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Golden Comb (tactic)

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36: 338:. After a dive-bombing attack by I/KG 30, the convoy was approached by the torpedo-bombers, I/KG 26, in a formation of 42 aircraft. The sight was described by one observer as "a huge flight of nightmare locusts". Despite anti-aircraft fire from the ships and their escorts, the group continued on course, dropping their torpedoes as planned. The convoy 395:
attack was not repeated. Other air forces had found torpedo attacks were more effective against ships when delivered from different directions simultaneously. Whilst hitting eight ships in one attack was a huge success, it had taken over eighty torpedoes, ten for every hit, an inferior performance to
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ordered a turn to starboard to sail parallel to the torpedo tracks. In the confusion the signal was misread by the ships of the starboard columns, which continued ahead. Eight ships, six in the outermost starboard column and two further in, were sunk. This occasion was the most successful use of the
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forming line abreast, about forty aircraft flying approximately 30 m (33 yd) apart and approaching the convoy from a forward quarter, simultaneously to launch their torpedoes at a distance of 1,000 m (1,094 yd) then overfly the convoy and escape in the confusion. The tracks of up
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had proved against PQ 18, the Allies quickly found counter-measures which reduced its effectiveness and inflicted crippling losses on the attackers. The approaching formation was unable to take evasive action and was vulnerable to AA fire from the ships and escorts and attacks by fighter aircraft
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aircraft made more attacks on PQ 18 after the torpedo attack and two more ships were sunk but no successes similar to the first day were achieved. Aircraft losses mounted after the first attack and by the end of the air offensive against PQ 18, forty aircraft from the two groups had been lost.
389:(turning into the track of torpedoes to present a smaller target) was made more effective against torpedoes running in the same direction. The confusion over signals that contributed to the ship losses in PQ 18 during the first 290:(Golden Comb) anti-shipping tactic. The attack was planned for use in the half light period of dawn or dusk and would be in conjunction with a simultaneous dive bombing attack to divide opposing 205:
as naval matter. Germany had no torpedo bomber force, in contrast to the forces of other world powers, even the other Axis nations like Italy with the land-based
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Following PQ 18, Arctic convoys were suspended until December 1942 when the next series of convoys was able to travel under cover of the
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To attack a convoy, a formation of 20 to 30 ships sailing in close formation at relatively slow speed, the commander of KG 26
726: 162: 57: 79: 383:, caused the bombers to release and break formation earlier and earlier in their approach runs as the battle progressed. 86: 424: 397: 46: 407: 68: 291: 226: 403: 375:
from the carrier. The combination of gun and fighter attack, aided by the bold and aggressive handling of
222: 208: 159: 281: 420: 414: 257: 249: 93: 702: 683: 660: 643: 615: 579: 554: 531: 510: 500: 468: 332: 241: 569: 601: 547: 339: 155: 574:. History of the Second World War, Military Series. Vol. II (pbk. ed.). London: 218: 138: 676: 329: 328:, a collection of 35 merchant ships, with a strong escort of 18 warships including the 263: 524:
