Re: Did Japanese navy have to call off Midway landing?

Scott M. Kozel wrote:
<snip>
The original plan with the B-17 when it was built in 1935, was for
defensive purposes to protect the U.S. coast from attack by enemy
warships, to fly missions from the U.S. and to bomb enemy warships from
high altitude. Obviously it wasn't needed in that role and was mainly
used for bombing enemy land targets.

<snip>

The USAAC wanted the B-17 for strategic bombing but would have no
chance at all of getting any if they told Congress of their intentions.
They had to cast it in a defensive mold to get funding. If the
defensive purpose was really true, they would have taken more care in
navigation, which was very poor in the USAAF at the beginning of the
war.
It certainly was needed in that role on December 7, 1941 when the USAAF
was responsible for the defense of the Hawaiian Islands from aerial
attack.


Joe

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