Eagle Days: Life and Death for the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by John Vasco

The information I have regarding losses & damaged encompassing those two dates is as follows:
70 Bf 110s 100% write off
26 Bf 110s damaged but repairable
7 Bf 110s damaged state not known.

My loss/damage figures for Bf 110s from 10th May to 25th May include those in the far north of Europe, not involved in the Western Camapign.
Even allowing for a certain number being under service on 10th May (and therefore not 'combat-ready'), the statement of 40% losses is simply wrong. 140 Bf 110 losses, or thereabouts, is totally incorrect.

OKW figures of 12 October 1940 include for Zerstörer:

Serviceable 10 Aug: 375
Serviceable 10 Oct: 174
Paper establishment: 448
Net change: -201

These figures are attached to one of the Lagemeldung West daily reports at German Docs in Russia (TSAMO) but I neglected to note which one, and can I find the blasted thing again … ?

[edwest2]

Originally Posted by FalkeEins

John, thanks for the update, following with interest. Five chapters in already. Hopefully not a potential prelude to referencing the 'so-called' BoB.

Ed, thanks for your post #94, I appreciate your explanation and perspective...

You're welcome.

[edwest2]

I do hope someone posts a detailed review on Amazon. From what I've seen written here so far, this book needs correction so that readers have some idea. A large canon has been built up for the BoB.
It should be based on the facts, nothing more.

[John Vasco]

Originally Posted by edwest2

I do hope someone posts a detailed review on Amazon. From what I've seen written here so far, this book needs correction so that readers have some idea. A large canon has been built up for the BoB.
It should be based on the facts, nothing more.

I will be doing that when I have finished the book...

[Adriano Baumgartner]

So, it is a book about the Battle of Britain and we are following up John Vasco, who is reading it and is at more or less 33% or half of the book (do not remember by heart how many chapters we're talking of), and we have not started the Battle of Britain yet? That's really interesting.

[Peter Kassak]

Adriano, exactly what I was going to write. One can, in condensed form, describe the situation of those already mentioend 5 chapters in a one few pages long chapter, and with no harm to the subject given by the title, and then work with those new sensational info that had been proclaimed this book should bring to reader. John, fingers crosee to have a nerves to follow other chapters I believe when it comes to details, it will be a painItA for someone knowing as much about BoB as you

[John Vasco]

Chapter 6 read

Covers the period following the Dunkirk evacuation and the German's push southwards in June 1940. Not a lot of detail about the combat, but quotes from a Stabsfeldwebel with the Luftwaffe Transport column 9/VII (page 94), and a soldat in a Luftwaffe supplies unit in Berlin (page 100). Below is a scan of page 98. Anyone interested in the work of Professor Franz Büchner? He specialised in hypoxia, don'tcha know! Directly relevant to the BoB? Put yer oxygen mask on and it don't happen! Still nothing about the BoB, and the end of that chapter takes me to page 106.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by John Vasco

Put yer oxygen mask on and it don't happen!

Good advice, however …

CX/JQ/251, para. 12: It was learned on 25/8 that one Mansfeld urgently required a breathing mask of the old type for himself, as the new type of mask did not fit. He asked for a mask of every size to be sent for him to try on. The matter was urgent, as he could not fly until he had got the mask.
(NB — Oblt. Mansfeld is connected with KGr. 100)

As for Mahlke …

CX/JQ/100, para. 33: Hauptmann Mahlke of Stuka Group 186 was reported on 30/6 to have been selected for command of a Stuka Group.

And Fliegerkorps VIII's secret move …

CX/JQ/99, para. 35: Learnt at noon on 30/6 that Fliegerkorps VIII had ordered Stab z.b.V. 16 to move some unspecified units immediately. There is to be absolute W/T silence. HQ to remain at Pont until morning of 1/7.

CX/JQ/100, para. 16: The signals section of Stuka 77 was changing position after noon on 30/6/1200.

CX/JQ/115, para. 14: There is some reason to believe that the HQ of Fliegerkorps VIII is now at Caen.

CX/JQ/118 para. 6: On 7/7/40 the 2nd Ground Staff Company of St.G. 76 was at Ouilly le Tesson (7 km. N.W. of Falaise).

[John Vasco]

I was under the impression that for masks, 'one size fits all', Nick!

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by John Vasco

I was under the impression that for masks, 'one size fits all', Nick!

You’d have to take that up with Oblt. Mansfeld but apparently not! The request was put in more than once, and it seems there were old and new types of mask in contention. KGr. 100 had a particular problem as they needed to stay at high altitude to pick up the guidance beams when marking more northerly targets. One mask failure would abort the sortie.