WW2 Control of the skies over Europe

[Maromero]

With the exception of temporary and narrow tracks of territory in Russia, I would argue the Germans never achieved air supremacy anywhere.

Agree.

 

[Admiral Beez]

OTOH, I'd say the British, with their radar-directed interceptors never lost aerial superiority over their Home islands, and by the end of 1941 had achieved aerial supremacy. Look for instance at 18 August 1940, AKA the Hardest Day of the Battle of Britain, where "the Luftwaffe made an all-out effort to destroy RAF Fighter Command." The Luftwaffe got their arses handed to them.

It's a different story for the RAF in the Middle East and of course the Far East.

 

[Maromero]

OTOH, I'd say the British, with their radar-directed interceptors never lost aerial superiority over their Home islands, and by the end of 1941 had achieved aerial supremacy. Look for instance at 18 August 1940, AKA the Hardest Day of the Battle of Britain, where "the Luftwaffe made an all-out effort to destroy RAF Fighter Command." The Luftwaffe got their arses handed to them.

It's a different story for the RAF in the Middle East and of course the Far East.

Different story after the defeat in the Battle of Britain when the roles where reversed and the RAF was the one making incursions into France. The Luftwaffe had by then introduced the Frederich and the Butcher bird into the fold. Many RAF pilots where lost and the Lufwaffe had a field day intercepting bombers over France. Losses in 1943 of the bomber crews is well documented to the point of attrition.

 

[pbehn]

Different story after the defeat in the Battle of Britain when the roles where reversed and the RAF was the one making incursions into France. The Luftwaffe had by then introduced the Frederich and the Butcher bird into the fold. Many RAF pilots where lost and the Lufwaffe had a field day intercepting bombers over France. Losses in 1943 of the bomber crews is well documented to the point of attrition.

The problem with France was that it was France, the civilians were French. The Germans had no motivation to defend much of it and there weren't many targets. Germany was bombed almost from the start of the war, losses in percentage terms never at a level to deter bombing operations by bomber command, the US conducted 27 bombing raids on France towards the end of 1942,