Italian and german planes over El Alamein

[Cpt. John]

Hi guys, do you know the approximately number of the Italian and German planes used over El Alamein .?

 

[mikewint]

On 26 May 1942 when Rommel began his break out JG 27 and JG 53 numbered over 300 aircraft with an additional 400 Regia Aeronautica single engine aircraft plus Ju88s from both Crete and Sicily. The Luftwaffe was at its peak flying 300-350 sorties per day easily clearing the skies of British aircraft. The British Desert Air Force numbered about 320 aircraft about 2/3 of which were combat ready.
Rommel however was at the end of a long supply line and his line was cut. He had made it to just west of El Alamein when he was forced to allocate his remaining fuel to his panzers leaving his 290 Luftwaffe aircraft without fuel. Meanwhile the Americans had arrived with additional fighters and bombers bringing the allied Air Forces to over 750 aircraft with fuel and spares

 

[Cpt. John]

Thank you.

 

[mikewint]

Glad I could help. Check out:

 

[Cpt. John]

Nice

 

[stona]

If you are really interested in the air war in the MTO then Christopher Shores' three volume "Mediterranean Air War 1940-1945" is a must read, if you can find it at a sensible price.
Cheers
Steve

 

[stona]

On 26 May 1942 when Rommel began his break out JG 27 and JG 53 numbered over 300 aircraft with an additional 400 Regia Aeronautica single engine aircraft plus Ju88s from both Crete and Sicily.

Also available were Bf 110s from III./ZG 76, Do 17s from 10./ZG 26, He 111s from various units, mainly II./KG 100, and lots of Ju 87s from I.,II., and III./StG 3. As well as the Bf 109s of JG 27 and III. and 10(jabo)/JG 53, already mentioned, there were a surprising number of Ju 88s in theatre, under the control of X, Fliegerkorps, not Fliegerfuhrer Afrika. There were also numerous Ju 52s under Transportvebande Sud.

. Meanwhile the Americans had arrived with additional fighters and bombers bringing the allied Air Forces to over 750 aircraft with fuel and spares

It wasn't until 23rd June that orders were given for US aircraft to move to the Middle East. The advance party arrived at Fayid on 28th June with seven B-17s. A unit of 23 B-24s had effectively been diverted to North Africa earlier that month, with the intention of bombing Ploesti, they did, and also engaged Italian naval forces on 14th June. More US aircraft arrived in dribs and drabs, by 19th July there were 19 B- 24s and 19 B-17s available. If we accept that the first 'Battle' of El Alamein ran from 1st to 27th July 1942 (as accepted by the British) then the US contribution at this time was not substantial. The first US fighter unit to arrive was the 57th FG, which first saw action on 9th August. The 79th FG arrived in November.

By the second Battle of El Alamein the US air forces operational under Air HQ Egypt comprised a few B-17s and B-24s of the ambitiously named Ist Bombardment Group (Provisional), four squadrons of B-24s in the 98th Bombardment Group, four squadrons of B-25s in the 12 Bombardment Group and the three squadrons of P-40s in the 57th Fighter Group. To put this in perspective, British and Commonwealth (and Greek) squadrons operational numbered about seventy. There were a lot of SAAF squadrons involved.
The US build up by November/December was very quick. Two words give the reason, 'Operation Torch', followed the next year by 'Husky' (in which my wife's uncle was badly wounded, he was killed after the cessation of hostilities by a mine). By December there were substantial forces in the MTO. IXth Bomber Command comprised the 12th, 97th, 98th, 99th Bombardment Groups. IXth Fighter Command comprised the 57th, 79th and 324th Fighter Groups. XII Bomber Command comprised the 17th, 310th, 319th 320th and 301st Bombardment Groups. XII Air Support Command comprised 1st,14th,31st,33rd and 57th Fighter Groups and the 47th and 15th Bombardment Groups. Under this Command were also various reconnaissance units. Finally the 51st Troop Carrier Wing was based at Tafaraoui and Bilda in Algeria.

Cheers

Steve

 

[stona]

I've had a look at the Italians and they seem to have maintained nine or ten Groups in North Africa (an Italian Group comprising two or three squadrons) and various individual squadrons.
You have a wide choice of aircraft. BR.20s, G.50s, S.79s, S.81s, S.82s, MC.200s, MC.202s, Ca 311s, Cant.Z. 501s and 506s and Ju 87s (operated by 209 Sq Aut Ba T). I've probably missed some, they operated a lot of different types.
I think the CR. 42s were all gone by the time in question.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Cpt. John]

Thank you