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The Germans developed excellent, high performance aircraft aircraft Their aircraft were some of the best in service at the time Hitler launched the War. The Me-109 and the Ju-87 Stuka both played key roles in the early German victories. These aircraft were, however, based on mid-1930s technology. The British brought the Spitfire into service just in time for the Battle of Britain. Once the War began the Germans proved unable to bring on line new planes with advanced technology so they gradually lost their edge in the air. Replacement models proved very disappointing. The FW-190 was a rare exception. The Me-109 fighter was in service throughout the War, but even with upgrades was outclassed by the new American fighters. The Luftwaffe did develop other planes, but only the FW-190 fighter proved successful before jets were introduced. The Germans developed jet aircraft very early in the War, but Hitler delayed the program and they did not become operational until the final year of the War. The Messerschmitt Me-262 Schwalbe ("Swallow") was the first operational jet-powered aircraft and the most advanced aircraft of the War. It was introduced, however, too late to affect the outcome of the War. America and Britain were also working on jets, but the Germans had a substantial lead. Actually the German lead was actually greater than it seems. Hitler ordered a halt to the jet program believing that the War was nearly won and he did not want to waste resources on experimental programs. When the NAZIs surrendered (May 1945), the Luftwaffe was just bringing on line new jet squadrons with aircraft that were easier to build and fly. If the Reich had still been intact, they could have radically changed the situation in the air. Allied inteligence helped to reduce the impact of the pilotless ram jets (V-1s). The German secret balistic missle weapn (V-2), while a technological marvel, had no real impact on the War. The Luftwaffe began to worry about the United States when President Roosevelt began talking about producung 50,000 aircraft (1940). This was a much larger number than th Germans had aever planned. The Luftwaffe did increase air caft prodiction, but the numbers wouk have been much larger not major models chosen for prodyction not proven collosal failures. had the
World War II was primarily fought by propeller drivemaircraft. German jetsmight have chnged this, but Hitler as he did often came to the aid of the Allies by delaying the jet program. So while the Germans did bring the Me-262 into service, it was too late and too few to have a material impact on the outcome of the War. It would be propeller aurcraft that woud dominate the War. German Luftwaffe aircraft woud play key roles in the early German victories and make aame fir itself in ruthlessly bombing civilians in some of the great cities of Eutope. Before the first year of the war, the Germans found that they had lost the technological edge in the skies over Britain. This should have sent signals flashing in Berlin as the German war effort was findamentally based on quality over quantity. In the final year of the war, it was Allied arcraft that would make the Normandy D-Day landings possible and turn German cities into emense piles of rubble.
The Luftwaffe begn the war with unquestionaly the best fighter of the time. And with upgrades it continued to be used throughout the War. The only problem with the Me-109 was it short range. The Me-19's replacement, the Me-110 was a disaster, the only fighter of the War that required a fighter escort. The Me-210 was intended to replace the Me-110, but proved to be another develpment failure. The Luftwaffe had to continue using the Me-110 despite heavy losses. Eventualy the Me-410 was introduced (really a Me-210 variant), but not until late in the War. The German war effort was savbed by Messerschmidt's failures by Folke Wulf whoch produced the FW-100, which was a high performance aircraft. Focke Wulf did not have Messerschmidt clout. Focke Wulfe's chairman, Ludwig Roselius, was criticized by the NAZIs for of all things his artistic tastes. Hitler reportedly murdered him. The Luftaffe was working on replacement fighters, but jet technology eventually won out.
The Me-109 along with the Ju-87 Stuka both played key roles in the early German victories. The Me-109 was one of World War II's icomic aircraft. It was unmatched by any figher in the late-1930s. The British were still using bi-planes when the all-metal Me-109 was introduced. The Me-109 was a sleek air superority fighter, but was also used in a close-air support role. Fortunately the British brought out the Spitfire just in tiome for the Battle of Britain. The Spitfire was the only fighter in the Me-109's league. The Spitfires in the Battle of Britain took on the Me-109s esporting the bombers while the Hurricanes went fter the German bombers. As the War dragged on, the Germans proved unable to bring on line new planes with advanced technology so the Luftwaffe gradually lost its edge in the air. The FW-190 was a rare exception. The ME-109 fighter was in service throughout the War, but even with upgrades was outclassed by the new American fighters. The ME-109 was such an excellent plane, that when flown by akilled pilot, it still was areal threat. The problem for the Germans was that in last phase of the War that their were few experienced pilots left and the Luftwaffe training program proved inadequate. The number of Allied fighters was another factor.
