295:
57:
345:
189:
105:
517:
236:
45:
223:
is lower and at a greater range than would be used for air combat. This is helpful because it allows the pilot to aim at a target without having to dive towards the ground as steeply, decreasing the risk of collision with the ground and increasing the amount of firing time available before having to
280:
around and underneath the cockpit and other vulnerable areas such as engines to protect the pilot and key flight components, while aircraft designed mostly for air combat tend to have most of their armor placed to protect directly ahead or to the rear, where fire from other aircraft is most likely,
138:
184:
tend to use gimballed weapons which can be fired in many different directions independent of the direction the aircraft is pointing in (in most cases, flexible guns on a fixed wing aircraft are for defense purposes only, although they can sometimes be used to fire on ground targets to limited
239:
238:
243:
242:
237:
244:
241:
400:
was one of the key
Russian ground attack planes. It had heavy armour around the engine, underside and canopy. It was armed with 20, 23, or 37 mm (0.79, 0.91, or 1.46 in) cannon, depending on the model.
219:). In cases where an aircraft is capable of both types of combat, when it is assigned to a ground attack role, and thus expected to be using the guns mostly for strafing, the fixed weapons are often mounted so that the
79:. Less commonly, the term is used by extension to describe high-speed firing runs by any land or naval craft such as fast boats, using smaller-caliber weapons and targeting stationary or slowly-moving targets.
317:
was used when precision was needed (facing small targets), but non-strafing attack methods (primarily small bombs) were preferred for larger targets, area targets, or when low-altitude flying was too risky.
106:
240:
389:
was one of the key ground attack planes. It was armed with eight .50 calibre (12.7 mm) machine guns. Another aircraft that was important in that role was the
544:
for protection of the cockpit and aircraft systems that enables the aircraft to continue flying after taking significant damage. The A-10's official name comes from the
447:
planes strafed targets deep behind the front line and had a perceptible impact on the progress of the ground war, but the concept of strafing was already in decline.
341:
with dedicated aircraft including the concept of the heavily protected cockpit or "bathtub" to permit the pilot to survive counterfire from anti-aircraft batteries.
256:
Because of the low altitude and relatively low airspeed required for accurate strafing, it is very risky for the pilot, who is exposed not only to the risk of
583:
563:
have used strafing runs to support ground forces in areas where explosive ordnance could cause unacceptable civilian casualties. Strafing runs done by
378:
were used in the later stages of the war. They also had four 20 mm (0.79 in) cannons, while also being able to carry up to 8 "60 lb"
833:
329:, which was armored to protect it from ground-based gunfire. The Junkers J.I. had two downward-facing machine guns that were used for strafing.
294:
176:
The term "strafing" can cover either fixed guns, or aimable (flexible) guns. Fixed guns firing directly ahead tend to be more predominant on
868:
724:
56:
659:
309:
While the earliest use of military aircraft was for observation and directing of artillery, strafing was frequently practised in
486:
620:
552:, a fighter that was particularly effective at close air support. The A-10 is the main US plane designed to do strafing runs.
344:
560:
685:
582:
In 2004, the United States Air Force accidentally strafed one of its own country's middle schools while training in the
734:
536:, which is the airplane's primary armament and the heaviest such automatic cannon mounted on an aircraft. The A-10's
363:. The Ju 87 G variant had two Rheinmetall-Borsig 37 mm (1.5 in) Flak 18 guns each mounted under the wing.
463:
281:
leaving them more vulnerable to fire from directly below or to the sides, where much ground fire often comes from.
896:
265:
757:
313:. Trenches and supply columns were routinely attacked from the air in the second half of the war. Strafing with
478:" had to be used in strafing missions. Gunships like the AC-47 Spooky, AC-119 Specter, and early models of the
257:
660:"Oxford Dictionaries – Dictionary, Thesaurus, & Grammar – "Gott strafe England" as origin of "to strafe""
901:
390:
828:
783:
303:
52:
machine-gun crew, footage captured by overhead U.S military-operated reconnaissance drone, Afghanistan.
