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Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the German Luftwaffe and the Air Forces of its Allies. |
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#21
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Although January 1943 has been the focus for this thread, I find 2 February 1943 to be of some interest in the context.
In a morning action, ten US Airacobras and Warhawks (the latter from US 33rd FG) clashed with Ju 87s and four II./JG 2 Fw 190s. The 33rd FG pilots claimed to have shot down two Fw 190s (including one by Major Levi Chase) and one Ju 87. (Hammel, “Air War Europa”, p. 99.) In reality, no Fw 190s were lost in that combat (Arthy & Jessen, “Fw 190 in North Africa”, loss list on p. 154), and the only Ju 87 even mentioned in the returns to the Generalquartiermeister from Tunisia that day was a Ju 87 D-3 of II./StG 3 which sustained 20 % damage during a forced landing at Gabes. (Source: Daily returns to the Generalquartiermeister der Luftwaffe.) However, three US fighters were shot down in that engagement with II./JG 2, and two of those were from 33rd FG. Eric Hammel writes that later that same day, the 33rd FG lost another eight P-40s (six shot down or missing and two written off). (Hammel, “Air War Europa”, p. 99.) I have an old note from an unspecified source which says that II./JG 51 shot down five of 33rd FG’s Warhawks in a single combat on 2 February 1943, but I doubt that is true. I only have two claims by II./JG 51 on that day. Andrew, could you please tell us what Shores tells us about this day? (BTW, there were no German fighter losses due to enemy action in Tunisia on 2 February 1943.) |
#22
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Due to “Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen” and the daily returns to Generalquartiermeister der Luftwaffe, the Luftwaffe fighter units in the Mediterranean sustained the following aircraft losses in air combat in January 1943: II./JG 2: 2 JG 27: 0 II./JG 51: 7 JG 53: 8 JG 77: 15 Total sum: 32. If you wanted to limit the discussion to only the planes based in Northern Tunisia or operating over Northern Tunisia, you should have been more specific. Not everyone has a map available showing all German air bases in the Mediterranean Theatre as of January 1943. |
#23
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Another quite interesting day is 10 March 1943. At around 1630 hrs that day, Bf 109s of JG 77 were escorting Ju 87s when - according to the German report - several formations of P-40s attacked. JG 77’s fighter pilots claimed 13 P-40s shot down between 1632 hrs and 1648 hrs, for the loss of a single Bf 109, plus that the Allied fighter pilots were prevented from shooting down any Ju 87s. Major Jochen Müncheberg and Hptm. Heinz Bär claimed to have shot down two P-40s each.
Again, I don’t have Shores’s excellent book here, but due to the 112 Squadron website, RAF 112 “Shark” Sqn alone registered six of its P-40s shot down, with another two receiving damage. http://www.geocities.com/raf_112_sqdn/planelosses.html Are there any other Allied fighter losses registered that day, maybe in Shores’s book? Nevertheless, by mid-March 1943, the Allies had managed to build up their combined air force in North Africa to no less than 1,500 combat aircraft. (Hooton, “Eagle in Flames”, p. 223.) Against such an overwhelming numerical superiority, the German fighter pilots would find that the “easy days” were gone. The German situation was further deteriorated through the decision to return II./JG 2 to France in March 1943. |
#24
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A few points.
In the German monthly returns there appears a word 'Abgang'. This literally means outcoming AFAIK. Therefore this number most not include aircraft damaged up to 39% as they should be repaired within the unit. Monthly returns do not differentiate between serviceable and unserviceable aircraft. (BTW The damage is percenteage of what? Labourtime, weight, value?) Another thing is that until appearance of Spitfire IXs, Allies in the area had no high altitude aircraft. This gave significant advantage to the Germans. Finally, it is a question rather than comment. Does anyone know anything about Allied radar network in Tunisia? |
#25
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It is a fact that Abgang includes all losses from 10 % and above. For an explanation as to what the various damage degrees means, see my first post in this thread.
