Allied air superiority in 1944: P-47 D Razorback decided it?

[drgondog]

Paul - Don C does include casualties in Table B "Reich defense force missions against the 8th AF" and Table D for the 15th AF.

Some more food for thought. The Defense of Reich sorties against US escort for March, April and May, 1944 was 40,422.

From September 1942 through December 1943 the total sorties against US escort fighters was 12, 538.

January/February 1944 showed 14,277 - more than all of 1942 and 1943 - but one third of the next three months preceding D-Day.

[Paul Thompson]

Originally Posted by drgondog

Paul - Don C does include casualties in Table B "Reich defense force missions against the 8th AF" and Table D for the 15th AF.

Some more food for thought. The Defense of Reich sorties against US escort for March, April and May, 1944 was 40,422...

Bill, got that, thank you for reminding me. I am not quite sure that crewmembers of twin-engined aircraft are counted in the overall casualty totals. They are definitely reported for individual days, as you will be aware.

The Luftwaffe sortie numbers did increase very sharply, as you have recounted. The context was that Allied sortie rates were increasing even faster, with some 115,000 in March-May 1944, of which 34,000 were by USAAF fighters (data from Ted Hooton's 2010 book Luftwaffe: A Study in Air Power). I'll send you an email with more detailed information and some thoughts on the subject.

Regards,

Paul