Williamson Murray
Luftwaffe 1933-1945

By summer 1943, no less than 89 flak batteries defended Berlin. From a level of 791 heavy batteries in 1940 , to 967 in 1941, to 1,148 in 1942 and 2,132 in 1943, German flak forces represented an enormous investment in equipment and manpower.

The 88 mm Flak 36 weapon seems to have required an average expenditure of 16,000 plus shells to bring down one aircraft at high altitude, and that was the weapon with which most flak batteries were equipped.

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As well from Williamson Murray:
Luftwaffe 1933-1945

After a fairly respectable showing in 1940, from 1941 through 1944 the Luftwaffe lost between 40 percent and 45 percent of its total losses through noncombatant causes. The surprising element in such an accident rate is the fact that until the spring 1944, few in the general staff seem to have been particularly worried about the implication of such a level of noncombatant losses.At that point, however, a number of authorities awoke and began to examine the problem in detail.

The German safety record, however, deserves no smugness from an American audience.The Army Air Forces managed in 1943 to have no less than 20,389 major accidents in the continental United States with 2,264 pilots and 3,339 other air crew memmers killed.The record for 1944 was not much better with 16,128 major accidents ( 1,936 pilots and 3,037 other aircrew killed ). The ability of crews transitioning into B-26´s to destroy their aircraft and themselves resulted in a couplet still current among flying crews at MacDill AFB, Florida: "One a day in Tamba Bay."

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Pak 35/36 with 3,7 cm L/45 was nicknamed by the troops Panzeranklopfer (tank door-knocker)




The Pak 35/36 is a direct ancestor of a in 1918 presented 37 mm Pak gun by Rheinmetall .
In the thirties , Rheinmetall developed the WWI model , and the result was the 3,7 cm Pak 35/36 named TAK (TankAbwehrKanone) wich there were 200 build for the Reichswehr .

With more modifications , the Pak 35/36 was introduced in the Wehrmacht in 1934 , as the standard Pak gun in PanzerAbwehr units until 1941 .
This gun was pulled by trucks or special pulling vehicles (Sd.Kfz 10) but it was light enough to be pulled by men .
The Wehrmacht had about 11200 Pak 35/36's at the beginning of WWII .
Because of the low calibre it didn't do much harm to Allied tanks . It got the nick Panzeranklopfer (tank door-knocker)
Production was stopped in 1942 and the still remaining Pak 35/36's were changed by the 5cm Pak 38's .

http://www.geocities.com/herrvermylen2/Pak35.html

Calibre : 3,7 cm
Full name : 3,7 cm L/45 PanzerAbwehrKanone 35/36
Weight in mobile postion : 435 kg
Weight in firing position : 450 kg
Length : 3,4 m (3400 mm)
Height : 1,17 m (1170 mm)
Width : 1,65 m (1650 mm)
Practical Firing range : 400 m
Production years : 1934-1942

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German reconnaissance and supply flights to Greenland:

http://home6.inet.tele.dk/ron/greenland/flight.htm

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Hans Baur, Hitler´s personal pilot, Generaloberst in WW2

Baur voluntarily joined the Imperial German air force in 1915 and subsequentely shot down nine enemy aircraft, for which he was awarded the Bavarian Medal for Bravery. Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany had to disband her air force and Baur started flying for commercial airlines like the Bayrische Luftlloyd and Junkers Luftverkehr. In 1926 he became one of Lufthansa's first six pilots. Shortly after having flown his one millionth kilometer, Hitler hired him as his personal pilot. He remained in Hitler's service right up to the end of the war and lived in the Führerbunker during the last days of the war. Hitler's last order to Baur was to fly Martin Bormann out of Berlin, but during their escape attempt on the night of 1 May 1945, Baur lost sight of Bormann (who, as we now know, was killed or committed suicide that same night) and was shot and captured by the Russians. His injuries were so severe that one of his legs had to be amputated. For the next ten years the Russians ruthlessly questioned him, because they suspected that Baur had flown Hitler to safety before the fall of Berlin. After his release in 1955 Baur returned to Germany, where he wrote his memoirs 'Mit Mächtigen zwischen Himmel und Erde' (1971). He is buried in the Westfriedhof in Munich.

