Me110: Ill-used in BoB

[Evgeny Velichko]

From this page:
http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/index.html

RAF fighter claims over Me110:

July (from 10th) 1940: 22 destroyed, 10 probably destroyed.
Aug. 1940: 182 destroyed, 88 probably destroyed, 96 damaged.
Sept. 1940: 191 destroyed, 65 probably destroyed, 89 damaged.
Oct. 1940: 20 destroyed, 4 probably destroyed, 12 damaged.

Total: 415 destroyed, 167 probably destroyed, 197 damaged.

What was actual losses from enemy fighters of Zerstorer Gruppen?

[DavidIsby]

Low level high speed attacks on airfields are a potentially powerful tactic. Such attacks on German airfields, largely by the Eighth Air Force, were important in the defeat of the German day fighter force in the period between October 1943 (when it defeated the US daylight bomber offensive) and June 1944 (when it proved ineffective against the invasions). Nor was it limited to the Second World War. In the last decade of the Cold War the RAF stressed using Tornados low-level attacks on main operating bases in East Germany as its primary counter-air approach.

A few caveats. The counter to such attacks includes lots of ground-based point air defenses. The British did not have these in 1940. The Germans did in 1944, even more in 1945. Also remember that such attacks are not going to be accurate. So, to be effective, you either need to keep attacking, day after day, or do something else (like arrange for your army to park a tank on the enemy's runway, as the Germans were able to do in France 1940). Remember also that blowing up Hurricanes and Spitfires on the ground may have looked good in summer 1940, but that was not what the British were running out of. Such attacks would have been most effective targeting things such as operations rooms and support facilities, but even if they had had the accuracy, the limits of German intelligence precluded effective targeting.

[Evgeny Velichko]

Originally Posted by DavidIsby

Low level high speed attacks on airfields are a potentially powerful tactic.

SKG210 and ZG26 prooved it in 1941 on the Eastern Front.

[Evgeny Velichko]

Originally Posted by Evgeny Velichko

From this page:
http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/index.html

RAF fighter claims over Me110:

July (from 10th) 1940: 22 destroyed, 10 probably destroyed.
Aug. 1940: 182 destroyed, 88 probably destroyed, 96 damaged.
Sept. 1940: 191 destroyed, 65 probably destroyed, 89 damaged.
Oct. 1940: 20 destroyed, 4 probably destroyed, 12 damaged.

Total: 415 destroyed, 167 probably destroyed, 197 damaged.

What was actual losses from enemy fighters of Zerstorer Gruppen?

BTW: comparing to actual losses (from all reasons, Luft.Kampf, Flak, accidents e.t.c.):
July/1940

Erpr.Gr.210 – 4 lost, 2 damaged
V.(Z)/LG1 – 2 lost, 3 damaged
Stab./ZG2 – no losses
I./ZG2 – 1 lost
II./ZG2 – no losses
Stab./ZG26 – no losses
I./ZG26 – no losses
II./ZG26 – no losses
III./ZG26 – 4 lost, 1 damaged
Stab./ZG76 – no losses
I./ZG76 – no losses
II./ZG76 – 1 damaged
III./ZG76 – 4 lost

Total for July/1940 – 15 lost, 7 damaged

Aug/1940
Erpr.Gr.210 – 15 lost, 7 damaged
V.(Z)/LG1 – 17 lost, 7 damaged
Stab./ZG2 – 1 lost
I./ZG2 – 12 lost,10 damaged
II./ZG2 – 10 lost, 6 damaged
Stab./ZG26 – 2 damaged
I./ZG26 - 17 lost, 7 damaged
II./ZG26 – 9 lost, 4 damaged
III./ZG26 – 7 lost,4 damaged
Stab./ZG76 – 1 lost
I./ZG76 - 8 lost,1 damaged
II./ZG76 – 12 lost, 1 damaged
III./ZG76 – 11 lost, 2 damaged

Total for Aug/1940: 120 lost, 51 damaged

Sept/1940
Erpr.Gr.210 – 7 lost
V.(Z)/LG1 – 17 lost, 4 damaged
Stab./ZG2 – 1 lost
I./ZG2 – 10 lost, 2 damaged
II./ZG2 - 6 lost
Stab./ZG26 – 1 lost
I./ZG26 – 7 lost, 1 damaged
II./ZG26 – 8 lost, 3 damaged
III./ZG26 – 11 lost, 4 damaged
Stab./ZG76 – no losses
II./ZG76 – 9 lost, 2 damaged
III./ZG76 – 12 lost, 4 damaged

Total for Sept /40: 89 lost, 20 damaged

Oct/1940
Erpr.Gr.210 – 4 lost, 2 damaged
Stab./ZG26 no losses
I./ZG26 – 1 lost, 1 damaged
II./ZG26 – 4 lost
III./ZG26 – 4 lost
Stab./ZG76 no losses
II./ZG76 – 1 lost
III./ZG76 – 1 lost, 2 damaged

Total for Oct/40: 15 lost, 5 damaged

Total losses of Zerstorerwaffe during Battle of Britain, July – October 1940:
Lost – 239 Bf110
Damaged – 83 Bf110

What was a coparing Me110 losses to Bf109 losses?

Note: it was a hard choice for Luftwaffe HQ what to do - reinforce heavy beaten daylight Bf110 Gruppen or create and even full equip 4 existing nightfighter Bf110 Gruppen. Choice was - part of I./ZG76, last of V./LG1, I.&II./ZG2 were reformed into night fighters. Day light Bf110 forces siezed in number, but could be reinforced better with Bf110D & E's.