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Re: Night-fighter losses on 1/2 January 1944
Hello Pete,
Good questions!
1. Morale among German nightfighters was always high in those days. If you have seen a young dead mother still with the burnt baby in her arms in our devasted towns, then you knew what to do.
2.IFR training and combat training was good until 1944. I needed 27 months on flying schools and radar training in special squadrons before sending to missions in August 1943.
3.Losses among "Wilde Sau" pilots (109 and 190) were higher because of low IFR qualification. High Command stopped "Wilde Sau" by 1-mot later on.
4. During Berlin Raid 1/2 Jan 1944 RAF lost 28 of 421 dispatched Lancasters. Harris had to stop Berlin Raids a few months later because of heavy losses.
A Dutch researcher Theo Boiten is hopefully publishing "Nacht Jagd Diaries" in 2008 after more than 10 years studying of 7500 claims on both sides.
Maybe this brings more light in this terible and tragic air war,
best regards
Peter Spoden
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