9th Air Force P-38 numbers

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

Extracted from the 9th AF report, given the formats used the following is not grouped by subject and is best pulled into a spreadsheet or similar to analyse.
Flow of Units, 16 October 1943 to 31 May 1945, excluding groups newly assigned in May 1945, dates read from chart, so have an uncertainty, the from date is usually first mission
474 FG From 25-Apr-44 To 31-May-45
370 FG From 1-May-44 To 9-Mar-45 Converted to P-47
367 FG From 9-May-44 To 20-Feb-45 Converted to P-47

Accidents, 15 Month Average rates. Overall No. 219, Rate 2.17, Ops No. 123, Rate 1.49, Non Ops No. 96, Rate 5.17.

Inventory \ Gains \ \ \ \ Losses \ \ \ \ \ \ \ Inventory
20-Oct-43 \ New Units \ Replacements \ Other \ Total Gain \ MIA \ CAT E \ Non Op Salvage \ To 2nd Line \ Transfer \ Other \ Total Losses \ 8-May-45
0 \ 225 \ 471 \ 33 \ 729 \ 301 \ 77 \ 158 \ 22 \ 37 \ 6 \ 601 \ 128

Battle Losses \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \
Flak \ \ \ \ Enemy Aircraft \ \ \ \ Other \ \ \ \ Totals \ \ \
Lost \ CAT E \ Total \ Rate \ Lost \ CAT E \ Total \ Rate \ Lost \ CAT E \ Total \ Rate \ Lost \ CAT E \ Total \ Rate
115 \ 32 \ 147 \ 4.5 \ 81 \ 6 \ 87 \ 2.6 \ 121 \ 39 \ 160 \ 4.9 \ 317 \ 77 \ 394 \ 12.0
Battle Damage \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \
Flak, Category \ \ \ \ Enemy Aircraft, cateory \ \ \ \ Other, Category \ \ \ \ Totals, Category \ \ \
A \ AC \ B \ Total \ A \ AC \ B \ Total \ A \ AC \ B \ Total \ A \ AC \ B \ Total
590 \ 96 \ 20 \ 706 \ 13 \ 15 \ 2 \ 30 \ 42 \ 22 \ 7 \ 71 \ 645 \ 133 \ 29 \ 807

Statistic \ Hours \ Hours \ Aircaft \ Sorties \ Sorties \ Sorties \ Sorties \ Non Effective Sorties by cause \ \ \ \
type \ Non Op. \ Op. \ losses % of UE \ per UE A/C \ Total \ Credit \ Effective \ Percent \ Weather \ Personnel \ Mechanical \ Other
Feb-44 \ 328 \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \
Mar-44 \ 749 \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \
Apr-44 \ 3011 \ 1284 \ 86.7 \ 10.3 \ 154 \ 141 \ 141 \ 8.4 \ 0 \ 1 \ 12 \ 0
May-44 \ 3307 \ 6324 \ 16.7 \ 15.3 \ 3094 \ 2901 \ 2750 \ 11.1 \ 2 \ 12 \ 206 \ 124
Jun-44 \ 1241 \ 12442 \ 27.6 \ 24.5 \ 4629 \ 4455 \ 4363 \ 5.7 \ 97 \ 13 \ 120 \ 36
Jul-44 \ 1033 \ 9801 \ 24.0 \ 22.6 \ 3700 \ 3565 \ 3450 \ 6.8 \ 49 \ 19 \ 106 \ 76
Aug-44 \ 836 \ 8944 \ 41.8 \ 19.8 \ 3951 \ 3851 \ 3733 \ 5.5 \ 51 \ 7 \ 88 \ 72
Sep-44 \ 1066 \ 8621 \ 18.2 \ 18.2 \ 3133 \ 3022 \ 2860 \ 8.7 \ 157 \ 6 \ 67 \ 43
Oct-44 \ 804 \ 5703 \ 18.3 \ 13.2 \ 2338 \ 2271 \ 2200 \ 5.9 \ 45 \ 4 \ 67 \ 22
Nov-44 \ 687 \ 5408 \ 20.0 \ 11.8 \ 2315 \ 2224 \ 2089 \ 9.8 \ 61 \ 8 \ 83 \ 74
Dec-44 \ 542 \ 6048 \ 26.8 \ 15.6 \ 2834 \ 2740 \ 2662 \ 6.1 \ 27 \ 8 \ 62 \ 75
Jan-45 \ 455 \ 3482 \ 11.5 \ 10.2 \ 1511 \ 1485 \ 1422 \ 5.9 \ 28 \ 9 \ 34 \ 18
Feb-45 \ 629 \ 3492 \ 18.1 \ 14.2 \ 1808 \ 1783 \ 1743 \ 3.6 \ 1 \ 11 \ 35 \ 18
Mar-45 \ 708 \ 7826 \ 12.3 \ 26.4 \ 3015 \ 2974 \ 2940 \ 2.5 \ 25 \ 8 \ 40 \ 2
Apr-45 \ 869 \ 2883 \ 27.7 \ 18.7 \ 1440 \ 1402 \ 1395 \ 3.1 \ 3 \ 4 \ 35 \ 3
May-45 \ 2640 \ 323 \ April is April and May \ 17.3 \ 116 \ 114 \ 114 \ 1.7 \ 0 \ 0 \ 2 \ 0
Total \ 18905 \ 82581 \ 349.7 \ 238.1 \ 34038 \ 32928 \ 31862 \ 84.85030541 \ 546 \ 110 \ 957 \ 563

