Fighter Command, and especially its head, Air Chief Marshal Dowding, had no faith in close range attacks. The recommended range for opening fire was 400 yards. At a meeting of the Gun Sub-Committee at Air Ministry on 5 July 1939, Dowding insisted that " it was by no means axiomatic that the closer they ( the fighters ) got to the bomber the more bullets would hit it". When the Battle began, the eight guns of a Spitfire or a Hurricane had the
" Dowding Spread ": they were harmonized ( focused ) so that the bullets converged at a distance of 400 yards. This was a confession of failure.

The best shots changed their guns to suit their attacks.Men like Sailor Malan, and Al Deere, liked to get in close and make sure of a kill. They re-harmonized at 250 yards, sometimes less.Eventually, Fighter Command agreed.

From Derek Robinson " Invasion, 1940 "

__________________