The final ME-109 with which the Germans began the War was essentially ready and achieving its full potential (1937). At the time the British RAF did not yet have an all-metal mono-wing fighter. The Reichsluftfahrt Ministerium (RLM) prudently decided to begin work on a next generation fightere. The Focke Wulf company's submitted an initial plan (based on the DB 601 engine), but Luftwaffe assessnmentv teams were unimpressed. Designer Kurt Tank proposed useing the 18-cylinder, air-cooled, radial BMW 139 in a fighter. This idea resulted in an RLM order for four prototypes and soon aftr, 40 production aircraft. Test first FW-190v-1 test flights were conducted over Bremen airport July 1939). Tank named it the 'Wuerger' or 'Shrike'. There were all kinds of problems: carbon monoxide leaking into the cockpit, landing gear problems, and overheating of the powerful engine and cockpit. Despite all the problems, Luftwaffe pilots were enthuusiatic. We note a photogrph with an ethisiastic Hitler Youth boy. The FW-190 began going intob service in late-1942, as the Amerucan 8th Air Force was beginning unescorted day-light bomber raids on targets in the Reich. Me-109 and FW-190 squadrond savaged the American bomber groups. About a year later the American P-51 Mustang appeared.
The Ju-87 Stuka is one of the most recognizable plane of the War and as a dive bombr it was an important component of Blitzkrieg. It could only be used, however, when the Grmans had complete command of the air, which the RAF demonstated in the opening phase of the Battle of Britain. The first generation of medium bombers were the He-111 and the Do 17. The Ju-88 Schnelbomber was designed to be an advanced replacement. It failed when rushed into service over Britain (August 1940). Both the He-111 and Do-17 once eequipped with upgraded engines were faster than the new Ju-88. It not only was slow, but lacked need defensive armament, and had an inequate pay load. This was no small matter as the future of the Luftwaffe and industrial plant was built around the Ju-88. Here political influence was a factor. The Ju-88 went on to become the backbone of the Luftwaffe bomber force and the different variants were used in a wide rnage of combat roles. The German failed to build a strategic boming force. This was primarily because they did not have a sufficent industrial capacity, but also for want of an effective design. The Luftwaffe's strategic bomber was to be the He-177. It proved to be a huge vfailure. Hre it was the Luftwaffe's fault, absurdly demanding that it have dive bombing capability.
The Ju-87 Stuka played a key role in the early German victories. Stuka was short for Sturzkampfflugzeug or dive bomber. The Luftwaffe was built as a tactical airforce for close grown support. One author describes it as the linch-pin of Blitzkrieg. [Smith] It was equipped with a destinctive sireen which added a touch of terror. The Stuka was a superb dive bomber, effectively used in the early campaigns as highly mobil and accurate artilery. Artillery was a major factor in World War I, but many shells were fired for every important hit. In sharp contrast, the Stuka could very effectively deliver bombs on target. (This is why the U.S. Navy relied on dive bombers in the Pacific War.) The Luftwaffe was first employed the Stuka in the Spanish Civil War. It was, however, relatively slow and could only be used whehere the Luftwaffe had established air superiority. The limitations of the Stuka in a contested combat environment were quickly apparent in the Battle of Britain. Despite these limitations, the Stuka was employed with some success on the Eastern Front after the Lufwaffe had destroyed the Red Air Force. Like the ME-109, the Stukaas used by the Germans long-after its had become largely obsolete. An example of the Luftwaffe's failure to develop update types. But during the Battle of Britain, less than a year into the War, the Germans failed to establish air superiority.