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Hitler's Personal Pilot
The Life and Times of Hans Baur

The book details many surprising episodes, such as the time Baur allowed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini to take the controls of the Fuehrer’s plane...

http://www.brasseysinc.com/Books/1574882880.htm


http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/baur.html


http://www.xs4all.nl/~ejnoomen/baur.html

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http://www.sci.fi/~fta/nightftr.htm

Germany was only prepared for a short war, and now in its prolonged state, the training of a pilot reserve became a real bottleneck for the Luftwaffe. For example, in the beginning of 1944, the Germans had to send new pilots, with only 160 hours of flight time, to the frontline squadrons. While at the same time, their British and American colleagues already had at least double that amount.

In the first half of 1944, the German`s home air defense, lost 2,000 of its pilots as killed, lost or wounded. Replacing such a big number was possible only by reducing the number of hours in the training programs, which also became mandatory due to the shortage of fuel. So, by the summer of 1944, the new German pilots received no more than 112 hours of flight training. By February of 1945, Luftwaffe`s entire flying training program came to a complete halt, because of the lack of fuel.

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FINNISH NIGHT FIGHTER COURSE IN GERMANY IN 1944

From the same site

THEORETICAL PROGRAM
The ground school portion of the program, containing about a hundred lessons with tests, started on the 16th of June, and continued daily until the middle of July. In the beginning of each phase, the instructors asked how much the students already knew about the subject.

The most important subjects were:

- Navigation (36 hours): the theoretical basis for navigation, navigation planning using the wind triangle and calculus, calculations for instrument approach and landing, and using radio navigation,

- N.V.W. (19 hours): the ground organization and radio traffic for night fighters, the air control systems, the air surveillance map system, the control system for night flights and Dunkel Nachtjagd, and the special radio equipment use by the allied forces,

- Funken (14 hours): receiving morse code, at least 30 letters or numbers per minute. In addition, 3 hours of receiving flashing light code, in groups of 2 - 3 letters or in short words,

- Technik (7 hours): the most important technical information about airplanes, equipment and instruments, and

- Wetterkunde (6 hours): a short review of meteorology, especially the weather conditions in Germany.

Other subjects were:

- Praktische Einweisung Technik: cockpit familiarization,

- Waffenlehre: familiarization of fighter weapons and armament,

- Schiesslehre: air gunnery by educational films,

- Flugzeug Erkennungsdienst: identification of airplane types,

- Gruppenlehre: air base and air traffic information,

- Schwarmführer: division leader`s information about the characteristics of various aircraft types

All of the Finnish students had received instrument training, and training in flying at night and in clouds, which had been conducted at home, but especially the younger pilots in the fighter squadrons had not flown many instrument sorties after their basic and advanced flying courses, so this type of training was quite welcome.

The Germans considered the complete skill of instrument flying, as the most important virtue of a night fighter pilot. The instructors stated that the night fighter pilot had to learn instrument flying so well, that he was able to “fly by instruments without instruments” and concentrate all of his attention on the search for the enemy.

The German program was effective and its objective was to make the student rely completely on his instruments and use only them, in all situations, to control his plane.

Especially in bad weather and in the heat of combat, even the most experienced pilot could begin to doubt his instruments, and become confused.

The instructors, all having night air combat experience, had a positive and objective attitude and were quick to recognize the rapid advances made by the talented Finnish pilots.

New things, like the latest radio navigation methods and familiarization with the night terrain, were learned during many night navigation flights.

The flight program in Altenburg consisted of about 38 flight hours per student, divided between the Arado Ar 96 (27 to 28 hours) and the Gotha G 145 (6 to 7 hours). In addition, every student flew instrument approach sorties (3 to 4 hours) in a twin engined Siebel Si 204 plane.

And more from the site...

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During the battle of Britain, Bomber Command lost more planes than Fighter Command..!!(??)

http://www.stable.demon.co.uk/bob/bomber.html

There was no accurate method for assessment of these "hit and run" raids, but photographic reconnaissance indicated that 10% of the German invasion force targets were totally destroyed, and 40% damaged significantly.