In the Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, which we are discussing here (see below), there is "Abgang" (= removed) and "Zugang" (= received). Among the ”Zugang”, you have not only “Neufertigung” (= newly produced) and “von andere Verbände” (= received from other units), but also “Reparatur” (= repaired). If you study for instance I./JG 53’s daily returns to the Generalquartiermeister der Luftwaffe, you will find that it sustained a total of four Bf 109s damaged with repairable degrees in January 1943 (incidentally, none of which was due to hostile action). Due to Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, I./JG 53 also registered four Bf 109s in the “Zugang” category “Reparatur” in January 1943. In other words - four damaged but repairable, and four repaired. Well done, bicycle repairman! Everyone interested can check out the lists at Michael Holm's excellent site: http://www.ww2.dk/oob/bestand/flugbew.htm Don't we all owe him a great big THANKS? |
#26
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Hello
1.500 a/c may not be so overwhelmed superiority after all, I haven't time to dig the March 43 figures but according to Shore's article Victory in the Desert in RAF Yearbook 1983 in Jan. 43 LF 2 had 1.220 combat a/c of which about 850 where in Sicily, Sardinia and Tunisia and then there were the Italians but I haven't time to check their numbers. But in March 43 there were with JG 77 and I./Sch.G. 2 etc. in SE 2 Gruppi of fighters/fighter-bombers and surely/probably there were more Italian units elsewhere in Tunisia, but of course I cannot be sure on that. Juha |
#27
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The strength return for 10 January 1943 shows 854 Luftwaffe aircraft in the whole Mediterranean area:
Fliegerführer Afrika: 178 aircraft Fliegerkorps Tunis: 119 Kommando Roth: 48 (Gabés) Fliegerkorps II (Italy): 311 Fliegerkorps X (Greece): 163 OB Süd: 35 Luftflotte 2: Mediterranean and North Africa 10. January 1943 Fliegerführer Afrika Close-Reconnaissance: 4.(H)/12 Me 109 11 (3) Bir Dufen Koluft Pz. Armee Afrika Long-Range Reconnaissance: 1.(F)/121 Ju 88 6 (4) Bir Ngem Fliegerführer Afrika Castel Benito Day-Fighter: Stab/JG 77 Me 109G 7 (6) Bir Dufen Nord Fliegerführer Afrika I./JG 77 Me 109G 27 (19) Bir Dufen Nord Fliegerführer Afrika II./JG 77 Me 109G 26 (15) Zarzur Fliegerführer Afrika III./JG 77 Me 109G 29 (19) Bir Dufen Nord Fliegerführer Afrika Schlacht: I./Schl.G 2 Me 109 27 (16) Zarzur Fliegerführer Afrika 4./Schl.G 2 Hs 129 7 (0) Castel Benito Fliegerführer Afrika Stuka: III./St.G 3 Ju 87 38 (18 ) Bir Dufen Nord Fliegerführer Afrika Kommando Roth (Gabes) Close-Reconnaissance: Part 2.(H) /14 Me 109 4 (2) Gabes Kommando Roth Day-Fighter: II./JG 51 Me 109G 30 (23) Gabes Kommando Roth Stuka: II./St.G 3 Ju 87 14 (11) Gabes Kommando Roth Fliegerkorps Tunis Close-Reconnaissance: 2.(H) /14 Me 109 4 (2) Tunis-Aouina Fliegerkorps Tunis Day-Fighter: II./JG 2 FW 190 23 (10) Kairouan Fliegerkorps Tunis Me 109G I./JG 53 Me 109G 36 (25) Mateur Fliegerkorps Tunis II./JG 53 Me 109G 28 (20) Mateur Fliegerkorps Tunis Schlacht: III./SKG 10 FW 190 14 (10) Bizerta Fliegerkorps Tunis Stuka: Part II./St.G 3 Ju 87 14 (10) Sebala Fliegerkorps Tunis II. Fliegerkorps (Italy, Sicily & Sardinia) Long-Range Reconnaissance: 1.