The weaknesses of the Stuka were apparent and the Stuka squadrons had to be withdrawn. It continued to be used in other campaigns where the Germans did achieve air superiority. [Mahlke] One pilot describes an early Stuka mission, "The mission went off exactly as briefed, The enemy's Flack was a little hevier this time, but still not heavy enough to pose any serious threat to our manoeuvrable Ju-87s. Our bombs blew deep craters in the approch roads to the bridges we had been ordered to block. Several houses collaosed , spilling their deris in the streets and creating additional barriers. The bridges would still beusable, but only after abut of claranace work had been done. Satisfied with the outcome, we returned to base a 06,35 hours and reported to Geschwader HQ: 'Mission accomplished as ordered.' Bridges at Grodno undamged but effectiveky blocked. All aircrad\ft returned safely.' To my surprise, the Kommodore rang back almost at once: 'You've done even more than you thought. The GOC has expressed his appreciationand sends his congratulations. Signals intelligence picked up a plain language radio message fron Grodno calling for help: 'Army staff wiped out!"' 'We saw no sign of that, Herr Oberstleutnant, but if the enemy staff was headquaertered in those buildings that are now scattred acros the road, then it could well be true!'" [Mahlke]
The Ju-88 Schnellbomber as it names suggests designed as a fast bomber, but as design changes were made during development the speed was reduced to only about 280 miles per hour--depending on the variant. The Ju-88 rushed into service during the Battle of Britain proved even less sucessful than the other major Luftwaffe bombers (Do-17 and He-111). Some of this was due to the fact that the Ju-88 was rushed into service. But like the other German bombers, it proved ineffective in a strategic bombing role. It caried a relatively small payload and was vulnerable to fighters. Even so it became the major Luftwaffe bomber of the War. The Germans built some 15,000 Ju-88s (1939-45). The Ju-88 was the backbone of the Luftwaffe bomber force. Amazingly there were over 100 prototypes and dozens of variants built. This was the result of the Lufwaffe philosophy of using a good sound airframe to carry out the many needed tasksso as to simplify both manufacturing and logistival operations. The primary Ju-88 production run was the 9,000 Jplanes built as bombers. Because of the flexibility of the airframe, it was the most modified aircraft of the War. It was uses for both level and dive bombing, althoufg the airframe was not strong enough for exrebnsuvde dive bombing operatioins. Its use reflects the Luftwaffe fixation on dive bombing. The Ju-88 and its Ju-188 and Ju-388 variants served in roles far removed from its main bomber role. It was used as both a night and day fighter, and reconnaissance. The Ju-88 appeared wherever German forces were committed. German pilots described it as easy to fly with good handling characteristics, both maneuverable and responsive. Aviation experts describe it as the finest German bomber to see any extensive service. Its primary role played out on the Eastern Front where it as widely used for ground support. It performned well, but was not avialble in the numbers needed for this huge battlefied. I was also used for short range bombing missions, but did not have the range or payload the Germans needed for strategic bombing. The Ju-88 in terms of combat missions might be compared to the British de Havilland Mosquito or the North American B-25 Mitchell. It did not, however, have the speed of the Mosquito.
The Germans developed jet aircraft very early in the War, but Hitler delayed the program and they did not become operational until the final year of the War. The Messerschmitt ME-262 Schwalbe ("Swallow") was the first operational jet-powered aircraft and the most advanced aircraft of the War. It was introduced, however, too late to affect the outcome of the War. America and Britain were also working on jets, but the Germans had a substantial lead. Actually the German lead was actually greater than it seems. Hitler ordered a halt to the jet program believing that the War was nearly won and he did not want to waste resources on experimental programs. When the NAZIs surrendered (May 1945), the Luftwaffe was just bringing on line new jet squadrons with aircraft that were easier to build and fly. If the Reich had still been intact, they could have radically changed the situation in the air.
Mahlke, Helmut. Memoirs of a Stuka Pilot (2013), 320p.
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