Axis fighters lost to Allied bombers

[Josh Osborne]

I believe that in the last Schwienfurt raid where 60 4-engine bombers were lost, 40 fighters were shot down (I think ~200 were claimed). I think another 20 bombers were written off. The final ratio is 4 to 1. 12,000 heavy bombers where shot down, maybe 1/3 by enemy aircraft, or 4,000. It is therefore reasonable that 1,000 Luftwaffe planes were shot down by their defensive fire. A cursory read of the careers of Luftwaffe aces shows that it was not all that uncommon to be shot down by bomber defensive fire, although usually the pilots were able to bail unhurt. I think a lot of Lufwaffe planes had heavy bulletproof windshield glass, and the engine also served to protect the pilot somewhat.