What would you change?

[syscom3]

I dont think the Luftwaffe could sustain that type of sortie rate. Lots of planes in the air would mean big air battles, which would mean plenty of pilots (on both sides) getting shotdown.

Even if the Luftwaffe could do this 2 or 3 times in a row, the loss's for them would have been so severe for experienced pilots that there wouldnt be much left for the rest of the war.

Remember, the 8th and 9th AF had lots and lots of fighters to have both close escort and to free lance looking for the Germans. Plus the number of trained aircrews (allied) AND replacement aircraft for both the fighters and bombers was almost limitless at that stage of the war.

 

[carpenoctem1689]

They couldnt have sustained it too long, but they would be losing more aircraft than pilots, because they could parachute into theyre own lines, and be put up again, much like the british did during the battle of britain. Fuel and ammunition supplies to get masses of aircraft airborne day after day would have been the biggest problem. The bomber losses would be harder to sustain than that of the fighters, on the count bombers cost more, were built in less numbers, and required more crew/fuel/bombs to operate. If everything had even gone right, the bombers would have to be called off for a week to a month.

 

[maxmwill]

Well, it might very well have been quite maneuverable, seeing as the engines are both along the centerline of the aircraft. One model I am quite familiar with is the Cessna 337 Mixmaster, which has the same arrangement, and it is quite maneuverable in its own right.

 

[Glider]

When considering the numbers game and possible effect of a large increase in German Fighters there are two points which you might want to think about
a) Operation Bodenplatte
The one time in the late war when the Luftwaffe attacked the allied airforces in Europe in serious numbers. There losses were huge and the damage to the alied forces easily replaced.
b) The ssumption that the RAF and USAAF would have continue on the traditional path despite an increase in the effectiveness on the Luftwaffe
If during 1944 the Luftwaffe had shown an marked improvement I do not believe that the RAF and USAAF would have continued on their historical actions. The RAF alone had a number of aircraft whose production and development could have been increased with little effort, the Hornet, Vampire, Meteor, MB5, Spit 20, Tempest II and Lincoln are the types I have in mind and for the USAAF The P80 and later versions of the P47, P51 and the B29.

For every action there is a reaction, it is wrong to say that one would exist without the other.

One last point it is wrong to believe that the Luftwaffe pilots were trained as well as the RAF and USAAF pilots in 1944. Their quality was decreasing as the other increased due to a lack of fuel, space, people and training aircraft.

 

[davebender]

RAF alone had a number of aircraft whose production and development could have been increased with little effort

Little effort? I don't think so.

Britain had to face economic reality just like everyone else. Aircraft development cost aside, Britain would need to build aircraft factories, aircraft engine factories, aluminum smelters (a huge shortfall for Britain), electric power plants for the aluminum smelters, oil wells to produce additional crude, oil tankers and naval escort vessels to transport the oil, refineries to convert the crude oil into aviation gasoline, additional airfields for both pilot training and operational use etc.

WWII Britain could increase aircraft production just as Germany could. With a huge economic cost that requires a reduction in some other portion of the military budget.

 

[rank amateur]

Gentlemen,

I am more than a little amazed about this thread. Most everybody is coming up with suggestions which would either prolongue the war or influence its outcome.
With what we know about the regime, nobody in his right mind would want a victorious Nazi Germany? Would they?

So my suggestions would be:

1 Assingn all necessairy means of production towards the developement of large strikeforce armed with six engined bomber for the bombardment of the United States and the Sovjet factories behind the Ural. Every DB603 or Jumo 213 used would not be allocated to fighters
2 Order the development of a total new generation of long range fighter aircraft around the db618 using non strategical materials
3 Commence a new daytime bombing campaign against Great Brittain
4 Graduate Josef Kammhuber to a deskjob at the Reichs Luftfahrt Ministerium
5 Replace every one in the Luftwaffe over Feldwebel by selected solders from the ranks of de Waffen SS in order to get a "politically sound" Flieg Korps
6 Stop allocation of means to new development on me 109, fw 190, Ju 88, he 217 and ju 87

I think in less than a year the luftwaffe would be relogated to sheer impotence.