JG 300 performance

[CJE]

Working out on the losses/victories ratio in early "Wilde Sau" operations (ie Nachtjagdversuchskommando, JG Herrmann and JG 300 proper) from 1 July to 31 December 1943, I came to theses figures:
- 162 night victories - source Tony Wood's lists
- 43 pilots killed (17 in aerial combat, 26 for other causes) - source J-Y. Lorant.
1 pilot killed for every 3,7 victories (training can be costly) - but only 1 for every 10 in action.

My question is: are these figures really different from the ratios of "classic" Nachtjagdgeschwader using "Himmelbett" or "Zahme Sau" during the same timeframe?
In other words, was "Wilde Sau" more or less costly, and more or less efficient than traditional methods?

Thank you.

Chris

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Salut Chris,

I guess that to answer your question, one would have to have, for each NJG unit the same statistic information, from 1 July up to 31 December 1943, that are:
a) Number of Victories according to Tony Woods or another List
b) Number of pilots KIA, MIA, WIA (and later deceased)

I may have, but not available now, an old NJG 1 site information, recording NJG 1 losses from 1940 up to 1945; however the cause of loss is not reported (and I do not have Balz' book about the NJG losses in WW2, to cross-check).

I do have JG 300 book (vol.1) by J-Y Lorant and can assure that he did an amazing research.

As a former pilot I can remember an old saying about the differences of flying a single-engined aircraft (and I flew C-208B Caravans at night over Amazony at 4,000 feet and can assure you that you pray for not having a malfunction on the turboprop, on the blackest night you can imagine) and twin-engined aircrafts: "If you have two, you still do have one...if you only have one, you have nothing."

At least, at the beginning of JG Herrmann and JG 300 (if memory does not fail me), they were using daylight machines from other units (from memory still: JG 11 (and or) JG 1 - do not have J-Y Lorant book at hand now). Do not know or even read how was the relationship from JG 11 Kommodore or Gruppenkomandeur and JG Herrmann's Kommandeur! How was JG 11 maintenance records at that time? Did they had engine malfunctions on their daylight missions? Were those early JG Herrmann airmen really trained to operate the Fw 190 and Bf 109 G, or did they only one or two "solo" landings in daylight and were declared operationals???? I mean, were they really trained to handle the proper engine regimes in combat, etc...do not "damage" the engines and systems or decrease the engine's TBO?

My humble guess, from a former pilot's point of view:
a) I believe that JG Herrmann and JG 300 statistics will be more costly than the similar NJG 1, NJG 2, NJG 3 units because the other night-fighter units and squadrons were just flying twin-engined machines, whose capability of returning (or bringing their crew to a closer suitable airfield) was better than the option of "gliding a single-engined fighter, at night to either a crash landing or to an almost certain death".
b) Many of Nachtjagdwaffe claims are verifiable (Dr. Theo Boithen much awaited Vol.2 of his HUGE and most incredible cross-checking work probably will solve that for us...let's wait); but some can not be cross-checked (dubious claims or shootind down of previous claimed machines, either hit by Flak or other NF). JG Herrmann and JG300 recorded an amazing number of victories on their first missions....some times, almost the full RAF Bomber Command loss of the night! Some times, over passing the other NJG units! Were they better night-fighters or green and what seemed a "certain kill" was just a first combat impression? Were those probable claims by JG Herrmann and JG 300 up-graded at Command level (Hajo Hermann) to impress Goering? Who knows? One would need documents, interviews with veterans to confirm that theory.....

Anyway, Chris....a most interesting topic. I do hope that people with more knowledge and books (Balz NJG losses, etc.) can add statistics here...so we can have an idea, if the SINGLE units did better than the TWINS (Bf 110, Ju 88, Do 215 and Do 217, etc.) during that frame of time of yours (1 July - 31 December 1943).

Most humble and sincerely yours

Adriano B.

[CJE]

Merci Adriano.

More statistics I have been able to draw up for the same timeframe (ie 01.07-31.12.43):

NJG 1
Victories (Tony Wood): 265
Pilots (only pilots - not crew members) killed: 35 (source: M. Balss)
- 25 in air combat, 10 for other cause
Aircraft written-off: 74 (source: www.ww2.dk)
- 48 in air combat, 26 without enemy action.
Strength (31.12.43) : 100 aircraft

JG 300
Aircraft written-off: 97
- 32 in air combat, 65 without enemy action
Strength: 30 (own) + 45 that can be borrowed from II./JG 1 and III./JG 11.