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Re: Total training+missions flying hours
A nice topic/subject.
I recommend you to purchase or have access to copies or original Flugbuchs or Logbooks, so you can have a clear idea and relevant DATA for analysing.
I understand that Pre-war Luftwaffe pilots did have a much higher standard, as well as Pre-War RAF pilots.
There are US Army Air Corps documents (oficial I mean) that inform that for B-17 pilot (as 1P or Captain) training, one needed at least 1,000 flying hours, at the beginning...On the same way, Pathfinder Mosquito Squadrons selected only Second Tour personnel as pilots....one book clearly says that they needed to have also at least 1,000 hours to apply to the posting.
Regarding a tipical sortie (flying time)....you need to check per TYPE or machine. Me 262 for instance did have a short autonomy, so average sorties were circa 1 hour (maximum 01:20hs or 01:30hs). A "typical" Ju 88 A-4 bomber sortie averaged 02 hours up to 03 hours...of course, there were cases of 4 hours +....An Avro Lancaster sortie averaged from 3 hours up to 10+ hours, depending of the target. Similarly I have read typical B-24 and B-17 sorties of 10-13 hours. A "typical" P-47 sortie was between 02 up to 03:15hs whilst I have seen sorties of 5 hours + on the type. Similarly, depending of the target area, etc...a "typical" Fw 190 sortie averaged between 1h-01:30hs.
There are a LOT of factors on the flying time of a typical combat sortie...the autonomy of "your" machine...if it was using extra dropping external fuel tanks or not, the target, the weather, the Flak Areas (to avoid or dog-leg them).
You can find some Luftwaffe Flugbuch copies on the internet (Ebay), at BAMA or on Militaria sites or on other Forums, for instance. They will give you some glimpse of a "typical" sortie per branch (Bomber, Fighter, etc.) and per period of the war.
I can add, for instance, that on the Brazilian Air Force (1st Brazilian Fighter Group, attached to the 350th FG in WW2), some pilots did have circa 800 flying hours when they entered combat, whilst others did have circa 350-350 flying hours.
Adriano
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