[Oberst]

Ok usually not just one Allied fighter, many allied fighter. And to 'bail' without combat damage was NOT for the most part being afraid, Combat ready German Pilots were few, German planes were many.. save your arse and fight another day. The 'ONLY' thing Luftwaffe pilots were afraid of was pulling their ripcords EARLY.

There were many cases of 9th (15th? Can't remember off-hand) AF B-24 that the crew bailed when a single 109 pulled onto thier six o'clock too.

Gruppen leaders were starting to ignore stupid/pointless orders from up high, and were concerned about the survival of there men. It does not mean they were cowards, not at all.

Anyways, what changed for 1944 heres a couple of points:

~ conversion of Fw190 units such as Jagdgeschwader 300 to the Sturmbock role. For example, on 7 July 1944 Eighth Air Force bombers belonging to the 492nd Bomb Group were intercepted unescorted. The entire squadron of 12 B-24s were shot down. The USAAF 2nd Air Division lost 28 Liberators that day, the majority to a Sturmbock attack

~ Ignoring Göring's lunitic fringe