Question: Battle over Germany 1944: when began Luftwaffe to use escorts for heavy intercepters?

[kraut1]

Hi All,

Although we can't fly directly strategic bomber missions and the intercept missions with current IL2 GB, it is possible fly allied 1944 airfield strafing missions or offensive fighter sweeps. For the axis side BF109 escort missions for heavy FW190 / BF110 / ME410 intercepters / Sturmgruppen could be flown too the IL2 GB. (as dummy HBs B25/B26 to be used)

As far as I know allied escort fighters P47 were able to reach the Ruhr area since August 43, P38 since November big parts of Germany and from December was P51 used.

 

Question1: when started the Luftwaffe to send extra cover / escort flights to protect the bomber intercepters (FW190, BF110, ME410)?

 

The allied began according Wikipedia in early winter 44 to switch to a more aggressive fighter tactics with fighter sweeps including airfield strafing missions.

 

Question2: Was there a reaction by the Luftwaffe against these strafing missions by intercepter units and from which date was this?

 

Beside of this I think high altitude reconnaissance missions (w. Mosquito)  and intercept missions could be created

 

From which starting date it would be possible to create these historical correct fighter vs figther or fighter vs fighter bomber missions?

 

from Wikipedia:

[kraut1]

Just an example:

Easy Mission Generator by Vander modded settings for early 44 Frankfurt Area Allied Air Superiority / Airfield strafing missions / German Alarmstart missions.

-Allied early 44 only "Airstart" Airfields (from early September 44 allied Airfield near Gent, Chievres,... possible for full missions with take off)

-and near Frankfurt a compact 80km x 80km target area to avoid far away mission targets).

Link to demo version of modded Easys Mission Generator Demo version (only attack / parked planes defined) and a german and a US demo mission.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/4zpdvye7us2aldh7brpxb/EasyMissionGenerator-1944-Frankfurt-Area-Airfield-strafing-settings-alpha.zip?rlkey=0ghj69dkz63pousebcxgijg3f&dl=0

 

[357th_KW]

On 11/17/2023 at 6:09 AM, kraut1 said:

As far as I know allied escort fighters P47 were able to reach the Ruhr area since August 43, P38 since November big parts of Germany and from December was P51 used.

 

Question1: when started the Luftwaffe to send extra cover / escort flights to protect the bomber intercepters (FW190, BF110, ME410)?

 

The allied began according Wikipedia in early winter 44 to switch to a more aggressive fighter tactics with fighter sweeps including airfield strafing missions.

 

Question2: Was there a reaction by the Luftwaffe against these strafing missions by intercepter units and from which date was this?

 

Beside of this I think high altitude reconnaissance missions (w. Mosquito)  and intercept missions could be created

 

From which starting date it would be possible to create these historical correct fighter vs figther or fighter vs fighter bomber missions?

 

 

The USAAF switched to the more aggressive escort tactics on January 24th 1944.  While the Luftwaffe interceptors had been grouping into larger Gefectsverbande when practical starting in the fall of 1943, the goal seems to have been to simply bring a concentration of force to bear against the bombers.  Feb 11th 1944 is the first mention I can find where single engine fighters were specifically tasked with escorting other fighters within the formation (in this case, the heavy fighters of II/ZG26).  The following day, General-Major Schmid (commander of Jagdkorps I) inspected a number of the jagdgruppen and submitted a report stating "A way must be found to meet the enemy fighters effectively".   The fallout of this report resulted in the Gefectsverbande being reorganized with a single "light" Gruppe (usually a Bf109 unit) designated to provide cover and engage the escorts while the other heavy units targeted the bombers.  The exact formula would change throughout the next year, but having at least one "light" gruppe as cover seemed to become the standard practice from this point onward.

 

I'm not aware of any specific adjustments by the fighter units to airfield attacks, but the volume of flak at airfields continued to increase, and designed flak traps were created in some cases with decoy aircraft mockups as bait to try to draw in roving Allied fighters.  At various points the 8th tried to restrict strafing to one degree or another to prevent casualties on these missions but any attempt at this was pretty half-hearted as units were still carrying out extensive strafing attacks in April 1945.

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by 357th_KW

[kraut1]

On 11/19/2023 at 11:10 PM, 357th_KW said:

 

The USAAF switched to the more aggressive escort tactics on January 24th 1944.  While the Luftwaffe interceptors had been grouping into larger Gefectsverbande when practical starting in the fall of 1943, the goal seems to have been to simply bring a concentration of force to bear against the bombers.  Feb 11th 1944 is the first mention I can find where single engine fighters were specifically tasked with escorting other fighters within the formation (in this case, the heavy fighters of II/ZG26).  The following day, General-Major Schmid (commander of Jagdkorps I) inspected a number of the jagdgruppen and submitted a report stating "A way must be found to meet the enemy fighters effectively".   The fallout of this report resulted in the Gefectsverbande being reorganized with a single "light" Gruppe (usually a Bf109 unit) designated to provide cover and engage the escorts while the other heavy units targeted the bombers.  The exact formula would change throughout the next year, but having at least one "light" gruppe as cover seemed to become the standard practice from this point onward.

 

I'm not aware of any specific adjustments by the fighter units to airfield attacks, but the volume of flak at airfields continued to increase, and designed flak traps were created in some cases with decoy aircraft mockups as bait to try to draw in roving Allied fighters.  At various points the 8th tried to restrict strafing to one degree or another to prevent casualties on these missions but any attempt at this was pretty half-hearted as units were still carrying out extensive strafing attacks in April 1945.

 

Thanks very much for yor reply!

Edited November 20, 2023 by kraut1