Williamson Murray:Luftwaffe 1933-1945

Getting worse for Luftwaffe...

In the period between November 1942 and May 1943, the Germans lost 2,422 aircraft in the Mediterranean theater ( 40.5% of their total force structure as of November 10,1942 )!!!!

888 Fighters
734 Bombers
117 twin-engine fighters
128 Dive bombers
371 transport planes

Luftwaffe strength in the Mediterranean varied from 200 to 300 fighters and from 200 to 300 bombers throughout the period. Thus, combat wastage was well over 200 percent of unit strength.

---------

In 1943 the allied air superiority had become so great that Germans had trouble protecting their airfields in Sicily/Italy:

Losses for German aircraft for July in the Mediterranean was heavy. Luftwaffe lost 711 planes ( 10% of German air force at the end of June ) of which 246 were fighters ( 13.3% ) and 237 bombers ( 14.4 % ).
In August the allied inflicted a further 321 losses. At this point reinforcements dried up.

__________________