Heavy anti-aircraft fire is meant to break up attacks and spoil a pilot's aim. Bursts near an aircraft can bracket it, damage it, or force a hurried release while the pilot remains airborne. HMS Afridi might therefore turn a fatal direct hit into a miss or damaging near miss. HMS Gurkha could stay with the task group because her main guns would reach the attackers, which changes how enemy aircraft distribute their effort across the formation. A more resilient formation is the defensible result, while any precise change in German aircraft or pilot losses remains uncertain.
Notable Point · 40:01-46:06
Heavy anti-aircraft fire breaks up an attack
Sustained heavy fire could unsettle attacking pilots and degrade bombing accuracy even when it did not shoot down the aircraft.