Formation
In August 1942, when the US 8th Air Force began its campaign, it flew in squadrons made up of 6 aircraft with each plane about 100 feet away from the next. The aim was to strike a balance between tight defensive firepower and the difficulty for pilots of flying in formation. Distance were calculated so that a single flak burst between two planes could not damage both aircraft severely. However, it was soon realized that 6 spread out bombers would not be strong enough to repel German fighters.
