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Ground speed, as measured between two points on the ground, can be very accurate. It is the way world speed records were measured. It can also be very inaccurate, all the way down to WAG territory.
World speed records require cameras and clocks that are synchronized at both the start and finish lines and flights to be made both ways within a short period of time to average the wind conditions.
Flights from airport A to airport B certainly introduce a host of variables. Synchronized clocks at each airport? Pilots wrist watch?
When was the time started? Did the plane loose altitude over the course of the flight? like drop several thousand feet over 50 miles? Tail winds were what speed at what altitude?
However even test flights are not 100% accurate until/unless correction factors are figured into the instrument readings.
Sometimes extra instruments were fitted to aircraft including things like recording barometers and temperature recorders (they recorded on paper drums)
So the proper corrections could be made to the instrument readings, like the normal altimeter and air speed indicator.
Often a new/different pitot tube was fitted to test aircraft in order to minimize errors due to pitot tube location or shape until a general correction could be worked out for production examples. Also the correction factor for the pitot tube/airspeed indicator varied a bit with the speed of the aircraft and in some cases gave higher readings than true instead of lower.
Both the P-38 and F4U were designed with the intention of being 400mph aircraft. Both wound up being 400mph aircraft, just not in their original form or using their original engines. Since due to crashes of prototypes and delays in programs they over lapped considerably the only real value in which was first would be to settle a bar bet.
So were lots of other units, that doesn't wash with me.
Keitel clearly signed orders dealing with allied airmen in general, I see no evidence that any particular unit was singled out. The idea that one was is a typical extrapolation or interpretation of known facts to suit another end, absolutely typical roots for this kind of myth to grow on. A little dash of truth makes it all the more plausible.
Unless someone shows some specific evidence then the proposition that Keitel signed an order to the effect that "Aviators Normandie (Niemen) shall be executed on capture" is busted!
Cheers
Steve
Like I mentioned earlier, Groupe de Chasse 3 was a thorn in the Luftwaffe's side.its not explainable why they would treat these guys differently to others, but the statistics just say that they did. Like a lot of things, the Nazis often acted without rationality or consistency.
So where did the Fork Tailed Devil name come from then?
I think many RAF BoB pilots referred to 109s as "snappers"Many aircraft had nicknames, some affectionate, some not.
Nicknames that were supposed to be made-up by enemy troops/forces showing how terrified they were of the aircraft in question should be looked at with a fair amount of suspicion.
Re: the "Goering ordered the fighters to closely escort the bombers" myth. Hans-Jürgen Stumpff, who commanded Luftflotte 5 which launched the disastrous (for the Luftwaffe) raids from Norway during the Battle of Britain, described Goering as a man
"with a tremendous strength; he was full of bright ideas. After each meeting with him you felt strongly inspired and filled with energy".
Despite surviving the war, having served with considerable distinction, he obviously didn't get the Galland et alter post war script, in which all the many failings of the Luftwaffe were blamed on Goering, hence exculpating the men who were actually responsible, Galland, who we shouldn't forget commanded Germany's fighter force later in the war, among them.
Cheers
Steve
Without his work I doubt the LW would have been the battle winning machine it was.