German night fighters in North Africa, 1942
 

Colleagues.
In the Admiralty War Diaries for July–October 1942, I read about continuous night bombing of Tobruk by Royal Air Force aircraft. If losses are mentioned, the reasons for them are not specified. Question: Did the Luftwaffe have night fighters in Libya, and how effective were they against British bombers?

sergey

Re: German night fighters in North Africa, 1942
 

I./NJG 2 was there, flying the Ju 88 C (without radar) and the Italians used Fiat CR.42s as night fighters.

A small number of Do 217s with Lichtenstein radar was deployed to Crete in September 1942: http://www.ghostbombers.com/recon/Koch/Do217NJ1.html

Re: German night fighters in North Africa, 1942
 

Again covered in my/Martin Streetly’s book on the Ju 88 day and night fighter

Re: German night fighters in North Africa, 1942
 

And in Theo Boiten's "Nachtjagd Combat Archive: Eastern Front and Mediterranean"


As Tobruk was such an important target, there was also a lot of Flak of course. I believe the Germans reinforced it with British AA guns that they captured when they took the port.

Re: German night fighters in North Africa, 1942
 

Thank you. How effective were they against British bombers? Are there any statistics – number of sorties, claims for aircraft shot down?

Re: German night fighters in North Africa, 1942
 

Theo Boiten's book will give you their claims day-by-day.

Re: German night fighters in North Africa, 1942
 

While my book covers the two periods NJG 2 were there in 1942 and then Jan-Jul 43. Also covered in Heinz Roekker's book so claims yes, effectiveness and sorties no

Re: German night fighters in North Africa, 1942
 

Geoffrey Sinclair has tabulated data from David Gunby and Pelham Temple's book as follows.

Not sure this is much help, but Middle East and Malta Wellington,
Halifax, B-24 losses, 1942 mostly at night, but also on the ground,
January, Lost, 5 by enemy, 0 not by enemy action, damaged 1 by enemy, 4
not by enemy action.
February, 9 & 3, 1 & 3
March 10 & 5, 0 & 3
April 14 & 5, 12 & 4
May 11 & 5, 4 & 0
June 15? & 6, 4 & 5
All Wellington above
July Wel: 36 & 12, 13 & 18, Hal: 1 & 2, 3 & 0, B-24: 6 & 2, 2 & 2
August Wel: 21 & 8, 2 & 2, Hal: 2 & 1, 2 & 2, B-24: 2 & 1, 0 & 1
September Wel: 22 & 6, 8 & 7, Hal: 2 & 1, 0 & 1, B-24: 0 & 0, 2 & 0
October Wel: 12 & 6, 2 & 6, Hal: 1 & 0, 1 & 1, B-24: 3 & 1, 2 & 1

Report format change,
November, Medium bomber losses at night 12 & 9, 3 & 10, heavy bomber 1 &
2, 0 & 1
December, Medium bomber losses at night 2 & 2, 1 & 0, heavy bomber 0 &
0, 1 & 0
No sortie totals.

Operational hours by month, 1942 Wellington, Middle East, 4,476, 3,892,
4,496, 4,023, 4,557, 6,315, July N/A, 9,188, 6,268, 4,928, 4,611, 1,650?

Halifax, August to December 1942, 1,093, 664, 335, 484, 35?

No idea of average sortie length.

See Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean Volume 1 by David
Gunby and Pelham Temple.

...and a PS from Geoffrey:
I should have said see ALSO Bomber Losses in the Middle East and
Mediterranean Volume 1 by David Gunby and Pelham Temple. Sorry.

Losses from AIR 22/401, hours from AIR 20/1929

Re: German night fighters in North Africa, 1942
 

Thank you very much!

Re: German night fighters in North Africa, 1942
 

There weren't many air to air kills by German night fighters in North Africa.

Edward L. Hsiao