Bombing operations took place both day and night and in the 123 days from the 1st July to 31 October 1940, the Bomber Command had mounted a total of 119 daylight and 115 night operations for the loss of 271 aircraft, 62 in daylight raids and 209 on night operations. While the number of aircraft in a squadron varied, this figure roughly equates to the loss of 29 squadrons.

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Luftwaffe cuff titles and some more ( coming up )

http://www.xs4all.nl/~rhorta/jgcuff.htm

[img]smile.gif[/img]

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Always the opportunist, Dönitz realized that there would be easier pickings off the east coast of the United States, which had entered the war unprepared. Starting Jan. 13, 1942 Operation Paukenschlag (Drumbeat) was to turn into "Die Zweite Glückliche Zeite" (The Second Happy Time). The first "happy time" referred to operation in das Todesloch (the Death Hole), a portion of the North Atlantic which neither British nor American air cover could reach. Dönitz cannily ordered a single boat to cruise the North Atlantic, radioing signals simulating a large fleet.

Merchant ships, including tankers loaded with aviation fuel, blithely steamed up the east coast of the United States to rendezvous at the starting points of the North Atlantic convoys. They were perfectly silhouetted against the blazing lights of cities from Florida to Maine. Residents of east coast cities often woke to find their beaches inconveniently littered with corpses of merchant mariners.

In December, 1941 only 50,000 tons were lost to U-boats in the North Atlantic, partly because BP was reading the Atlantic U-Boat's cipher, Hydra. February 1 Hydra was replaced by a new cipher, Triton, and BP was unable to decode U-Boat messages for the next ten months. Between this, and the carnage on the U.S. east coast, the monthly total for March jumped to 500,000 tons.

By May 1942 thirty U-Boats were operating off the U.S. eastern seaboard, but the Americans were finally getting their act together, implementing ASW and convoy tactics.

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Secret "cities" and locations for ammunition and treasures in England during WW2

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/%7Emccamley/

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Braun, Eva (1912-45)



http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/8514/braun.html

Hitler's mistress from 1932 and his wife during the last few hours of his life, Eva Braun was born in Munich, the daughter of a school teacher. Of middle-class Catholic background, she first met Hitler in the studio of his photographer friend, Heinrich Hoffmann (q.v.), in 1929, describing him to her sister, Ilse, as 'a gentleman of a certain age with a funny moustache and carrying a big felt hat'.

At that time Eva Braun still worked for Hoffmann as an office assistant, later becoming a photo laboratory worker, helping to process pictures of Hitler. The blonde, fresh-faced , slim, photographer's assistant was an athletic girl, fond of skiing, mountain climbing and gymnastics as well as dancing.

After the death of Geli Raubal, Hitler's niece, she became his mistress, living in his Munich flat, in spite of the opposition of her father who disliked the association on political and personal grounds. In 1935, after an abortive suicide attempt, Hitler bought her a villa in a Munich suburb, near to his own home, providing her with a Mercedes and a chauffeur for personal use. In his first will of 2 May 1938 he put her at the top of his personal bequests - in the event of his death she was to receive the equivalent of £600 a year for the rest of her life.

In 1936 she moved to Hitler's Berghof at Berchtesgaden where she acted as his hostess. Reserved, indifferent to politics and keeping her distance from most of the Fuhrer's intimates, Eva Braun led a completely isolated life in the Fuhrer's Alpine retreat and later in Berlin. They rarely appeared in public together and few Germans even knew of her existence. Even the Fuhrer's closest associates were not certain of the exact nature of their relationship, since Hitler preferred to avoid suggestions of intimacy and was never wholly relaxed in her company.

Eva Braun spent most of her time exercising, brooding, reading cheap novelettes, watching romantic films or concerning herself with her own appearance. Her loyalty to Hitler never flagged. After he survived the July 1944 plot she wrote Hitler an emotional letter, ending: 'From our first meeting I swore to follow you anywhere - even unto death - I live only for your love.'

In April 1945 she joined Hitler in the Fuhrerbunker, as the Russians closed in on Berlin . She declined to leave in spite of his orders, claiming to others that she was the only person still loyal to him to the bitter end. 'Better that ten thousand others die than he be lost to Germany', she would constantly repeat to friends.

