Search Altitude over Bay of Biscay

[cardboard_killer]

I'm not a dev, nor do I play one on TV; however, I was wondering if anyone knew what the standard altitude of searches, both Allied and German, over the Bay of Biscay and/or the North Atlantic? I cannot seem to find anything specific, although one site states the RAF patrolled at 1,500 feet. That seems awfully low to me for a number of reasons--pilot fatigue, visibility horizon, and fuel efficiency. Does anyone have anything definitive?

[357th_KW]

On 10/14/2021 at 3:37 AM, cardboard_killer said:

I'm not a dev, nor do I play one on TV; however, I was wondering if anyone knew what the standard altitude of searches, both Allied and German, over the Bay of Biscay and/or the North Atlantic? I cannot seem to find anything specific, although one site states the RAF patrolled at 1,500 feet. That seems awfully low to me for a number of reasons--pilot fatigue, visibility horizon, and fuel efficiency. Does anyone have anything definitive?

 

I've been reading Chris Goss' book "Bloody Biscay" which contains a number of AARs from both sides.  Almost all the engagements seem to have been at very low altitude.  This quote from a Lt. Thies of V/KG 40 might offer a clue: "We were flying in Rotten formation over the water at an altitude of 10 meters.  At 1400 hrs, my Rottenflieger reported a plane astern.  I turned and sighted the plane at a distance of 1,000 meters flying 800 meters higher under a layer of clouds."

 

Weather likely played a huge part, and I'd assume it may have been easier to spot aircraft against the clouds/sky than against the whitecapped, rolling ocean.