so what... Gregory 'Pappy' Boyington use to fly drunk sometimes during WWII.
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so what... Gregory 'Pappy' Boyington use to fly drunk sometimes during WWII.How come no one takes the condition of Allied aircrew into consideration on Bodenplatte , from what I know about aircrew I'll wager that more then a few were under the weather following a night of new years revellry
Juha,
I've seen the site. Thought that number was low compared to what my memory was telling me.
Was thinking in the neighborhood of 1100 combat sorties.
Perhaps I was thinking for H U Rudel and 1400 or 1500 sorties
Based upon your research, do you consider these numbers ironclad?
clearly the Allied AAA had been the real menace for the German attack force. Almost half of the total losses can be directly attributed to Allied AAA..
more like 123/280 = 44%. all were either KIA,WIA, or bailed/OK with only a handfull making it back to base. where are you getting your info from? cause Manrho and Putz researched from all sides and their numbers are imo the most accurate.I suggest your read 'Bodenplatte' by Manrho and Putz. It list all the reasons for the Lw losses. Only seven (7) Lw a/c were destroyed by ground fire. There was a further twenty-two (22) damaged by ground fire. There was 271 a/c 60-100% (destroyed) and 65 0-59% (damaged).
(29/271) x 100 = 10.7%
Hello George
first of all Rudel was one of kind. On the quality of Kacha's pages, IMHO it is very good for a site which is, I think, based on secondary sources.
IMHO what is clear than all those fighter pilots with 1000 or moore sorties had began operational flying earlier than Hartmann. Barkhorn and Krupinski (1104 and 1100 combat sorties) had flew combat sorties even before the beginning of Oper Barbarossa, but of course Barkhorn was rather inactive in 45. Hackl (about 1000 combat sorties) was pre-war regular who fought throughout the war but was badly wounded twice, Rudorffer (1000 + combat sorties) also flew practically through the whole war.
If we look those high Eastern Front claimers who had fairly short careers, Batz (237 victories) amassed 445 combat sorties in 2⅟4 years, Beerenbrock (117 victories) amassed appr. 400 sorties in 1⅔ years in front-line unit and Birker (117 victories) 284 sorties in 1⅟4 years, it seems that appr 300 sorties per year was more or less max for fighter pilots in the Eastern Front. IIRC ground attack and Stuka pilots could amass sorties faster rate.
Juha
thats a new one. I'm thinking Knoke..Anybody remember which german ace claimed that slats on 109 are especially useful when drunk-flying?
Me 109 F/G:
"- Did pilots like the slats on the wings of the 109?
Yes, pilots did like them, since it allowed them better positions in dogfights along with using the flaps. These slats would also deploy slightly when the a/c was reaching stall at higher altitudes showing the pilot how close they were to stalling.....this was also useful when you were drunk "
- Franz Stigler, German fighter ace. 28 victories. Interview of Franz Stigler.
at least he wasn't as bad as Caldwell... I believe 'Killer' had a coutmartial for various things and stripped of rank.Franz Stigler..... also a strafer of sand dunes. There's a man who we can say definitely made fraudulent claims. He was lucky to avoid a court martial. Strange how the deference of post war "researchers" meant that he was never really challenged or cornered about it, at least not to my knowledge. Karl-Heinz Bendert,one of his accomplices,even went on to be awarded a RK. Bendert survived the war too but was also never really pressed on the JG 27 overclaiming.
Steve
Caldwell's court martial was a fit-up, with the authorities getting revenge for him and seven other senior officers resigning their commissions, due to (in their view) lives being wasted on strafing operations. The CM took place in January 1946, with him falsely accused of trafficking in liquor; he'd actually been bartering with the Americans, who were restricted by McArthur in their access to drink. Caldwell maintained that it was the only way to get certain American materials and that he made no personal gain from it, but was found guilty and reduced one rank, losing one day's pay as a result. He left the RAAF in March 1946, having risen from Pilot Officer, in the desert, in 1941, to Group Captain; he is believed to be the only serving, operational, pilot whose logbook was endorsed by an AOC-in-C (Air Chief Marshal Tedder,) who said,"A fine commander, an excellent leader and a first class shot."at least he wasn't as bad as Caldwell... I believe 'Killer' had a coutmartial for various things and stripped of rank.
Flight Journal Magazine February 2006 Issue features a wonderful story about the 368th FG and Tote Talbott. This was wrote by Historian Tim Grace with Lt. General Tote Talbott.