Statistic \ Bomb \ Losses \ Losses \ Losses \ Losses \ Air claims \ \
type \ tons \ MIA \ CAT E \ Total \ Rate \ Dest \ Prob \ Dam
May-44 \ 148.500 \ 13 \ 11 \ 24 \ 8.3 \ 1 \ 1 \ 1
Jun-44 \ 1884.750 \ 44 \ 8 \ 52 \ 11.7 \ 20.5 \ 11 \ 14
Jul-44 \ 1253.250 \ 36 \ 11 \ 47 \ 13.2 \ 21 \ 13 \ 33
Aug-44 \ 1390.220 \ 64 \ 10 \ 74 \ 19.2 \ 78.5 \ 15 \ 35
Sep-44 \ 790.600 \ 20 \ 7 \ 27 \ 8.9 \ 16 \ 7 \ 14
Oct-44 \ 662.100 \ 25 \ 4 \ 29 \ 12.8 \ 34 \ 5 \ 27
Nov-44 \ 783.150 \ 22 \ 6 \ 28 \ 12.6 \ 11 \ 1 \ 3
Dec-44 \ 1284.500 \ 43 \ 5 \ 48 \ 17.5 \ 67 \ 11 \ 44
Jan-45 \ 588.600 \ 13 \ 2 \ 15 \ 10.1 \ 0 \ 0 \ 0
Feb-45 \ 1038.350 \ 16 \ 9 \ 25 \ 14.0 \ 4 \ 1 \ 8
Mar-45 \ 765.000 \ 13 \ 0 \ 13 \ 4.4 \ 5 \ 3 \ 7
Apr-45 \ 411.550 \ 8 \ 4 \ 12 \ 8.6 \ 5 \ 2 \ 2
May-45 \ 0.000 \ 0 \ 0 \ 0 \ 0.0 \ 3 \ 0 \ 0
Total \ 11000.57 \ 317 \ 77 \ 394 \ 141.209909 \ 266 \ 70 \ 188

Bomb \ Bomb \ Bomb \ On Target \ \ Jettison/lost \
Weight \ Type \ Class \ No. \ Tons \ No. \ Tons
2000 \ GP \ HE \ 57 \ 57.000 \ 1 \ 1.000
1000 \ GP \ HE \ 13660 \ 6830.000 \ 1045 \ 522.500
1000 \ SAP \ HE \ 1239 \ 619.500 \ 11 \ 5.500
500 \ GP \ HE \ 10618 \ 2654.500 \ 815 \ 203.750
260 \ Frag \ Frag \ 242 \ 30.320 \ 12 \ 1.560
100 \ Frag \ Frag \ 153 \ 7.650 \ 48 \ 2.400
1100 \ FB \ Incen \ 1147 \ 630.850 \ 55 \ 30.250
750 \ FB \ Incen \ 6 \ 2.250 \ 0 \ 0.000
500 \ FB \ Incen \ 478 \ 119.500 \ 47 \ 11.750
500 \ IB \ Incen \ 182 \ 45.500 \ 1 \ 0.250
350 \ FB \ Incen \ 20 \ 3.500 \ 1 \ 0.175
Totals \ \ \ 27802 \ 11000.570 \ 2036 \ 779.135

