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Re: modern german tactics in spain
And don't forget the classic of 1983 "Fighter pilot tactics" of Mike Spick, here is how he described the German tactics in Spain.
"(...) in the spring of 1937 one of the all-time grat fighter aircraft arrived ready for use in Spain. The Messerschmitt Me 109 was first assigned to the 2nd Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88, commanded by Oberleutnant Gunther Lutzow. The circumstances surronding the arrival of the Me 109 were destined to totally alter fighter tactics although the initial delivery was mere six aircraft. Further supplies were slow in coming and the servicing problems associated with a new type making its operational debut, ensured that the number of aircraft available was always very low. Lutzow and his successor, Oberluetnant Joachim Schlichting were thus faced with the problem of how best to use the new fighter in such small numbers. Prior to this, the smallest fighting element had consisted of three aircraft, flying in Vic or echelon. The number of Me 109s available rarely permitted this and the practice arose of flying in pairs. Through experiment it gradually became apparent that the best way to use the pair was to fly them in-line abreast about 200 yds apart. The advantages of this were three-fold. By concentrating their search inwards, each pilot could watch the blind spots of the other pilots behind and below him. If one aircraft was attacked from behind, the pilot could break away outwards. His companion could also break in the same direction and if the attacker followed through, he would find the seconf Messerschmitt on his tail. If the lead Me 109 launched an attack, the number two was well placed to drop in behind and cover him, enabling the leader to concentrate all his attention on his attack in the knowledge that he would be warned of any approaching danger. It can be seen that the loose pair , or Rotte was far superior to any previous fighting formation. When more Me 109s became available, a pair of pairs, or Schwarm was used, thus doubling both the fighting strenght of the formation and the number of eyes available to look-out. In this way the chances of being surprised were reduced considerably. Later still when a 12 aircraft Staffel flew together, they flew in three Schwarme, either abreast or in line astern. This formation was never battered and over the next few years it was adopted by all the major air forces. In combat the Schwarm could not change direction easily at first. With 600 yds between the innermost fighter and the one on the outside, a radical change of course could only be made gradually. This problem was solved later in the war by Leutenant Werner Moelders, who re-invented the cross-over turn (...). It still took practice to perform effectively, but the problems were minimised by the wide spacing between the aircraft (...)
In more recent years Spick published another book devoted specifically to the German fighter tactics: " Luftwaffe Fighter Aces -the Jagdflieger and their Combat Techniques" that should be still available from Greenhill books (but I've never read it). Very interesting the book on Lutzow. Does it exist also in English or French?
Hope this helped
Ludovico.
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