On 29 April 1945 Hitler and Eva Braun were finally married. The next day she committed suicide by swallowing poison, two minutes before Hitler took his own life. On Hitler's orders, both bodies were cremated with petrol in the Reich Chancellery garden above the bunker. Her charred corpse was later discovered by the Russians.

The rest of Eva Braun's family survived the war. Her mother, Franziska, who lived in an old farmhouse in Ruhpolding, Bavaria, died at the age of ninety-six, in January 1976.

Riefenstahl, Leni (born 1902)



The most innovative film maker of the Nazi cinema, Leni Riefenstahl was born in Berlin on 22 August 1902 and began her career as a ballet dancer, employed by Max Reinhardt, among others, for dance performances in the early 1920s. In 1925 she made her film debut as an actress in Der Heilige Berg, the first of a series of well-photographed movies about the Alps made by Arnold Franck, the father of the mountain cult in the Weimar cinema.

In the late 1920s, Riefenstahl became the high priestess of this cult, starring in Franck's Der Grosse Sprung (1927), Die Weisse Holle vom Piz Palu (1929) made together with G. W. Pabst, Sturme uber dem Mont Blanc (1930) and Das Blaue Licht (1932) which she co-authored, directed, produced and played the leading role in, winning a gold medal at the Venice Biennale. In 1933 she made her last film for Franck, SOS Eisberg, before being appointed by Hitler (who greatly admired her work) as the top film executive of the Nazi Party.

The muscular, sportive and beautiful young actress-director now became the ardent cinematic interpreter of such Nazi myths as the 'national renaissance', the cult of virility, health and purity, the romantic worship of nature and the human body. Commissioned to make a full-length movie of a Party Congress, she produced Reichsparteitag (1935), a pure apologia for Hitler and his Party, and the powerful Nuremberg Rally film, Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will, 1935) - perhaps the most effective visual propaganda for Nazism ever made. Over a hundred people worked on the film including a staff of sixteen cameramen, each with an assistant, and no fewer than thirty-six cameras were used as well as a huge number of spotlights. Riefenstahl combined melodramatic camera techniques from the silent movies of the 1920s with the dramatic effects of Wagnerian opera to submerge completely the individual in the mass and absorb reality into the artificial structure of the Party convention with its endless parades and show marching. In this work the Germanic imagery of the Nibelungen, extremely magnified and subordinate to an authoritarian human pattern, reappears in the form of a modern Nuremberg pageant.

Riefenstahl's film won a gold medal at the Venice Film Festival. It was followed by her classic documentary, Olympia, a four-hour epic released in two parts, which was devoted to the Berlin Olympic Games. It received its gala premiere on 20 April 1938, to mark Adolf Hitler's forty-ninth birthday. Riefenstahl's Olympic films, widely admired for their technical innovation and accomplishment, were awarded first prize at the Venice Biennale and were also honoured by the International Olympic Committee in 1948.

After the fall of the Third Reich, Riefenstahl was one of the few leading figures in the German film industry to suffer for her past glorification of Nazism. She vigorously denied all accusations of romantic involvement or political complicity with Hitler. In recent years, her continuing interest in primitive peoples and their natural environment has found a new outlet in her photographic work during various expeditions to Africa. This has resulted in two remarkable books of photography, The Last of the Nuba and The People of Kau. In the 1990s there has been a resurgence of interest in Leni Riefenstahl, following the publication of her memoirs and the screening of a documentary film in 1994 about her and her cinematic work, entitled The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl.

http://www.leni-riefenstahl.de/eng/index.html

http://www.dead-or-alive.org/dead.ns...efenstahl+Leni

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Heroes don´t always last too long, do they?

Air Chief Marshal
Lord Hugh Dowding

http://www.mindef.gov.sg/safti/pointer/Vol28_2/11.html

In a stunning blow to Dowding, he was sacked as the C-in-C, Fighter Command, in Nov 1940, shortly after the Battle of Britain was won. There had been a clash between his two Group Commanders, Air Vice Marshal Keith Park, Commander of Group 11, and Air Vice Marshal Leigh-Mallory, Commander of Group 12, the two principal Groups fighting the battle, over the issue of fighting tactics. Dowding, being closely allied with Park, was caught in the midst of this controversy. Leigh Mallory apparently had the support of the Air Ministry, which called a meeting to discuss Dowding's handling of the battle. Shortly after the meeting, Dowding was told abruptly to relinquish his command, and Park was to follow suit soon after.

