Our armed forces can't execute soldiers (with or without trial). The only situation where this would be possible (as I understand it) would be if the soldier were actively fighting for the enemy forces (ie. not just a traitor, but a traitor currently engaged in active combat).

Also the RAF/Luftwaffe never employed commisars.

that's not quite true, Speculum Jockey. Part 2 of the JG26 war diary mentions an officer similar to that being assigned to the Geschwader near the end of war...



And during the Battle the RAF had something far worse then a Commisar available:

A file stamp called LMF, Lack of Moral Fibre.

Med campaign, November 1940...Taranto:

http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/.../p/taranto.htm

I can well imagine flying a "Stringbag" against ships...

Not only that, but Operation Tidal Wave with B-24's against Ploesti oil refineries:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Tidal_Wave

Ok, I might wake up someday....:)

Actually the RAF never sent pilots into combat with only a few hours basic training. The myth that pilots were thrown into Spitfires and Hurricanes with only 10 hours flying time total is ludicrous.

What did happen during the BoB was some pilots only had a few hours on "type". Hence they may have only spent 10 hours in a Spitfire before being assigned an operational unit BUT they still had extensive basic training in trainer aircraft and then aircraft like Gladiators at training squadrons.

The basic training in Gladiators was not just a result of a shortage of Spitfires and Hurricanes. the RAF found that pilots trained in Gladiators were actually more competent than pilots trained in Spitfires as the Spitfire was easier to fly.

Actually, first part of this statement is not about RAF.

Still let them fly? That's a bit patronising to the higest scoring squadron in the BoB. What's cool about that?

Gosh.

1. they didn't now how they will perform when they first gave them planes
And:
I doesn't really matter because it was a nation joke.

I haven't posted here a lot, but I already identified some 'sources of a blind axis fanboism'. I think that's the case we have here ;-)

It was not only the best scoring sqadron during bob.
It was the only one from the top which flew hurricanes, not spitfires.
It also joined the battle about a month after it had began.

Trying to deny it is just going to look silly and immature.



Anyway...

Well, I dont know what is so special about this operation, except that it was a huge allied fail.
For some it might be enough, but to me it's just a bunch of unescorted bombers coming in, dropping bombs and getting away.
With some fighters trying to intercept them. What is so special about it? You can set this up already.
Besides nobody will make a map that huge anyway ;-)

Sorry for bursting your bubble ;-)

Ah in that case I see.. Wasn't funny. (and what happened to point number 2?)

And is 'I doesn't really matter...' a freudian slip?