Soren
where you have got the idea of only 50 jets, if from that Galland quote in the end of your messages, forget it, he seemed to have "forgot" JG 7 and KG(J) 54 altogether.
Generally, IIRC Jumo 004B-4 design was "frozen" ie it was decided that its design had reached level that its reliability fulfilled minimum level needed for operational engine, in June 44. Before that it was impossible to mass-produce jets even if plans called series production of Me 262 to beginning in Jan 44, because there was no massproduction of jet engines. Milch had seen that all early 262s were fighters until the fact dawned to Hitler on 23 May 44. Still the first fighter-bomber unit (3./KG 51) and the first fighter unit (Kdo Nowotny) began operating around same time, IIRC late July 44. When one remember that in early Sept 44 there were still over 100 262 airframes waiting for engines it seems that Hitler's dictate on May 23 had little effect to deployment of 262 as a fighter, maybe a month. In Sept 44 it was again possible to deliver new 262A-1as (fighters) with production engines to Kdo Nowotny. When one looks the results of Kdo Nowotny in Sept and up to 7 Oct 44 it claimed something like 20 kills but lost 13 Me 262s, of which 6 in combat. When Nowotny was killed on, was that 8th, Nov 44 the unit was sent to rear for extra training, so it seems that it was committed too early. And to train fighter pilots to Me 262 took more time than LW had anticipated, so the combat debut of JG 7 was delayed. And the last strength figure I can remember, on 9 Apr 45 LW combat units had some 200 Me 262s of which over 160 were fighters. IMHO Me 262 fighter was in main delayed because of technical problems, especially on Jumo 004B, natural difficulties in introducing radically new a/c to service and need to train fighter pilots to twin engine a/c with very temperamental engines.
ADDITION: 9 Apr 45 Me 262 situation: 163 day fighters (JG 7, KG(J) 54, JV 44), 21 fighter-bombers (KG 51), about 9 NFs and 7 Tac Recce. Max day fighter effort was Apr 7, 59 sorties, Me 262s claimed 5 lost 2. Best day seems to be 31 March 45, JG 7 flew 38 sorties and it seems that Me 262s shot down 14 bombers and 2 fighters against 4 losses.
On Spitfire, I think I first time in certain degree disagree with JoeB. Firstly IIRC here in Finland in late 60s and early 70s IMHO Bf 109 was overrated not Spitfire. I and my friends were well aware on the problems RAF had with its Spit Vs "clipped, clapped…" probably because of Closterman's books and also probably because of J.J. Johnson's Wing Leader. German technology was in very high regard here in that time.
IMHO Spit V was the low point of Spits career, the quality leap from Mk II to Mk V was clearly less than that of from 109E to F. But then the quality leap from Mk V to Mks VIII/IX was clearly bigger than that of from 109F to G. So IMHO Mk VIIIs/IXs were better than early 109Gs. And even if Mk Vs had negative exchange rate in NW Europe they were instrumental in saving Malta and when they arrived to NA they at least made life more difficult to JG 27. And in 41-42 was there better Allied fighter to combat LW? The late war Spits were short legged when compared to P-38, -47D/N and -51 but so were all European fighters. Long range heavy bomber day raids were not so fashionable here. And enemies were near.
Juha
where you have got the idea of only 50 jets, if from that Galland quote in the end of your messages, forget it, he seemed to have "forgot" JG 7 and KG(J) 54 altogether.
Generally, IIRC Jumo 004B-4 design was "frozen" ie it was decided that its design had reached level that its reliability fulfilled minimum level needed for operational engine, in June 44. Before that it was impossible to mass-produce jets even if plans called series production of Me 262 to beginning in Jan 44, because there was no massproduction of jet engines. Milch had seen that all early 262s were fighters until the fact dawned to Hitler on 23 May 44. Still the first fighter-bomber unit (3./KG 51) and the first fighter unit (Kdo Nowotny) began operating around same time, IIRC late July 44. When one remember that in early Sept 44 there were still over 100 262 airframes waiting for engines it seems that Hitler's dictate on May 23 had little effect to deployment of 262 as a fighter, maybe a month. In Sept 44 it was again possible to deliver new 262A-1as (fighters) with production engines to Kdo Nowotny. When one looks the results of Kdo Nowotny in Sept and up to 7 Oct 44 it claimed something like 20 kills but lost 13 Me 262s, of which 6 in combat. When Nowotny was killed on, was that 8th, Nov 44 the unit was sent to rear for extra training, so it seems that it was committed too early. And to train fighter pilots to Me 262 took more time than LW had anticipated, so the combat debut of JG 7 was delayed. And the last strength figure I can remember, on 9 Apr 45 LW combat units had some 200 Me 262s of which over 160 were fighters. IMHO Me 262 fighter was in main delayed because of technical problems, especially on Jumo 004B, natural difficulties in introducing radically new a/c to service and need to train fighter pilots to twin engine a/c with very temperamental engines.
ADDITION: 9 Apr 45 Me 262 situation: 163 day fighters (JG 7, KG(J) 54, JV 44), 21 fighter-bombers (KG 51), about 9 NFs and 7 Tac Recce. Max day fighter effort was Apr 7, 59 sorties, Me 262s claimed 5 lost 2. Best day seems to be 31 March 45, JG 7 flew 38 sorties and it seems that Me 262s shot down 14 bombers and 2 fighters against 4 losses.
On Spitfire, I think I first time in certain degree disagree with JoeB. Firstly IIRC here in Finland in late 60s and early 70s IMHO Bf 109 was overrated not Spitfire. I and my friends were well aware on the problems RAF had with its Spit Vs "clipped, clapped…" probably because of Closterman's books and also probably because of J.J. Johnson's Wing Leader. German technology was in very high regard here in that time.
IMHO Spit V was the low point of Spits career, the quality leap from Mk II to Mk V was clearly less than that of from 109E to F. But then the quality leap from Mk V to Mks VIII/IX was clearly bigger than that of from 109F to G. So IMHO Mk VIIIs/IXs were better than early 109Gs. And even if Mk Vs had negative exchange rate in NW Europe they were instrumental in saving Malta and when they arrived to NA they at least made life more difficult to JG 27. And in 41-42 was there better Allied fighter to combat LW? The late war Spits were short legged when compared to P-38, -47D/N and -51 but so were all European fighters. Long range heavy bomber day raids were not so fashionable here. And enemies were near.
Juha
