Jagdflieger unconfirmed victories and official confirmation of claims

[Franek Grabowski]

Well, German claims (or rather veirfied victories - there is a difference) were more-less accurate only when the wrecks were counted. That is why kills in Poland, France, Yugoslavia were closer to the actual enemy losses than in the Battle of Britain or in Normandy.
Otherwise, verification of claims was only a morale boosting process and of no other great value but perhaps some assesment of training and armament.

[wrackplatz]

Originally Posted by Franek Grabowski

Otherwise, verification of claims was only a morale boosting process and of no other great value but perhaps some assesment of training and armament.

The denial of own losses is propaganda too to calm down
the own pilots, soldiers, civil population...

[Nikita Egorov]

Originally Posted by wrackplatz

The denial of own losses is propaganda too to calm down
the own pilots, soldiers, civil population...

I wonder which side in your opinion denied own losses?

[Jens]

I have done some research about Kursk air battle and my estimations were as follow:
1. German fighters overclaim 1:3 but if Flak is considered in all ways even higher.
2. Soviet fighters overclaim 1:8 up to 1:10.

Reasons for this quotas.
1.
-In July 1943 no more any eyewitnesses were needed in Luftwaffe. Claims were confirmed "unter Vorbehalt". (source Aders/Held JG-51)
-Flak also claimed a great a amount. But theres is to consider not only Luftwaffe Flak but also Heeres Flak which isn't counted at Luftwaffe documents. Alone one Panzerkorps at Kursk claimed 10% of all soviet air losses.
2. For the soviet side i haven't any reasons for this quotas found. Maybe LW documents are not correct, since they show quite different figures and also german POW said other figures.

[kalender1973]

Originally Posted by Jens

I have done some research about Kursk air battle and my estimations were as follow:
1. German fighters overclaim 1:3 but if Flak is considered in all ways even higher.
2. Soviet fighters overclaim 1:8 up to 1:10.

2. For the soviet side i haven't any reasons for this quotas found. Maybe LW documents are not correct, since they show quite different figures and also german POW said other figures.

I think, here is two main points, why VVS has higher overclaims rates as the other(beside the assumtion, that LW documents is not full)

First, the high own losses forced the regiment commander and other pilot claims highest possible LW losses, otherwise they could have problem with their higher commanders(own losses w/o own success never look well)

And the second, if we say, that VVS at that time has many young inexpierience pilot, they could not really say, if enemy plane was really shot down. The correct result evaluation of the shooting and fight(and the fights was very hard), belongs to the pilot skills, as well the start and landings.