British Intelligence in the Second World War: Its Influence on Strategy and Operations
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In early 1942, when the Allied Arctic convoy cycle was becoming well established, the
720: 636: 276: 267: 262:(III/KG 30), were assigned to train and equip as anti-ship /anti-convoy units, with 325: 310:
to eighty torpedoes heading towards the target was likened to the teeth of a comb.
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lacked a means to attack ships at sea due to the inter-service rivalry between the
170: 166: 499:]. Translated by Ziegler, F. (4th US ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. 357: 35: 647: 619: 149: 17: 610:: The War at Sea 1939–1945. Vol. II (3rd impr. ed.). London: 202: 193:, which regarded all air operations as its domain and the German navy ( 270:
bombers, modified to carry two air-dropped torpedoes under the wings.
526:. History of the Second World War (2nd rev. abr. ed.). London: 657:
Luftwaffe Aerial Torpedo Aircraft and Operations in World War Two
611: 575: 527: 514: 29: 201:), which saw the development, production and use of 169:by the Arctic route. It was first employed against 60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 675: 635: 546: 324:occurred on 13 September 1942 against the Allied 238:was ordered to form a torpedo bomber force. Two 568:Richards, Denis; St G. Saunders, H. (1975) . 206: 8: 390: 369: 350: 344: 319: 304: 298: 285: 274: 255: 247: 239: 233: 194: 188: 182: 147: 571:Royal Air Force 1939–1945: The Fight Avails 146:) was an anti-ship tactic developed by the 465:Arctic Victory: The Story of Convoy PQ 18 120:Learn how and when to remove this message 438: 445: 7: 58:adding citations to reliable sources 674:Wood, Tony; Gunston, Bill (1990). 215:Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service 27:Anti-ship military aviation tactic 25: 229:to Germany in early August 1942. 34: 608:History of the Second World War 45:needs additional citations for 549:Convoy: Drama in Arctic Waters 1: 682:. New York: Crescent Books. 284:and his units developed the 553:. London: Arms and Armour. 743: 697:Woodman, Richard (2004) . 467:. London: William Kimber. 634:Schofield, B. B. (1964). 493:The Luftwaffe War Diaries 419:(December 1941), and the 69:"Golden Comb" tactic 699:Arctic Convoys 1941–1945 600:Roskill, S. W. (1962) . 522:Hinsley, F. H. (1994) . 701:. London: John Murray. 655:Thiele, Harold (2004). 642:. London: BT Batsford. 517:. SBN: 345-22674-7-165. 491:Bekker, Cajus (1973) . 165:taking supplies to the 659:. Ottringham: Hikoki. 404:Imperial Japanese Navy 396:the British attack on 391: 370: 351: 345: 320: 305: 299: 286: 275: 256: 248: 240: 234: 225:, having revealed its 223:attack on Pearl Harbor 207: 195: 189: 183: 148: 142: 727:Naval warfare tactics 603:The Period of Balance 463:Smith, Peter (1975). 318:The first use of the 227:manufacturing details 303:tactic involved the 282:Martin Harlinghausen 254:(III/KG 26) and III/ 54:improve this article 638:The Russian Convoys 545:Kemp, Paul (1993). 368:Devastating as the 173:in September 1942. 678:Hitler's Luftwaffe 421:United States Navy 387:Combing the tracks 258:Kampfgeschwader 30 250:Kampfgeschwader 26 708:978-0-7195-5752-1 689:978-0-517-22477-9 666:978-1-902109-42-8 585:978-0-11-771593-6 560:978-1-85409-130-7 537:978-0-11-630961-7 506:978-0-345-22674-7 497:Angriffshohe 4000 474:978-0-7183-0074-6 379:and the AA ship, 143:die Goldene Zange 130: 129: 122: 104: 16:(Redirected from 734: 712: 693: 681: 670: 651: 641: 630: 628: 626: 596: 594: 592: 564: 552: 541: 518: 478: 449: 443: 402:(May 1941), the 394: 373: 354: 348: 323: 308: 302: 289: 280: 261: 253: 245: 237: 212: 200: 192: 186: 181:Before 1942 the 158:for