3225426 0.50 cal expended
409037 0.50 cal lost
3634463 Total 0.50 cal
497730 20mm expended
44233 20mm lost
541963 Total 20mm
214 Leaflet Bombs

Air combat claims
Type \ Dest \ Prob \ Dam
Fw190 \ 148 \ 46 \ 118
Me109 \ 112 \ 24 \ 65
Me110 \ 2 \ \
Me210 \ 1 \ \
Me262 \ \ \ 5
Storch \ 2 \ \
Unknown \ 1 \ \
Totals \ 265 \ 70 \ 188

Ground claims
Type \ Dest \ Prob \ Dam
Do217 \ 3 \ \ 1
Fw187 \ \ \ 1
Fw190 \ 20 \ \ 24
Fw200 \ 4 \ \ 2
Ju52 \ 30 \ \ 4
Ju88 \ 37 \ \ 44
He111 \ 8 \ 1 \ 30
He126 \ \ \ 1
He177 \ 5 \ 1 \ 3
Me109 \ 6 \ 2 \ 10
Me110 \ 2 \ \ 4
Me210 \ \ \ 4
Me262 \ 1 \ \
Me410 \ 2 \ 1 \ 3
Hurricane \ 2 \ \ 2
Single Eng \ 5 \ \ 11
Twin Eng \ 5 \ \ 14
Glider \ 2 \ \
Unknown \ 1 \ \ 1
Totals \ 132 \ 5 \ 158

34038 Sorties
31862 Effective Sorties
2176 Total Non Effective
546 Weather Effective
110 Personnel Non Effective
957 Mechanical Non Effective
563 Other Non Effective
6.4 Total % Non Effective
1.6 % Weather Effective
0.3 % Personnel Non Effective
2.8 % Mechanical Non Effective
1.7 % Other Non Effective

Mechanical reasons non Effective Sorties
81 Fuel
64 Oil
112 Electrical
47 Propeller
87 Hydraulic
8 Armament
11 Oxygen
15 Generator
57 Carburetor
97 Radio
2 Hatch
11 heat
12 Cooland
23 Supercharger
2 External Tanks
144 Engine
184 Miscellanous
957 Total

Other reasons non Effective Sorties
199 Escort
60 Enemy Action
304 Miscellaneous
563 Total

 

[FLYBOYJ]

34038 Sorties
31862 Effective Sorties
2176 Total Non Effective

2.8 % Mechanical Non Effective


Mechanical reasons non Effective Sorties
81 Fuel
64 Oil
112 Electrical
47 Propeller
87 Hydraulic
8 Armament
11 Oxygen
15 Generator
57 Carburetor
97 Radio
2 Hatch
11 heat
12 Cooland
23 Supercharger
2 External Tanks
144 Engine
184 Miscellanous
957 Total

In reading this data with regards to maintenance/ mechanical issues and deciphering it in today's terms, this shows the P-38 had a 97.2% "Mission Capable" rating during the noted period, which is excellent be it 1945 or 2021!

EDIT - I realized this addresses "sorties" which I would assume non effective sorties would mainly include airborne aborts or a mechanical issue that prevented the sortie from being completed as planned, no indication about ground aborts or aircraft that were missioned planned but did not make planned take off.

Still a pretty good number - it would be interesting how this looked by month for the period indicated.

 

[drgondog]

Joe - the summary numbers were reported in flash reports to IX FC. The 'type' of loss was so stated but for MIA-Air, Mech, etc., the MACR often states 'believed enemy air, or last seen in fight w/109s, or Saw him going down in flames with a 190 on his tail or last seen with one engine feathered, etc., etc.". In other words a fair % were speculative. Many were changed following POW return interviews - but not always entered into group records as a 'correction'..

One of the reasons I have (usually) caveated my reported statistics.

To get to real detail, the Group Service Hanger/Engineering Officer reports are better sources for 'abort vs early return' statistics (as you know) as well as the armamment/supplies data, etc.