Question about Bodenplatte book
 

I./JG26 had 32 Fw190D-9s serviceable but 46 were flown.
II./JG26 had 32 Fw190D-9s serviceable but 44 were flown.

How can more a/c be flown than were serviceable?

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

Which book ?

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

There is only one, the Putz/Manrho one.

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

Hello Kutscha,

I assume you are referring to Appendix 2 of the book. Indeed this is probably not clearly explained.

If you take Appendix 2 in fact all details and numbers in the columns UP TO and INCLUDING the column "Pilots Not Ready" come from the strength returns of December 31st 1944. This was reported by the unit. The original source is RL2-III-734 (BAMA Freiburg). I believe these are the strength returns from early morning 31.12.1944.

However, I took the numbers in the last two columns (under mission 1.1.45) from other available sources (Ultra, KTB's, etc.) giving the exact numbers of the mission of Bodenplatte or the best I had.

Both are not very good explained in the Appendix 2. Why I. and II./JG 26 had more a/c available is due to the fact that several new a/c were flown in by ferry pilots on 31.12.44, some of them even participated in the mission. I am not sure if that was actually explained in the JG 26 chapter, I did not read the book for many years....:-)

Regards,

John

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

Thank you very much John. I suspected was the reason.

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

No, there is also Battle of the airfields by Frank Wooton.

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

Hello Zippy1

My copy of The Battle of the Airfields is by Norman Franks ISBN 0-7183-0448-9 published 1982

Allan

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

Yes my error :-)

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

Dear John,

the strength returns referred to the status at the end of the day, i.e. after the days operations were over. As for 1 January 1945 I know from several Units that the Ground Crew had to work extra shifts to get as many a/c Ready for the New Year Operation so that a number of those listed as u/s in the evening were ready the next morning. A/c ferried in during the day may not already have been officially taken on strength when the strength return was filed and therefore didn't appear on the list but were nevertheless flown on 1 January 1945, but this is only an assumption.

Best

Jochen

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

Dear Jochen,

Many thanks for the information. Must be at 18.00 hours, just like many Lfl.6 Strength Reports. This means that at least II./JG 26 received several a/c ferried in. Their total strength was 39 a/c and they flew the mission with 44 a/c. We know a FlüG pilot flew a 7./JG 26 a/c and was killed on 1.1.1945.

Regards,

John

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

I have the book from Putz/Mahnro but what about the one from Norman Franks? could be complementary or being earlier is superseded? is it worth getting a copy?
Thank you

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

Perhaps I am not the right person to state this, but....besides a couple of "first hand accounts" of pilots and/or witnesses on the ground you will not learn more. Concerning data and numbers, the book is outdated. Unfortunately many still use these numbers in stead of the numbers of our book. Well, what can you say....everybody is entitled to an opinion, but facts are facts....:-)

John

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

Thank you John; that's what I figured out. Sorry for misspelling your name in my first post :-(

Re: Question about Bodenplatte book
 

Hello,

Franks/Grub Street published a revised/updated edition of The Battle of the Airfields in 1994 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the event. All copies were signed by Franks. There was a significant revamp, but the book still contained errors carried over from the first edition. If you can obtain a copy cheaply, it is still worth reading. Where John Manrho has it all over Franks & Co., is the fact that John has kept faith with the people who purchased his book and kept us supplied with numerous additions/amendments/corrections to his (and the late Ron Puetz's) original work. Thanks John.

Col.