(F) /122 Ju 88, FW 200 15 (4) Elmas II. Fliegerkorps Day-Fighter: 7./JG 53 Me 109G 15 (11) Comiso II. Fliegerkorps Zerstörer: III./ZG 26 Me 110 38 (22) Trapani II. Fliegerkorps 10./ZG 26 Ju 88C 11 (8 ) Trapani II. Fliegerkorps III./ZG 1 Me 210 15 (15) Grottaglie & Lecce II. Fliegerkorps Bomber: I./KG 26 He 111 19 (16) Elmas II. Fliegerkorps II./KG 26 He 111 25 (8 ) Elmas II. Fliegerkorps Stab/KG 30 Ju 88 1 (1) Comiso II. Fliegerkorps II./KG 30 Ju 88 21 (17) Comiso II. Fliegerkorps III./KG 30 Ju 88 24 (16) Comiso II. Fliegerkorps 9./KG 40 FW 200 14 (4) Lecce II. Fliegerkorps Stab/KG 54 Ju 88 1 (1) Catania II. Fliegerkorps II./KG 54 Ju 88 17 (10) Catania II. Fliegerkorps III./KG 54 Ju 88 15 (10) Catania II. Fliegerkorps Stab/KG 76 Ju 88 2 (2) Catania II. Fliegerkorps I./KG 76 Ju 88 14 (8 ) Gerbin1 II. Fliegerkorps II./KG 76 Ju 88 15 (10) Gerbini II. Fliegerkorps Stab/KG 77 Ju 88 1 (0) Gerbini II. Fliegerkorps I./KG 77 Ju 88 29 (15) Gerbini II. Fliegerkorps 1. u. 2./KG 60 Ju 88 19 (10) Elmas II./Fliegerkorps X. Fliegerkorps Long-Range Reconnaissance: 2.(F) /123 Ju 88, Ju 86R 13 (7) Kastelli & Tatoi X. Fliegerkorps Day-Fighter: III./JG 27 Me 109G 21 (21) Kastelli X. Fliegerkorps Bomber: Stab/LG 1 Ju 88 1 (1) Iraklion X. Fliegerkorps I./LG 1 Ju 88 20 (10) Iraklion X. Fliegerkorps II./LG 1 Ju 88 33 (21) Iraklion X. Fliegerkorps III./KG 26 Ju 88 Torp. 23 (13) Iraklion X. Fliegerkorps III./KG 100 He 111 38 (27) Kalamaki X. Fliegerkorps Coastal-Reconnaissance: 2./SAGr. 125 Ar 196 14 (2) Suda X. Fliegerkorps Oberbefehlshaber Süd Long-Range Reconnaissance: Stab (F)/122 Ju 88 4 (3) Trapani Oberbefehlshaber Süd 2.(F)/122 Ju 88: Me 210 11 (6) Trapani Oberbefehlshaber Süd Night-Fighter: Stab II./NJG 2 Ju 88C 1 (1) Comiso Oberbefehlshaber Süd 4./NJG 2 Ju 88C: Do 217 13 (9) Comiso Oberbefehlshaber Süd Transport: Korps Kette X. Flkps. Fi 156 6 (3) Comiso Oberbefehlshaber Süd (See: http://www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/tony/tonywood.htm . . . and open the document "Mediterranean & Southern Front 1943. Vol II".) Add 288 Italian aircraft in Tunisia (figure from 15 November 1942), but keep in mind that Regia Aeronautica was badly hampered by a lack of spare parts, ammunition, etc, due to chaos in the Italian war organisation by that time. BTW - the Luftwaffe conducted a total of 8,413 sorties in the Mediterranean in January 1943 (Hooton, “Eagle in Flames”, p. 221) - mostly of course in Tunisia. That is a higher number than any previous month since the April 1942 air offensive against Malta. The January 1943 total is even 50 % higher than the totals for both November 1942 and December 1942 together. |
#28
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Christer,
That ZG 1 reference above should read III./ZG 1. II./ZG 1 flew Bf 110s from January 1942 through to its disbandment in mid-1944. Just a gentle correction. John V.
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#29
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Thanks, John. A gentle but important correction. Clearly a typo.
II./ZG 1 also served on the Eastern Front - where it sustained many more losses in January 1943 than III./ZG 1 did in the Mediterranean in January 1943. Oops, I did it again! |
#30
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Quote:
Quote:
Anyway, those monthly returns do mention aircraft that arrived or left a unit but do not reffer to serviceability of the aircraft. In other words, those documents define movement of aircraft in and out of the unit but do not reffer to aircraft remaining on strenght but for some reasons - minor damage or malfunction - are not flyable. Of course the question remains why monthly returns do not fit to GQ6 returns. |
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