what does 'straff' mean?

Question

I'm typing up my grandfather's airforce war diary and he uses this word a lot.

Answer 1

The word is straffe and it is a machine gun attack by an aircraft.

Answer 2

To straff or strafe something means to cover a position with heavy fire to allow forces to advance, withdraw etc. It is usually provided ffrom a platform such as a Helicopter or Aircraft, although not always.

Answer 3

Straffe or Strafe.To machine gun ground targets from an aircraft.

Answer 4

To strafe is to put down sustained enemy fire onto an enemy position. Basically it involves holding down the trigger and spraying the enemy with lead usually in a line, either up or down.
In the context your grandfather is probably writing, he probably means when the British Spitfires or Hurricanes, or German Me109s or Stukas line themselves up with their target and fire in a line, usually along the axis of the enemy's advance, e.g. along the length of a road or a line of trenches.

Hope to have been of help.

Answer 5

When a plane lines itself up at the target and pours machine gun or cannon fire over it.

Can also be used as a general term for a plane attacking infantry.

Answer 6

I think the word is strafe and i've always taken it to mean firing a great deal of rounds at a target whilst moving.

Answer 7

to straffe is to spray machine gun fire from aircraft usually

Answer 8

is when you pour fire into a postion, usually from an aircraft, would keep troops in bunkers allowing your people to advance etc

Answer 9

it means to fire guns from an warplane at targets on the ground

Answer 10

to attack with machine-gun fire from low-flying aircraft