545:
506:
424:
386:
212:
75:
is the military practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted
321:
The German army was the first to introduce a class of aircraft specially designed for strafing, the
454:
became widespread, strafing temporarily fell out of favor as unnecessarily risky and some
American
188:
99:
228:
fire and potential damage from exploding targets. Consequently, several types of aircraft-mounted
877:, Biplane fighter aces : The Commonwealth 16 May 1920 – 31 May 1942, surfcity.kund.dalnet.se
451:
31:
880:
595:
322:
261:
116:
61:
38:
17:
225:
497:
in the early 1970s which is the only United States Air Force aircraft designed solely for
8:
874:
249:
177:
121:
847:
494:
428:
142:
663:
730:
600:
498:
299:
220:
165:. Although ground attack using automatic weapons fire is very often accompanied with
698:
540:
was designed for survivability, with measures such as 1,200 pounds (540 kg) of
805:
631:
576:
455:
367:
76:
48:
A-10 Thunderbolt-II 30mm GAU-8 cannon conducting a strafing run against suspected
459:
170:
88:
647:
strafing — The delivery of automatic weapons fire by aircraft on ground targets.
482:
gunship proved to be devastating defenders of besieged US Special Forces camps.
260:
and obstacles such as power lines, but also to anti-aircraft weapons, including
375:
371:
277:
208:
204:
232:
like the Soviet SPPU-22 allowed for a mechanical depression of their barrels.
890:
533:
529:
524:
cannon is used for strafing tanks, armored vehicles and other ground targets.
521:
479:
397:
370:. It was armed with four 20 mm (0.79 in) wing-mounted cannon. The
360:
216:
196:
162:
549:
490:
467:
444:
420:
412:
338:
510:
471:
416:
326:
314:
310:
269:
252:
combat exercise at Nevada Test & Training Ground against hard targets
192:
154:
126:
325:. Planes built specifically for strafing include the German World War I
224:
pull up, and it also increases the range from the target, helping avoid
44:
726:
Allied
Strafing in World War II: A Cockpit View of Air to Ground Battle
440:
273:
181:
173:
fire, the term "strafing" does not specifically include the last two.
158:
276:). Planes purposely designed for ground attack may include additional
761:
568:
556:
537:
408:
268:), anti-aircraft artillery and small caliber weapons fire (such as
137:
393:. It was used for low-altitude strafing runs in the Pacific War.
475:
353:
229:
166:
150:
49:
145:
strafing
Imperial Japanese Shipping during the Second World War.
572:
541:
349:
112:
65:
869:
AROUND THE WORLD; Manila
Acknowledges Strafing Japanese Ship
470:) then did not have built-in cannon or machine guns. In the
564:
502:
427:, affecting his possible participation in the 20 July 1944
405:
379:
516:
115:, specifically from the humorous adaptation of the German
848:"Syria conflict: Aleppo districts 'under fresh assault'"
784:"Image: typhoon_IB_rockets_loading2.jpg, (750 × 459 px)"
691:
621:"Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms 8 November"
474:, that was found to be a deficiency, and improvised "
584:
215:), while others are dedicated ground-attack types (
827:
630:. U.S. Department of Defense. 2010. Archived from
366:For the RAF, the best ground attack plane was the
722:
888:
501:of ground forces. The A-10 was built to attack
153:from 7.62–14.5 mm (0.300–0.571 in)
30:"Strafe" redirects here. For other uses, see
567:are very risky for the pilot. The cities of
359:The Luftwaffe's best strafing plane was the
829:"Attack helicopters strafe Damascus suburb"
798:
776:
575:were strafed by helicopter gunships in the
489:is an American twin-engine, straight-wing
875:Major Andrew Duncan DFC, SAAF no. 103023V
832:. Reuters/Financial Times. July 2, 2012.
125:(May God punish England), dating back to
652:
515:
509:, and other ground targets with limited
343:
293:
234:
187:
136:
55:
43:
871:, January 19, 1982, The New York Times.
750:
157:, to 20–40 mm (0.79–1.57 in)
14:
889:
883:, November 18, 2009, lettersofnote.com
723:William B. Colgan (10 January 2014).
