The Me 262 was so fast that German pilots needed new tactics to attack Allied bombers. In the head-on attack, the combined closing speed of about was too high for accurate shooting, with ordnance that could only fire about 44 shells a second (650 rounds/min from each cannon) in total from the quartet of them. Even from astern, the closing speed was too great to use the short-ranged quartet of MK 108 cannon to maximum effect. Therefore, a roller-coaster attack was devised. The Me 262s approached from astern and about than the bombers. From about , they went into a shallow dive that took them through the escort fighters with little risk of interception. When they were about and below the bombers, they pulled up sharply to reduce speed. On levelling off, they were and overtaking the bombers at about , well placed to attack them.