use against 156:Second World War 153: 125: 118: 114: 111: 105: 103: 62: 38: 30: 21: 742: 741: 737: 736: 735: 733: 732: 731: 717: 716: 715: 709: 696: 690: 673: 667: 654: 633: 624: 622: 599: 590: 588: 586: 567: 561: 544: 538: 521: 507: 490: 486: 484:Further reading 481: 475: 462: 458: 453: 452: 444: 440: 435: 410:Prince of Wales 366: 316: 219:Type 91 torpedo 217:which used the 179: 126: 115: 109: 106: 63: 61: 51: 39: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 740: 738: 730: 729: 719: 718: 714: 713: 707: 694: 688: 671: 665: 652: 631: 597: 584: 565: 559: 542: 536: 519: 505: 487: 485: 482: 480: 479: 473: 459: 457: 454: 451: 450: 437: 436: 434: 431: 429:(April 1945). 365: 362: 330:escort carrier 315: 312: 264:Heinkel He 111 178: 175: 128: 127: 42: 40: 33: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 739: 728: 725: 724: 722: 710: 704: 700: 695: 691: 685: 680: 679: 672: 668: 662: 658: 653: 649: 645: 640: 639: 632: 621: 617: 613: 609: 605: 604: 598: 587: 581: 577: 573: 572: 566: 562: 556: 551: 550: 543: 539: 533: 529: 525: 520: 516: 512: 508: 502: 498: 494: 489: 488: 483: 476: 470: 466: 461: 460: 455: 448:, p. 69. 447: 442: 439: 432: 430: 428: 427: 422: 418: 417: 412: 411: 405: 401: 400: 393: 392:Goldene Zange 388: 384: 382: 378: 372: 371:Goldene Zange 363: 361: 359: 353: 347: 346:Goldene Zange 341: 337: 336: 331: 327: 322: 321:Goldene Zange 313: 311: 307: 301: 300:Goldene Zange 295: 293: 292:anti-aircraft 288: 287:Goldene Zange 283: 279: 278: 271: 269: 268:Junkers Ju 88 265: 260: 259: 252: 251: 244: 243: 236: 230: 228: 224: 220: 216: 211: 210: 209:Aerosiluranti 204: 199: 198: 191: 185: 176: 174: 172: 168: 164: 161: 157: 152: 151: 145: 144: 140: 135: 124: 121: 113: 102: 99: 95: 92: 88: 85: 81: 78: 74: 71: –  70: 66: 65:Find sources: 59: 55: 49: 48: 43:This article 41: 37: 32: 31: 19: 698: 677: 656: 637: 623:. Retrieved 602: 589:. Retrieved 570: 548: 523: 496: 492: 464: 441: 425: 415: 409: 398: 386: 385: 381:Ulster Queen 380: 376: 367: 358:Arctic night 334: 326:convoy PQ 18 317: 296: 277:Generalmajor 272: 231: 197:Kriegsmarine 180: 171:Convoy PQ 18 167:Soviet Union 137: 133: 131: 116: 107: 97: 90: 83: 76: 64: 52:Please help 47:verification 44: 154:during the 134:Golden Comb 18:Golden comb 456:References 446:Smith 1975 423:attack on 406:attack on 177:Background 110:April 2013 80:newspapers 648:923314731 620:174453986 408:HMS  364:Aftermath 352:Luftwaffe 340:commodore 333:HMS  314:In action 235:Luftwaffe 203:torpedoes 190:Luftwaffe 184:Luftwaffe 150:Luftwaffe 721:Category 515:68-19007 399:Bismarck 416:Repulse 377:Avenger 335:Avenger 242:Gruppen 221:in the 213:or the 163:convoys 94:scholar 705:  686:  663:  646:  618:  582:  557:  534:  513:  503:  471:  426:Yamato 349:. The 306:Gruppe 294:fire. 246:, III/ 160:Allied 139:German 96:  89:  82:  75:  67:  625:1 May 591:1 May 495:[ 433:Notes 101:JSTOR 87:books 703:ISBN 684:ISBN 661:ISBN 644:OCLC 627:2019 616:OCLC 612:HMSO 593:2019 580:ISBN 576:HMSO 555:ISBN 532:ISBN 528:HMSO 511:LCCN 501:ISBN 469:ISBN 413:and 297:The 266:and 132:The 73:news 56:by 723:: 614:. 606:. 578:. 530:. 509:. 360:. 141:: 711:. 692:. 669:. 650:. 629:. 595:. 563:. 540:. 477:. 136:( 123:) 117:( 112:) 108:( 98:· 91:· 84:· 77:· 50:. 20:)

Index

Golden comb

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"Golden Comb" tactic
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JSTOR
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German
Luftwaffe
Second World War
Allied
convoys
Soviet Union
Convoy PQ 18
Kriegsmarine
torpedoes
Aerosiluranti
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
Type 91 torpedo
attack on Pearl Harbor
manufacturing details
Gruppen
Kampfgeschwader 26
Kampfgeschwader 30
Heinkel He 111

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