[Theo Boiten]

Dear all,

This is what I've written in the Introduction to the Nachtjagd Combat Archive series on this topic:

In the most intensive night air war campaign the world has ever witnessed, the Nachtjagdverbände achieved an estimated 5,942-6,000 aerial victory claims (or Abschüsse) in the Reichsverteidigung on the Western Front, mainly against RAF Bomber Command. Furthermore, twin-engined Nachtjagd crews achieved approximately 137 American heavy bomber Abschüsse and six escort fighters shot down during daylight in the West during 1943-44. The Luftwaffe and Marine Flak arms achieved an estimated 2,121 Abschüsse at night in the West, of which at least 590 were either shared with or contested by Nachtjäger. An estimated 797 Flak searchlight claims for the illumination and contribution to the destruction of Bomber Command aircraft have been identified during the research of this book. Operating in the East against the Soviet Air Force, Nachtjäger tallied an estimated 728 victory claims. Lastly, the Nachtjagdverbände amassed around 234 Abschüsse in the Mediterranean and South East Europe.