Big Wing

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Air Chief Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory was a key advocate of the Big Wing Air Chf Mshl Leigh-Mallory.jpg
Air Chief Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory was a key advocate of the Big Wing

The Big Wing, also known as a Balbo, [1] [2] [3] was an air fighting tactic proposed during the Battle of Britain by 12 Group commander Air Vice-Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory and Acting Squadron Leader Douglas Bader. In essence, the tactic involved meeting incoming Luftwaffe bombing raids in strength with a wing-shaped formation of three to five squadrons. In the Battle, this tactic was employed by the Duxford Wing, under Bader's command.

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The name "Balbo" refers to Italo Balbo, an Italian air force officer and fascist political leader famous for leading large formations of aircraft on long distance flights before the war. [1] [2] [3]

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Lewin, Ronald (1980). Ultra Goes to War . New York: Pocket Books. pp.  86. ISBN   9780671828448.
  2. 1 2 Jablonski, Edward (1971). Airwar. Vol. 1. New York: Doubleday. p. 119.
  3. 1 2 Robinson, Anthony (1979). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Marshall Cavendish. p. 848.

Further reading