Operation Bodenplatte (the real story?)

[John Manrho]

A little bit more thought on the available books....

I still believe the book written by Ron Pütz and myself in 2004 is the standard for the operation. If you use it with the last Errata sheet No. 8 then I think you have practically the latest status on the facts. The last 20 years I have not seen anything real new factual information on the raid or any new factual analysis.

Concerning the older books mentioned by Leon Venter in one of the posts above;

(1980) Operation Bodenplatte, Lawrence Cortesi: Full of bullshit and you can through it in the waste bin.
(1989) Start im Morgengrauen, Werner Girbig, with 90 pages on Bodenplatte: At that time pretty good on the German side allthough with some mistakes. Quite some first hand accounts from German side. (Note: Actually the very first edition was from early seventies)
(1998) Destruction at Dawn, Arthur Bishop: Very poor on German side and with numerous mistakes and also pure BS.
(1994) To Win the Winter Sky, Danny Parker: Good on Allied side, nothing really new on German side accept by using ADI(K) Reports as "first hand accounts".
(1994) Battle of the Airfields, Norman Franks, revised edition of 1982. Pretty OK, but not really much new on German side.

Of course you can add the different unit history's by Prien (JG 1/11, JG 3, JG 27, JG 53, JG 77), Mombeek (JG 2, JG 4), Caldwell (JG 26), Horn (KG 51, KG 76) to get more detailed accounts on the German side.

However, in my opinion there is nothing that gives a better factual total overview than "Bodenplatte, The Luftwaffe's Last Hope"...

If you want to go to the "what if"- department, then you can have fun at this forum or other fora....

Regards,
John

[leonventer]

Originally Posted by John Manrho

A little bit more thought on the available books....

Hi John,

Thanks for that posting. Your input is always greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by John Manrho

If you use it with the last Errata sheet No. 8 ...

Glad you mentioned that -- I forgot to refer to your exemplary posting of your book's errata in the "Books and Magazines" section on this forum.

Best regards,
Leon Venter

[Stig Jarlevik]

....and where can I find Errata Sheet no 8?

Checking our book section, it says Sheet no 7 but nothing is attached....

Cheers
Stig

[John Manrho]

Hi Stig,

Unfortunately the Errata Sheet are gone from the book sections as all attachments on this forum. However, if you drop me a PM and send me your email address I can provide Sheet No. 8.

Regards,
John

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello John,

If you have a spare moment, I also would like to get Errata Sheet 8 at marcelhogenhuis(at)gmail.com

Many thanks in advance !

Marcel

[John Manrho]

Marcel, on your way. Anybody who is interested can drop me an email.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks John

PM coming up!!!

Cheers
Stig

[Tony Kambic]

Hello John,

I also need Errata Sheet 8.

akambic@aol.com

Thanks

Tony

[VtwinVince]

Agreed, Girbig's Start im Morgengrauen is a credible effort given when it was written.

[Broncazonk]

In the hypothetical scenario where the Luftwaffe executed Operation Bodenplatte with zero (0) losses, not a single German plane or pilot was lost or even wounded, AND the multiple hundreds of Allied aircraft that were destroyed and damaged were exactly the same, the mission would have accomplished what on a tactical or strategic basis?

I can't think of anything lasting more than a couple of days.

On the other hand, as vividly described in, "Six Months to Oblivion" by Werner Girbig, the Luftwaffe was incurring 15-25% attrition every time they took off. ("Six Months to Oblivion" is a r-e-a-l-l-y, shockingly bleak, read.)

Something had to be done. But what? Galland wanted to build/rebuild.

What was a better mission or strategy for the Luftwaffe on this day? The Allied fuel/ammo storage at Amsterdam?

Bronc