Existing comment:
Defending the Reich:
From June 1944, the air war over Germany had grown increasingly desperate for the Luftwaffe. As Allied forces on both the Eastern and Western fronts moved ever closer to the borders of Germany, the distances that had provided some protection to the cities and war industries diminished and disappeared. As Allied airpower grew, the power of the German Air Force was steadily drained away as it tried to defend the homeland against American fighters and fighter-bombers with long range capabilities roamed the skies over Germany, attacking targets of opportunity relentlessly -- particularly airfields and transportation systems. To make matters worse, the Luftwaffe had to deal with critical fuel shortages which curtailed operations, particularly the training of replacement pilots.
Despite this, the German Air Force continued to fight, employing new weapons and tactics to slow the advance of the Allied Air Forces. The formation of special units units new tactics was not uncommon. The Wilde Sau ("Wild Pig") units were formed to combat night bombing. The Sonderkommando Elbe ("Special Unit Elbe"), a unit formed to use ramming as a tactic, is one of the more radical examples. Even under these conditions, the German aircraft industry continued to produce new and innovative machines. In the latter half of 1944, the Germans began to deploy their jets and rocket-powered aircraft. However, this was a case of "too little, too late." These new aircraft could not be produced in the quantity necessary to address the Allied advantage. By the end of 1944, the winner of the war in Europe had been determined and none of the "wonder" weapons could change that fact. |