Luftwaffe Myths

[Kildlawyrs]

Hello Ladies & Gentlemen:

I am new to the list so perhaps I will stumble a bit while I learn how it all works. Please bear with me.

Looking at the Luftwaffe's performance during WW II, I am struck at the lack of objectivity in most descriptions of this organization. Claims made by the Luftwaffe (e.g. kills, confirmation process, world beater status) would likely not be readily believed were they have been made by American, British, Japanese or Russian air forces, yet they are accepted as indisputable fact when discussing the Luftwaffe. Leadership in the Luftwaffe was strikingly deficient, and the emphasis on single pilot victories led, in my estimation, to a poor showing by the German Air Force in its entirety. All in all it was not exactly a "world beater" air force. Rather, at least initially, it was second rung fighting organization which gave the impression of being better than it was, due to the even worse performance of its initial opponents. After going up against truly organized air forces (RAF during the Battle of Britain, and the USAAF after its initial teething problems), the Luftwaffe really performed in a rather mediocre manner.