane Formation
- U.S. AAF P-40s (9th AF Africa)—90° Turn
- U.S. AAF P-40s (9th AF Africa)—180° Turn
- U.S. AAF P-40s (9th AF Africa)—Bomber Escort
- U.S. AAF A-36s (12th AF Africa)—Line-Abreast Formation
34 pages
49 figures