Luftwaffe Use of Drop Tanks

[Browning303]

Hi all, had a search for an answer to a question I had and can't seem to find anything on it.

I was wondering why you so often see 109s and 190s from 1943 onwards with drop tanks equipped even when flying over Germany to intercept US daylight raids.

The Luftwaffe developed drop tanks too late to make a difference in the battle of Britain, a time when they desperately needed them. But the 109 was designed as a short range interceptor, in intercepting bombers over Germany this is exactly how it was intended to be used. So why attach drop tanks over home territory? Just to give them more loiter time?

Seems like a waste of resources considering Germany was desperately short of fuel by this point and they'd have to jettison them as soon as they saw the enemy?

Cheers, any information would be appreciated!

 

[tyrodtom]

Sure, ejecting drop tanks while there's still some fuel in them may be wasteful, but nowhere as wasteful as the alternative.

Either having that aircraft land and refuel, then climb back to altitude, or have another aircraft fly to altitude and take over.

 

[Milosh]

Fuel from Luftwaffe drop tanks fed directly to the main tank of the 109, and possibly also for the 190. The 109 had about 1 hour worth of fuel for a normal flight. The drop tank allowed the 109 to cruise at a higher speed in a hostile air space and still have enough fuel for when engaged in combat.

 

[BiffF15]

As an example (numbers fictional), if under a normal combat profile a Fw190 or Me109 had 30 minutes of combat power, adding 20 minutes of fuel increases your time on station proportionally without an additional sortie. Or it allows you to intercept further from base, or cruise at a higher speed in a higher threat arena.

Cheers,
Biff

 

[tomo pauk]

Bf 109s and Fw 190s have had a big chunk of German-held Europe to defend, while being out-numbered from mid-1941 on. Short-ranged fighters based, say, at Abeville in France, will have a hard time to cover incoming strike above Hamburg; those at Hamburg will struggle vs. bombers attacking Stuttgart, etc. Drop tanks enabled them to actually contribute to air defense.

 

[Browning303]

Interesting stuff, thanks for the replies