Just how good was German Flak

[George Hopp]

In comparison to German flak, here is an example of US AAA from "A radar history of World War II" (page 402): "As an example, in August a bridgehead 40km southeast of Paris was attacked at night by 35 German bombers preceded by three pathfinders and defended by the 109th and 413th AAA Gun Battalions. The attacking planes reached the bridgehead without drawing fire because they responded to IFF interrogation as Allied a/c, disclosing their true identity only after dropping flares. The two battalions brought down all three pathfinders and 13 of the main force with eight probables, and this without proximity fuses."