337:These developments continued through
98:
60:A German vehicle column destroyed by
211:missions or ground attack missions (
806:"Image: IL-2Bg.jpg, (750 × 345 px)"
24:
688:, July 2007, airforce-magazine.com
25:
913:
862:
758:"Image: sgun.jpg, (400 × 315 px)"
528:The A-10 was designed around the
37:For the video game maneuver, see
27:Aircraft ground attack using guns
836:from the original on 2022-12-10.
760:. quarryhs.co.uk. Archived from
555:Since 2001, Coalition pilots in
840:
662:. askoxford.com. Archived from
332:
207:, are capable of flying either
203:Some fixed wing aircraft, like
149:Guns used in strafing range in
820:
716:
678:
613:
289:
132:
13:
1:
606:
532:, a 30 mm (1.2 in)
87:The word is an adaptation of
391:North American B-25 Mitchell
82:
7:
589:
419:strafed the command car of
10:
918:
513:, often through strafing.
434:
304:Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent
284:
264:(both vehicle mounted and
36:
29:
546:Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
425:Sainte-Foy-de-Montgommery
387:Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
452:precision-guided weapons
398:Ilyushin IL-2 Sturmovik
262:surface-to-air missiles
32:Strafe (disambiguation)
897:Aerial warfare tactics
699:"Definition of STRAFE"
628:Joint Publication 1-02
596:Ground-attack aircraft
525:
356:
323:ground-attack aircraft
306:
253:
200:
146:
69:
62:ground-attack aircraft
53:
39:Strafing (video games)
519:
423:on 17 July 1944 near
347:
297:
247:
191:
140:
59:
47:
684:Richard B.H. Lewis,
250:A-10C Thunderbolt II
902:Targeting (warfare)
881:Slaughterhouse Five
764:on 11 November 2020
686:The Art of Strafing
637:on 28 February 2017
487:A-10 Thunderbolt II
450:In the 1960s, when
374:and its derivative
368:Hawker Hurricane II
361:Junkers Ju 87 Stuka
348:A Ju 87 G with its
302:, 1916, collection
258:flight-into-terrain
178:fixed wing aircraft
122:Gott strafe England
100:[ˈʃtʁaːfn̩]
68:, 23 September 1944
808:. allworldwars.com
786:. historyofwar.org
526:
520:A-10's 30 mm
495:Fairchild-Republic
429:Operation Valkyrie
357:
307:
254:
201:
147:
143:Vought F4U Corsair
70:
54:
666:on March 12, 2007
601:Military aviation
499:close air support
300:C. R. W. Nevinson
245:
221:convergence point
77:automatic weapons
16:(Redirected from
909:
856:
855:
854:. 9 August 2012.
844:
838:
837:
831:
824:
818:
817:
815:
813:
802:
796:
795:
793:
791:
780:
774:
773:
771:
769:
754:
748:
747:
745:
743:
720:
714:
713:
711:
710:
695:
689:
682:
676:
675:
673:
671:
656:
650:
649:
644:
642:
636:
625:
617:
577:Syrian civil war
507:armored vehicles
456:fighter aircraft
385:For the US, the
246:
213:P-47 Thunderbolt
110:
109:
108:
102:
97:
21:
917:
916:
912:
911:
910:
908:
907:
906:
887:
886:
865:
860:
859:
846:
845:
841:
826:
825:
821:
811:
809:
804:
803:
799:
789:
787:
782:
781:
777:
767:
765:
756:
755:
751:
741:
739:
737:
721:
717:
708:
706:
703:Merriam-Webster
697:
696:
692:
683:
679:
669:
667:
658:
657:
653:
640:
638:
634:
623:
619:
618:
614:
609:
592:
460:attack aircraft
437:
335:
292:
287:
235:
205:fighter-bombers
135:
104:
103:
95:
85:
42:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
915:
905:
904:
899:
885:
884:
878:
872:
864:
863:External links
861:
858:
857:
839:
819:
797:
775:
749:
