Captured Planes Tell Their Tale

[Jim]

When a Nazi aircraft falls into the hands of the R.A.F. in comparatively good condition, technical experts make exhaustive examination of its equipment and test its performance. Much information has been obtained from such probing. It is noteworthy that more armour and armaments are now being used, presumably in an attempt to reduce the great toll taken by our fighters. For instance, a Junkers 88 dive bomber bearing the date August 7, 1940, was found to be equipped with six free machine-guns instead of the more usual three. On the other hand, one Messerschmitt shot down carried no armament of any kind-nothing but cameras. One fact that has come to light is that, although materials are good and workmanship sound, the performance of the German planes is inferior to that of their British counterparts. Thus Messerschmitts have less speed than Spitfires and Hurricanes and are less easily manoeuvred. When the superior skill of our British pilots is also taken into account, it will be seen that there is much here to encourage optimistic views on the outcome of the air war.

Report taken in October 1940

[Dave]

"...Much to encourage..." indeed !

Even on the eastern front....

Journalist Vassily Grossman interviewed some utterly demoralised Red Army pilots in early 1942, just as the tide was turning against the Wehrmacht. Soviet aircraft were technologically years behind the Luftwaffe, but pilots commented that "Fritzes" would use their superior speed to shy away from combat with fully armed Russian planes, and would seem to avoid sharp turns etc. that would put their aircraft under strain. On the other hand they would doggedly pursue Russian planes that were limping....

I know these accounts can hardly be taken at face value considering their timing, just like the British one above, but maybe they betray a German crisis of confidence.

Apologies for vagueness here but I'll type out some direct quotes when I get the book back tomorrow....

PS Grossman is a great read:
"A Writer At War: With The Red Army 1941-45"

[Jim]

It can be said of any side Dave, "Face Value" but it makes for good reading...

Looking forward to those quotes mate...

[Dave]

On the subject of the Germans: They cover their Junkers when they go in and come out of an attack. But they can't stand rapid changes. There isn't much comradeship among them. Pairs are easily broken up. They escape using their speed. They flee from an active enemy, but never let go of a damaged one.

One can spot the whole character of a pilot in the movement of his machine. I can see if the enemy is strong and persistent. Fritzes look for simpletons. They pick them off from behind. You see what your partner is like from his character as a pilot, and his whole nature is shown by the way he flies his machine. Yet in an air battle, it is very difficult to distinguish between pilots. . . I must protect my comrade, rather than shoot down that bloody Fritz. . . You see a Fritz, how he wags his head, and you give him a couple of hot ones ! Close-quarter battle in the air is a bit hard for Fritz. Close-quarter battle is a struggle to the last drop of blood. The enemy does not like fighting on a horizontal plane, or when banking. They try to fight on a vertical axis. The enemy do everything smoothly, and avoid sharp bankings. It's therefore possible to break away on the horizontal by side-slipping. Their firing is not carefully aimed.

About ramming: It is very good and expedient to exchange a fighter for a Junker. But I wouldn't give out the title [Hero Of The Soviet Union] for such an action. Anyone can do it. I have long been thinking about ramming, about striking [the enemy aircraft] with my propeller. It can do a lot of damage...

The main thing is that we believe. We haven't any doubts and we will help those in trouble. We weren't the ones who started this tradition, but we will follow it reverently. [The Germans] are a very strong nation in technological matters.

I suppose, reading between the lines, that the Germans would see little sense in taking risks while so far from home, short on spares and fighting inferior machines. The Red Army pilots had the benefit of hangars and aerodromes, where the Germans had to light fires under their engines to thaw them out before starting them !

From the gallery :
http://www.war44.com/forum/photopost.../9999/way/desc