Why the USAAF gave up on the A-36 in favour of the P-47.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

In June and July 1944 at least the bulk of the German fighter units in the West were deployed in France and their main opponents were Allied tactical units, and no more the 8th Air Force.

In most cases, the missions of fighters of both sides this summer were the same: ground attack, escort of fighter-bombers and sweep. Allied fighters were still escorting heavy bombers, of course, but the heavy raids were usually not opposed by German fighters over France.

So this was a battle seeing German fighters vs Allied fighter-bombers, and the battle was still lost by Germany.

[Kutscha]

The so called high performance German fighters did not appear in units til the fall of 1944 and in any great numbers to the very late fall of 1944. The 1.98ata Me109K-4 did not appear, and then only in penny pocket numbers if at all, til late March 1945. By mid April the 4 Gruppe authorized to use 1.98 boost had retreated to south east Germany where it was very unlikely they would encounter any Spitfires of any Mark.

To put the numbers of German fighters, by type, available on can look at Bodenplatte. Of the 990 fighters the following is the percentage:

Fw190A-9 > 2,5%
Fw190A-8 > 27.3%
Fw190D-9 > 18.6%
Me109G-6 > 0.2%
Me109G-10 > 6.3%
Me109G-14 > 18.8%
Me109K-4 > 11.9%
Me109G-14/AS > 14.4%