It seems curious that a victorious commander of one of the decisive battles of World War Two was denied an award normally given out to war heroes and at the same time be dismissed from his command. The situation was not helped by Dowding's own reticent and reserved character, which had in fact earned him the nickname of 'stuffy' early on in his career. Although the issue of his dismissal had often been criticised by the press, Dowding himself had refused to comment. The recognition owed him was finally given in 1943, three years after the Battle of Britain was fought and won. He was honoured with a baronetcy.

He died on 15 February 1970, aged 87.

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In November 1940 Dowding was dismissed from his post with a simple, cursory telephone call from the Air Ministry saying, "The Air Council has no further work for you." He was asked to clear his desk within 24 hours and was sent to the USA to serve in the Ministry of Aircraft Production. A fine thankyou indeed from a grateful nation. All that was missing was a slap in the face with a wet kipper.

http://www.firstfoot.com/Great%20Scot/dowding.htm

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The Dowding letter that saved RAF forces and eventually lead to victory at BoB


http://www.battleofbritain.net/secti...pendix-10.html

The Fairy Battle and the Bristol Blenheim bombers that had originally been sent to France in the September of 1939 mainly to support the British Expeditionary Force were to prove ineffective and were totally outclassed by the German fighters. Knowing this, the Air Ministry considered sending the more effective Wellington and Whitely bombers, but the bulk of the decision makers were quite adamant that this was out of the question. The bombers were to stay in England for a strategic offensive that was "if required" to operate from their English bases.

So, the Fairy Battle single engined light bomber's which although belonging to Bomber Command along with the Blenheim, were under the control Sir Arthur Barratt who was the RAF AOC in France who had control of all aircraft. These were supported by just six squadrons of Hurricane fighters which totalled 96 and a few Gloster Gladiators. This small air force was up against the might of the advancing German Luftwaffe who with a commanding strength and with exceptional co-ordination constantly strafed and bombed Allied airfields and British and French troop concentrations, and like a swift, well oiled machine the Germans made a rapid advance through France.

At the beginning of the German advance, Barratt had nothing but disillusionment. Thirty-two Battles took off to curb the German advance, but thirteen of these were destroyed and eighteen suffered severe damage. 600 Squadron (Blenheim's) took off on a routine patrol of Waalhaven, and only one returned intact. On the 12th May 1940 five Battles were despatched to destroy the Bridges at Maastricht, not one of them returned, all had been destroyed. The sad story continued on May 14th, when 71 Battles took off, again on a routine bombing mission, only thirty one returned, forty had been destroyed. The next day on the 15th, Barratt tallied up the amount of aircraft destroyed, an astounding 205 light bombers and fighter aircraft had been destroyed and not even a month had passed.

The French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud made a personal appeal to Churchill. "If we are to win this battle, which might be decisive for the whole war, it is necessary to send at once at least ten more squadrons. This had put pressure on the War Cabinet in London who had already sent four additional squadrons of Hurricanes on May 12th with a further 32 aircraft the very next day. Churchill knew that one day, maybe sooner than later, the war will have reached Britain, and was insistent about supporting the British and French armies and doing all in his power in saving the Battle of France. The longer he could hold France, the more time Britain had to build her defences. Delaying the German advance was therefore of prime importance.

Dowding was informed of Churchill's intentions. He studied the forces that had already been despatched to France, he already knew that for the successful defence of Britain he would require fifty-two squadrons, this had already been depleted by the aircraft that had already been sent to France, in actual fact, he was now down to a mere thirty-six squadrons. His fears were written by way of a letter indicating the perilous position he would be placed in if this request for more fighter aircraft be sent to France. He handed the letter to his Chief Civil Servant for delivery to the War cabinet. "You know that Churchill will have to read this" to which a rather unbemused Dowding simply replied, "I know.......thats why I wrote it".

