Stukas…and other things (2 Viewers)

[Rob]

As was said, the Germans turned Europe into a fortress, but forgot to build the roof. The Allied air war of every aspect was crucial and essential to victory. -- Al

Very good Al, hadn't heard that one

The Allied air forces did a wonderful job indeed, witnessed by the fact that the mighty Luftwaffe were all but silenced on D Day, I wonder how fatso Goering explained that to his warped boss!. Wasn't it Goering who said ' No Allied bomber would ever fly over Berlin ' ! All the FW190's in the world couldn't stop the RAF and USAAF , war winning effort.^&cool

Rob

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Terry I've read loads of book on the subject and think the bombers were a bit more than fighter bait ,your right the fighters played a big part in destruction of the luftwaffe but Harris was not keen for the bombers to be taken away from main bomber plan and being used for D-Day , 2nd tarctical air force and the American 9th were used more but I do think RAF bomber command and 8th Air force played a big part in the downfall of the Nazi

Of course the bombers were more than bait. But early in 1944, there was a shift in targets to Berlin and targets deep in Germany and to larger bomber formations. The Allies needed total air supremacy over Normandy for Overlord. The way to do it was to repeatedly attack Berlin knowing Hitler would defend the city by moving his fighters back from the coast and deeper into Germany. And send the fighters up in waves to attack the bombers while the American long range fighters were hunting the German fighter formations. This strategy was done knowing the bombers would suffer very high losses.

Terry

 

[lancer]

Very good Al, hadn't heard that one

The Allied air forces did a wonderful job indeed, witnessed by the fact that the mighty Luftwaffe were all but silenced on D Day, I wonder how fatso Goering explained that to his warped boss!. Wasn't it Goering who said ' No Allied bomber would ever fly over Berlin ' ! All the FW190's in the world couldn't stop the RAF and USAAF , war winning effort.^&cool

Rob

There was also a quote by a German Luftwaffe officer of high rank (I just can't remember who it was, but might have been Galland), that went something like "I knew the game was up when I saw the Allied fighter aircraft escort the bombers to Berlin." That isn't the exact quote but it is the spirit. This obviously indicates that the reasoning was that the bombing could be withstood or defeated by the Luftwaffe as long as the bombers were unescorted. The long range fighter escorts sealed the deal. -- Al

 

[Rob]

There was also a quote by a German Luftwaffe officer of high rank (I just can't remember who it was, but might have been Galland), that went something like "I knew the game was up when I saw the Allied fighter aircraft escort the bombers to Berlin." That isn't the exact quote but it is the spirit. This obviously indicates that the reasoning was that the bombing could be withstood or defeated by the Luftwaffe as long as the bombers were unescorted. The long range fighter escorts sealed the deal. -- Al

Yes it does suggest that doesn't it. When you have P51's etc flying over there and not just escorting but seeking combat with the Luftwaffe it must have been morale sapping. However there were signs of plummeting morale long before this. I read an account again from a high ranking Luftwaffe Pilot (his name also escapes me) but when asked if he thought the invasion of Russia was the beginning of the end he said 'No, the Battle of Britain was the beginning of the end'. By the time of the huge bombing raids on Germany and with mounting combat fatigue the stress on Luftwaffe pilots must have been huge. Throw in dwindling numbers of aircraft, inexperienced replacements and facing huge numbers of Allied fighters and bombers and the Luftwaffe pilots were on a loser.

I remember a quote from the bombing of Caen, a German Soldier looked skywards and said ' Good God, they've sent a bomber for each of us' !

Rob