[BenFolk]

Hi

My interest in aviation is just my hobby, so I don't have that much good information. Like many, I believed that the German pilots exaggerated in their reports.
However, the facts show otherwise.
For example;
II./JG 52 was an opponent of 4 VA in February 1944, in PQ 66… and reported over 70 e / a kills that month.
The Russians admit that they lost 15 planes in air combat, 3 never returned from combat missions, and 3 were shot down by a German flak.
In addition, you need to add 2 planes lost in a failure during a combat flight - only 23 planes in total. So the Germans overestimated their successes four times. However, if we add the planes that made the forced landings - 21 planes (13 came back to the units by the end of February), we already have 44 planes that the German pilots might consider having been shot down. Now we are standing 2 to 1. It's not over yet. As many as 47 planes had to be sent to repair shops, which were badly damaged and could not be repaired on site in units - replacement of motors was performed on site in their units and other light repairs.
In March 1944, reported 4 VA combat loss - 22 aircraft (13 in air combat and 9 by Flak). 7 had to land forcibly and by the end of month 5 had returned to units. 40 aircraft were delivered to repair shops. Total 69 aircraft.
A few months earlier, in December 1943, 4 VA reported a combat loss - 80 aircraft (41 in air combat and 39 from Flaku), 16 aircraft did not return from combat tasks. 115 aircraft forcibly landed in the field - 47 of them returned to units by the end of the month. 82 planes went to repair shops.
It didn't get any better after that. In August 1944, 4 VAs lost 42 aircraft in aerial combat and 51 in anti-aircraft guns. 23 did not return from combat missions and 21 were forcibly fielded (11 returned by the end of the month), 71 aircraft went to repair shops.
It was not better in repairing damaged planes. Squadron mechanics 178 GvIAP st.ltn Simonov restore during May 1943 - May 1945 89 aircraft damaged in air combat and did 295 small and current repairs. The mechanics of another squadron 178 GvIAP in the time of 04.43-05.45 they renovated and restore 99 aircraft damaged in aerial combat.
It is a pity that other airline unions did not report at least their losses as 4 VA, then we could better say if the reports coincided with the events in the air.

Greetings and Merry Christmas
BenFolk