Hugh Dowding was summoned to the War Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street on 15th May. Also there was Sir Archibald Sinclair who had been recently appointed as the new Air Minister, Lord Beaverbrook who had just received his appointment as Minister for Aircraft Production and Sir Cyril Newhall who was the Chief of Air Staff. "Dowding" said Churchill in his usual low toned voice, " you know that this now puts us in a very precarious position with France, I have.......made a commitment to the French Prime Minister......that not only must we give France all the support that we can......but we must support our own forces fighting in that country". Dowding remained unmoved, almost withdrawn, " I am well aware of the situation Prime Minister, but my task at hand is for the air defence of this country and it is my belief that I cannot achieve this if half my aircraft are in France".

Dowding went on to produce documents that showed the Hurricane losses since they were first despatched, and explained in considerable length that if these losses continued at this same rate, not only would he be in short supply of fighter aircraft, but of pilots as well. "We are losing aircraft at far quicker rate than we can produce them" he went on and again further emphasized the point that the thirty-six squadrons that he now had at his disposal was no where near enough for a successful defence of Britain. "We need more aircraft, and more pilots to fly them"

The following day, the 16th, Churchill flew to Paris for yet another meeting with Paul Reynaud. Again, the French Prime Minister requested help stating that unless he got it, France would fall to the Germans far sooner than he would have anticipated. He (Churchill) immediately telephoned the War Cabinet in London to request that another six squadrons of Hurricane fighters be despatched at once claiming that Dowding had informed him that only twenty-five squadrons would be required in the event that they would be needed to defend Britain. If six squadrons were sent, then that would still leave enough of a safety margin for the defence of Britain.

When the Cabinet received Churchills request, Sir Cyril Newhall informed the Cabinet of Churchills commitment on saving the Battle of France, and further mentioned Dowding's fears if the air strength of Britain was to be reduced. A compromising solution was reached. Six Hurricane squadrons would be sent to France, but they were to operate from bases situated on the Northern French coastal strip bordering the Channel. This way they it would be possible for them to return to bases back in England each night, give added strength to the French campaign and could easily be withdrawn back to Britain should the occasion arise.

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Between September 3, 1939, when World War11 began, and December 7, 1941, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbour, the United States gradually abandoned its policy of strict neutrality and moved to all-out war on the Allied side.

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Qu...433/arsen.html

1.Cash and Carry.Immediately after war broke out in Europe, President Roosevelt asked Congress to ease the arms embargo so that arms could be sold to Britain and France. The Neutrality Act of 1939: (1) permitted belligerents to purchase materials of war on a cash and carry basis and (2) banned American merchant ships from travelling in war zones, as designated by the President. Cash and Carry actually aided Britain and France, because their financial resources and control of the seas enabled them to buy war materials in the United States and to carry such goods in their own ships. It marked a shift from isoloation to pro-Allied neutrality.

2.Beginning of Active Aid to the Allies.The quick and unexpected fall of France to the Nazis in 1940 shocked most Americans out of their complacent attitude. They no longer were so sure that they could "sit this one out" as a neutral. President Roosevelt became convinced that Germany could not be permitted to become the dominate power in Europe, even if this meant direct American aid to Britain and France. Public opinion gradually shifted to support of "all-out aid short of war." Several significant developments in 1940 and 1941 indicated growing concern and increasing involvement.

A)The Draft.In September, 1940, after intensive debate, Congress adopted the first peacetime draft in American history. The draft law made men between the ages of 21 and 35 liable for military service for one year

B)The Destroyers for Bases Deal.In September, 1940, President Roosevelt also announced that the United States would exchange 50 overage destroyers for 99 year leases on British sea and air bases in the Western Hemisphere (particularly in the Caribbean region and in Newfoundland).

C)Re-election of Roosevelt in 1940

3.The Lend-Lease Act (March, 1941)

4.Undeclared Naval War With Germany
In May, 1941, the United States established bases in Greenland and Iceland to help protect British and American convoys that were carrying goods and armaments to Britain.
In the same month, Germany announced that American naval assistance to Britain would bring retaliation.

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