Read that USAAF Liberators on 24th April 1944 would have bombed at Leipheim over 50 Me-262´s!

Anyone got more details on this one? Any speculations what this did to the Me-262 program?

__________________

would have bombed ? hmmmmmmmmmm

they did bomb Leipheim and Gablingen Flugplatz. Have not heard that any 262's were destoryed as the a/c did not go into front line service till the fall of 44 with Kommando Nowotny and test units.

Should this not be April '45....?

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Martin no not 45 as the heavies missions were almost over..... 2 Mossie's were enroute over the Atlantic/North sea and 4 B-17 over the Azores/Atlantic

E ♪

You're right, Erich...The 2nd BD sent 98 B-24s to Leipheim on that date, dropping 232 tons of bombs. As to what they hit...still looking.

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

( Later...) Cannot find any reference to such a number of jets being destroyed at that time. Leipheim was severely strafed by US fighters on 18/11/44 which destroyed/damaged around 30.

The raid which was decisive in delaying Me 262 development and production was the Schweinfurt/Regensburg mission of 17th August 1943.

This inflicted severe damage to the Messerschmitt Regensburg facility, destroying crucial jigs and prototype parts.

The Germans responded with typical vigour, dispersing facilities to Oberammergau and elsewhere in Bavaria. But without doubt, the 262 programme was dislocated. As with the RAF's Peenemunde raid, the 8th AF's Regensburg raid was of vital importance in the war against the Reich's 'Wonder Weapons'.

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Thanx guys for the help!

I was wondering about this as well...

The approx number of planes and type is mentioned in Wilhelm Johnen´s book and as well (according to the translator) in Willbold, S.-book ( no name for the book though ) on page 80...The translator, as I recall, is a Finnish ex-air force man. According to him IT SEEMS that the planes were brought from elsewhere in Germany (?) as the production in Leipheim had not been in progress that long. Interesting or just wrong types of plane mentioned?

__________________

Eureka - I have found it ! [img]smile.gif[/img]

I looked up the account in Johnen's book and his recollection of this event is faulty. It may have looked like 60 airframes but.....

According to Vol.1 of Smith and Creek's gigantic ' Me 262 ' , production of the aircraft had barely started when the Leipheim production facility was targeted on April 24th, 1944. After the raid, nine Me 262s under construction were found to have been destroyed, while a further five were identified on the airfield itself by Allied photo reconnaissance.

So - 14, not 60.

The raid did, however, force the Germans to explore the possibility of underground Me262 production much more seriously.

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Martin, a doubt has upsurged in my mind now that I read your post.

The Regensburg raid had a very deep impact on the Me-262 project, as well as the Peenemünde raid on the V-2 one.

I remember having read in C. D. Bekker's Kampf und Untergaang der Kriegsmarine (I can't remember the title in English) that the type-XXI submarines' project was delayed almost a year for several reasons. By spring 1945 there were more than 100 type-XXI U-boats built and serviceable, but with crews still training.

Do you think that the Allied air offensive —even a particular raid— had a comparable effect on this project as did with the Me-262 and the V-2?

__________________
"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

Defeat at sea is called! Originally rleased in Düsseldorf in 1953.

__________________
"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

Now you've caught me, Friedrich ! I am really very ignorant of the U-Boat war.... [img]redface.gif[/img]

But I shall look among my books to see if I can find some ideas about your question......

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Thanx alot Martin for correcting the figures!

__________________