German night fighters in North Africa, 1942

[sergey]

Colleagues.
In the Admiralty War Diaries for July–October 1942, I read about continuous night bombing of Tobruk by Royal Air Force aircraft. If losses are mentioned, the reasons for them are not specified. Question: Did the Luftwaffe have night fighters in Libya, and how effective were they against British bombers?

sergey

[Nick Beale]

I./NJG 2 was there, flying the Ju 88 C (without radar) and the Italians used Fiat CR.42s as night fighters.

A small number of Do 217s with Lichtenstein radar was deployed to Crete in September 1942: http://www.ghostbombers.com/recon/Koch/Do217NJ1.html

[Chris Goss]

Again covered in my/Martin Streetly’s book on the Ju 88 day and night fighter

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

Again covered in my book on the Ju 88 day fighter

And in Theo Boiten's "Nachtjagd Combat Archive: Eastern Front and Mediterranean"


As Tobruk was such an important target, there was also a lot of Flak of course. I believe the Germans reinforced it with British AA guns that they captured when they took the port.

[sergey]

Thank you. How effective were they against British bombers? Are there any statistics – number of sorties, claims for aircraft shot down?

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by sergey

Thank you. How effective were they against British bombers? Are there any statistics – number of sorties, claims for aircraft shot down?

Theo Boiten's book will give you their claims day-by-day.

[Chris Goss]

While my book covers the two periods NJG 2 were there in 1942 and then Jan-Jul 43. Also covered in Heinz Roekker's book so claims yes, effectiveness and sorties no

[Stig Jarlevik]

Geoffrey Sinclair has tabulated data from David Gunby and Pelham Temple's book as follows.

Not sure this is much help, but Middle East and Malta Wellington,
Halifax, B-24 losses, 1942 mostly at night, but also on the ground,
January, Lost, 5 by enemy, 0 not by enemy action, damaged 1 by enemy, 4
not by enemy action.
February, 9 & 3, 1 & 3
March 10 & 5, 0 & 3
April 14 & 5, 12 & 4
May 11 & 5, 4 & 0
June 15? & 6, 4 & 5
All Wellington above
July Wel: 36 & 12, 13 & 18, Hal: 1 & 2, 3 & 0, B-24: 6 & 2, 2 & 2
August Wel: 21 & 8, 2 & 2, Hal: 2 & 1, 2 & 2, B-24: 2 & 1, 0 & 1
September Wel: 22 & 6, 8 & 7, Hal: 2 & 1, 0 & 1, B-24: 0 & 0, 2 & 0
October Wel: 12 & 6, 2 & 6, Hal: 1 & 0, 1 & 1, B-24: 3 & 1, 2 & 1

Report format change,
November, Medium bomber losses at night 12 & 9, 3 & 10, heavy bomber 1 &
2, 0 & 1
December, Medium bomber losses at night 2 & 2, 1 & 0, heavy bomber 0 &
0, 1 & 0
No sortie totals.

Operational hours by month, 1942 Wellington, Middle East, 4,476, 3,892,
4,496, 4,023, 4,557, 6,315, July N/A, 9,188, 6,268, 4,928, 4,611, 1,650?

Halifax, August to December 1942, 1,093, 664, 335, 484, 35?

No idea of average sortie length.

See Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean Volume 1 by David
Gunby and Pelham Temple.

...and a PS from Geoffrey:
I should have said see ALSO Bomber Losses in the Middle East and
Mediterranean Volume 1 by David Gunby and Pelham Temple. Sorry.

Losses from AIR 22/401, hours from AIR 20/1929

[sergey]

Thank you very much!

[Edward L. Hsiao]

There weren't many air to air kills by German night fighters in North Africa.

Edward L. Hsiao