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
"...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"
It can be said of any side Dave, "Face Value" but it makes for good reading... :silly: Looking forward to those quotes mate... i:
Red Army Pilots: 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/photopos.../2434/cat/518/sortby/v/sorttime/9999/way/desc
