I played the game for some time and then left for a few years. ...... Old school thinking was to have rolled pilots with 11+ aircraft and 11+ either fighter or bomber. It was the aircraft stat that kept you from being shot down from auto AA.
On my Europa / Hindenburg ..... I have 8 EBVE level 102 pilots ... 4 fighters , 3 DB , 1 Torper.after the 1st wave of 2 fighters I ready 1 fighter and 1 bomber splitting the available launch evenly between bomber and fighter. At all times I would send both fighters and bombers to target area fighters to ocupy the enemy fighters so the bombers get thru to targets . By the time I have bombed the target my next wave of fighters and bombers are readied. This allows me to keep eyes on the targets , uses bombers and fighters to draw enemy fighters away from friendly ships , and all planes act as scouts.
I do advise 1 torp pilot as it gives you the abillity to attack subs as well as the smaller ships that DBs have trouble hitting.
I use both manual and auto bombing as to confuse the enemy as to when they are going to be bombed . Auto targeting for TBs is great as you can target something in the back field and yet launch your torps at something up front .
