Combat Life Expectancy for Luftwaffe Aircraft

[Broncazonk]

Was reading last night that the RAF calculated average combat life expectancy for late model Spitfires (Mk-IX and later: 1943-1945) was 5-hours.

What a remarkably small number.

Did the Luftwaffe calculate this statistic for its aircraft? And if so, does anyone have those figures?

Thanks!

Bronc

[Revi16]

Seems a bit low. That would only equate to approx 2 or 3 missions.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Bit strange to talk about "Life expectancy to a machine" isn't it?

You meant: Combat sorties expectancy?

[MW Giles]

5 hrs as life expectancy is ludicrous

Take 124 Sqn as an example, they did over 1000 sorties in Spitfire IXs between June 44 and the end of the war and lost 8.

126 Sqn before they converted to Mustangs did nearly 1400 sorties and lost 9. Average sortie took about 2 to 2.5 hours

With a 5 hour life expectancy 126 Sqn would have used 560 to 700 Spitfires in eight months, more when you consider I am only listing operational sorties, not including training and non-op flights

Just in case you are going to say that those two were based in the UK doing escort work

127 Sqn flew more than 3800 sorties from May 44 (mostly in 84 Group) and lost 34 aircraft

Martin

[Broncazonk]

Quoting: Warbird Tech, Vol 32, Griffin-Powered Spitfires, Pg. 53.

"...Spitfire [wartime aircraft] were estimated to have an operational life of five hours on average."

If I recall correctly, Luftwaffe pilots ('42 - '45) had an operational (combat) life expectancy of *well under* ten (10) hours on average, so for Luftwaffe aircraft, well, it couldn't have been much.

Bronc

[MW Giles]

Bronc

I do not doubt that someone has written it. I doubt it is even remotely true

Regards

Martin

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Broncazonk

Quoting: Warbird Tech, Vol 32, Griffin-Powered Spitfires, Pg. 53.

"...Spitfire [wartime aircraft] were estimated to have an operational life of five hours on average."

Bronc

But was that five hours before scrapping it, or before (on average) it was lost, or (say) five hours before a major overhaul?

[Chris Goss]

Even if the engine life was 5 hours, I cannot see how this applies to aircraft themselves. Imagine the effort that Vickers Supermarine would have to expend to replace losses?

[James A Pratt III]

I find this statement stupid. In WW I the Germans estimated a combat aircraft at the front would last on average 2 months before it was either lost, damaged to the point it was unfit for combat flying or worn out to where it had to be sent to the rear for a major overhaul and probably sent to a training unit. .

[Broncazonk]

Originally Posted by James A Pratt III

I find this statement stupid. In WW I the Germans estimated a combat aircraft at the front would last on average 2 months before it was either lost, damaged to the point it was unfit for combat flying or worn out to where it had to be sent to the rear for a major overhaul and probably sent to a training unit. .

Well... As we all know, in the January 1944 - May 1945 timeframe, the average life expectancy for a Luftwaffe replacement fighter/bomber pilot was a total of three (3) combat missions.

And 1940-1943 was not much better.

The aircraft were not landing themselves to somehow be overhauled at a later date...

Bronc