Allied Air Power Doctrine: Royal Air Force War Manual; Volume I - Chapter 10: Air Attack on Airdromes

General Considerations

1. In the struggle for air superiority, attacks on enemy aerodromes, aircraft depôts, parks, etc., will be of great importance. Such attacks will not only result in the destruction of hostile aircraft, but will strike at the morale of the enemy air forces and seriously interfere with their organization and services of maintenance. Air superiority itself is only a means to an end ; consequently attacks on such objectives, particularly by bomber aircraft, are a diversion of force which can only be justified when adequate results may be expected and when it is impracticable to direct such attacks against the more vital centres of the enemy.

2. (i) Success will depend largely upon the accuracy of previous reconnaissance, and on intelligence reports. Ideal conditions will exist only when photographs, full details of the lay-out of the objective, and information regarding the times when air forces are at rest are available, so that surprise may be achieved.

(ii) Preliminary reconnaissance flights, however, may reduce the chance of surprise and increase the probability of the attack having to face a strongly organized resistance.

Nature of Objectives

3. The object of the commander, whether it be to cause material damage to aircraft, buildings, plant and stores, or to impair the efficiency of the personnel, should be clearly defined in the order directing the attack. The selection of objectives and the method of attack will depend in a great degree upon the nature of the aerodrome or depôt, which may be permanent, semi-permanent or temporary.

4. Permanent aerodromes.—Permanent aerodromes are those where the buildings are of stone, brick, ferroconcrete, or some other substantial material and which are, generally speaking, in continual occupation. Besides hangars, these aerodromes may also contain workshops and extensive stores of material for the maintenance of air forces.

5. They will usually be situated in areas protected by the anti-aircraft defence organization. In addition, their defences may be expected to include defence posts manned by personnel using machine guns and small arms ; also, protective works for personnel, ammunition and bombs. The buildings are normally protected against horizontal blast and fragmentation, but it is impracticable to protect adequately any building of wide span against air attack.

6. Semi-permanent aerodromes.—Semi-permanent aerodromes are those where air units are housed in wooden or canvas-covered structures and which are in occupation for more or less protracted periods. The hangars will normally be protected by low walls, but the roofs will be unprotected.

7. The defences may be expected to be limited to de-fence posts manned by the unit personnel using machine guns and small arms. Personnel will probably be protected by earth works, such as shelter trenches and dug-outs.

S. Temporary aerodromes.—Temporary aerodromes are those where aircraft and personnel may be found in tents or in the open, with their workshops and stores accommodated in the unit's transport.

9. The defence of temporary aerodromes will normally consist of defence posts similarly manned to those of semi-permanent aerodromes.

10. Advanced landing grounds.—Advanced landing grounds are places with facilities for landing ; they may also provide facilities for replenishment. These facilities will normally be very limited and, apart from dumps of fuel, ammunition and bomb supplies, will be accommodated in transport vehicles or temporary shelter. Their power of defence will be very limited.

Method of Attack

11. Attacks on aerodromes may be carried out by bomber aircraft and fighter aircraft, either separately, or in combination, or on very rare occasions by the landing of a demolition party. The characteristics of various methods of attack are stated below, but in deciding which is to be employed on any particular occasion, such factors as the lay-out of the aerodrome or depôt, the nature of the defences and the degree of importance attached to the attainment of the aim must be taken into consideration. No method should be adopted as routine.

12. Attacks by bomber aircraft by day.—(i) Bomber aircraft effect more material damage by a concentrated attack than by a series of small attacks, as less time is available for precautionary or defensive measures.

(ii) Whenever surprise can be attained, low altitude attacks will prove to be the most successful, but when surprise cannot be achieved, attack should normally be made from a height.

13. Attack by bomber aircraft by night.—At night, air bombardment may be more effective if carried out by a series of attacks than by a collective attack, as, if an early attack causes a fire, the remainder obtain good targets.

14. Attacks by single-sealer fighters.—Attacks by single-seater fighters by day must aim at surprising and demoralizing the defence. They should therefore be carried out in mass and as low as possible.

It is inadvisable to use single-seater fighters to attack distant or permanent aerodromes.

15. (i) Lack of information will make it difficult to plan in advance an attack against a temporary aerodrome, but a chance low altitude attack should inflict serious damage if aircraft are found on the ground.

(ii) Considerable damage may be done to aircraft in semi-permanent hangars by light bombs and machine gun fire ; also to personnel. A proportion of the attackers may be directed to neutralise ground defences and any aircraft which may succeed in leaving the ground.

16. A very carefully prepared plan of attack is essential and definite targets must be allotted to each tactical formation.

17. Combined attacks.—Attacks may be made by day-bomber and single-seater fighter squadrons in co-operation. The low altitude attack by fighters should precede the bombers in order to secure surprise, but on occasions it may follow them in order to take advantage of the targets presented by personnel engaged in putting out fires or removing aircraft from hangars. Proper co-ordination of times of attack and allotment of targets is of great importance.

18. Demolition parties.—As aircraft suffer every tactical disadvantage when on the ground, the landing of demolition parties to attack an aerodrome cannot be considered a normal operation. Possibly such an attack might be successful once or twice in a campaign if complete surprise were obtained.