735:
715:
690:
677:
651:
611:
610:
608:
605:
604:
603:
598:
591:
588:
464:F-4 Phantom II
436:
433:
376:Hawker Tempest
372:Hawker Typhoon
334:
331:
298:The Strafing,
291:
288:
286:
283:
217:Il-2 Sturmovik
134:
131:
84:
81:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
914:
903:
900:
898:
895:
894:
892:
882:
879:
876:
873:
870:
867:
866:
853:
849:
843:
835:
830:
823:
807:
801:
785:
779:
763:
759:
753:
738:
736:9780786458356
732:
728:
727:
719:
704:
700:
694:
687:
681:
665:
661:
655:
648:
633:
629:
622:
616:
612:
602:
599:
597:
594:
593:
587:
585:
580:
578:
574:
570:
566:
562:
558:
553:
551:
547:
543:
539:
535:
534:rotary cannon
531:
530:GAU-8 Avenger
523:
522:GAU-8 Avenger
518:
514:
512:
508:
504:
500:
496:
493:developed by
492:
488:
483:
481:
480:AC-130 Spooky
477:
473:
469:
465:
462:(such as the
461:
457:
453:
448:
446:
443:(1950–1953),
442:
432:
430:
426:
422:
418:
414:
410:
407:
402:
399:
394:
392:
388:
383:
381:
377:
373:
369:
364:
362:
355:
351:
346:
342:
340:
330:
328:
324:
319:
316:
312:
305:
301:
296:
282:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
251:
233:
231:
227:
226:anti-aircraft
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
198:
197:Vorpostenboot
194:
190:
186:
183:
179:
174:
172:
168:
164:
163:rotary cannon
160:
156:
152:
144:
139:
130:
128:
124:
123:
118:
114:
107:
101:
93:
90:
80:
78:
74:
67:
63:
58:
51:
46:
40:
33:
19:
851:
842:
822:
810:. Retrieved
800:
788:. Retrieved
778:
766:. Retrieved
762:the original
752:
740:. Retrieved
725:
718:
707:. Retrieved
705:. 2023-10-10
702:
693:
680:
668:. Retrieved
664:the original
654:
646:
639:. Retrieved
632:the original
627:
615:
581:
554:
550:World War II
527:
511:air defenses
491:jet aircraft
484:
468:A-6 Intruder
449:
445:US Air Force
438:
421:Erwin Rommel
413:412 Squadron
403:
396:The Russian
395:
384:
365:
358:
339:World War II
336:
333:World War II
320:
315:machine guns
308:
270:machine guns
255:
202:
193:Beaufighters
175:
155:machine guns
148:
120:
117:anti-British
91:
86:
72:
71:
812:4 September
790:4 September
768:4 September
670:4 September
561:Afghanistan
472:Vietnam War
417:Charley Fox
415:piloted by
327:Junkers J.I
311:World War I
290:World War I
195:strafing a
182:helicopters
133:Description
127:World War I
891:Categories
742:19 January
709:2023-10-12
641:19 January
607:References
586:incident.
441:Korean War
274:small arms
209:air-combat
185:effect).
159:autocannon
96:pronounced
382:rockets.
266:hand-held
141:U.S Navy
83:Etymology
64:close to
852:BBC News
834:Archived
590:See also
569:Damascus
538:airframe
476:gunships
409:Spitfire
354:gun pods
352:guns in
230:gun pods
180:, while
73:Strafing
439:In the
435:Postwar
285:History
248:A USAF
167:bombing
151:caliber
119:slogan
92:strafen
50:Taliban
733:
573:Aleppo
431:coup.
350:BK 3,7
278:armour
199:, 1944
171:rocket
113:punish
111:), to
89:German
66:Arnhem
18:Strafe
635:(PDF)
624:(PDF)
565:F-16s
542:armor
503:tanks
814:2015
792:2015
770:2015
744:2011
731:ISBN
672:2015
643:2011
571:and
559:and
557:Iraq
485:The
466:and
406:RCAF
380:RP-3
272:and
548:of
458:or
411:of
404:An
169:or
161:or
893::
850:.
729:.
701:.
645:.
626:.
579:.
505:,
129:.
816:.
794:.
772:.
746:.
712:.
674:.
94:(
41:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
