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Battle of Stalingrad

 

Case Blue/Fall Blau

 

Operation Uranus

 

Operation Little Saturn

 

Operation Winter Storm

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Italian participation in the Eastern Front

 

Romanian Armies in the Battle of Stalingrad

 

Order of Battle of the Red Army at the Battle of Stalingrad

 

Axis order of battle at Stalingrad

 

Battle of Stalingrad in popular culture

 

Pitomnik Airfield

 

Tatsinskaya Raid

 

Pavlov's House

[VaeTibi]

An interesting artical on German aircraft losses, interesting that no fighters are mentioned!

 

the

Luftwaffe

had lost 269 Ju 52's, 169 He 111's, 9 Fw 200's, 1 Ju 290, 5 He 177's, and 42 Ju 86's, for a grand total of 495 aircraft.

33

These losses represented the equivalent of five flying wings or an entire

Fliegerkorps.

34

Perhaps as important was the negative impact on training programs, especially those training multiengine pilots. Particularly devastating were crew losses among instrument instructors.

During the resupply effort to Stalingrad,

Luftwaffe

bomber and fighter units engaged in heavy fighting to support ground forces. These missions, compounded by bad weather, resulted in a steady attrition of aircraft. The

Luftwaffe

helped keep the escape route through Rostov open for First Panzer Army, while along the Don the collapse of allied armies caused a desperate situation.

35

By mid-February, the Soviet offensive was in full flood; it now aimed at encompasing destruction of the entire southern front. First Panzer Army held along the Mius River, but to the north a yawning gap opened between Army Group South (now renamed from Army Group Don) and Army Group Center. Russian spearheads approached the city of Dnepropetrovsk; Soviet troops retook Kharkov and pushed the Germans back towards Poltava, while the Germans lost their last hold on the Don near Voronezh.

But as in the previous year, the Russian winter offensive overextended itself, and the Germans recovered their balance. Moreover, Hitler was somewhat chastened and more open to suggestions and advice. As a result, Manstein obtained greater operational freedom than had senior commanders in 1942. Rather than attempt a patched-together response, he waited until substantial forces formed up under Generaloberst Hermann Hoth's Fourth Panzer Army. Meanwhile,

Luftwaffe

capabilities underwent a remarkable recovery from January's difficulties. The end of the Stalingrad relief operation freed considerable bomber and fighter strength for tasks other than supporting the airlift, while Richthofen completed a thorough reorganization of his forces in early February. He ended a confusing welter of different commands, all competing for resources, and withdrew a number of depleted formations for rest and refit. Their flying personnel returned to Germany to form new units, but their support personnel and aircraft transferred to other squadrons. Thus, maintenance capabilities and squadron strength improved considerably. Finally, the Germans were now operating off more permanent fields and were closer to supply depots.

36

Milch's visit also did much to shape up

Luftflotte

4's rear area organization. Several less competent commanders, including Richthofen's Chief of Staff, von Rohden, lost theirjobs.

37

Milch characterized the situation when he warned his subordinates that, "It is a great error to suppose that we possess a ground organization."

38

Luftflotte

4's capabilities improved dramatically. In Janaury, the air fleet managed only 350 sorties per day. However, from February 20 through March 15, Richthofen's forces averaged 1,000 combat sorties daily with over 1,200 on February 23. Aiding the

Luftwaffe's

task was the fact that Russian advances had carried them far beyond their airfields and supply organization.

39

Thus, the Russian air force had little impact on operations now taking place;

Luftflotte

4 could give undivided attention to supporting ground forces. For command of air units

[Kongo-Otto]

An interesting artical on German aircraft losses, interesting that no fighters are mentioned!

 

When you take a closer look at the link 33 in the quoted text you will see the losses are about the Air supply of the Stalingrad pocket, so why should they mention Fighter aircraft?

Link 33 in your quoted text is from "Luftversorgung der 6. Armee vom 24.11.42. bis 3.2.43.," NARS T-321/18/4758846.

[VaeTibi]

When you take a closer look at the link 33 in the quoted text you will see the losses are about the Air supply of the Stalingrad pocket, so why should they mention Fighter aircraft?

Link 33 in your quoted text is from "Luftversorgung der 6. Armee vom 24.11.42. bis 3.2.43.," NARS T-321/18/4758846.

Mein Fehler.....