Luftflotte 4 losses Apr.-Jun.1943: a comparison of the different data

[Matti Salonen]

There are NVMs only for the following losses in April-May 1943:
1943-04-01, 1943-04-27 and 1943-05-29. These are also in GQM lists.

I fully agree with Andreas that Bestand- und Bewegungsmeldung is correct and discrepancy between it and GQM list can be explained by missing documents between the Gruppe and GQM. However, I would also consider loss of the source documents at the Gruppe due to bombing etc. En route missing documents should have been very easy to replace by resending, but if you have lost the source information at the Gruppe, you are having a lot of trouble when trying to reconstruct what happened to which aircraft (KTB would be of some help). This might take weeks, when you have to fight at the same time. Also, from the practical point of view, it would not be necessary to find out actual WNrs of the lost aircraft any more - just the quantity of them is enough to keep replenisment system working. With personnel losses the situation is of course different and as far as I can tell, all personnel losses are accounted and properly reported.

I have a faint recollection in my mind, that something similar happened in North Afrika, when the Allied found a lot of crashed aircraft, which were never reported as such in GQM lists.

Interesting thread - please go on.

Matti