Was the Luftwaffe the best?

By the beginning of World War II, the Luftwaffe was arguably the best air force in the world, and its robust role within the combined-arms strategy utilized by German military planners allowed for the use of blitzkrieg tactics against overmatched Allied armies.

Why was the Luftwaffe so good?

The Luftwaffe, at the beginning of the war, was the premier air force in the world. They were well trained, had excellent planes, an effective tactical doctrine, and Hitler's intervention in Spain had actual combat experience.

Was Luftwaffe the best in ww2?

In 1943, the Luftwaffe was at peak strength against American bombers. The pilots flying the ME-109s and FW-190s were professionals—the best in the world. Some of the German pilots had been flying in combat since 1936. Many had dozens of aerial victories; some had over 100.

Was the Luftwaffe any good?

When World War II began in 1939, the Luftwaffe was one of the most technologically advanced air forces in the world. During the Polish Campaign that triggered the war, it quickly established air superiority, and then air supremacy. It supported the German Army operations which ended the campaign in five weeks.

Was the Luftwaffe better than the RAF?

The RAF proved to be a better combat force than the Luftwaffe in almost every respect. The decisive factors were British capability and determination, but German mistakes, before and during the battle, contributed significantly to the outcome.

Luftwaffe's Finest: Who Were Nazi Germany's Elite Fighter Aces? | Fighter Aces | Timeline

Who was the deadliest Luftwaffe pilot?

While serving in Germany's Luftwaffe in World War II, Erich Hartmann flew more than 1,400 missions in the Messerschmitt Bf 109, enabling him to score an astonishing 352 kills.

Who had the strongest air force in ww2?

By the beginning of World War II, the Luftwaffe was arguably the best air force in the world, and its robust role within the combined-arms strategy utilized by German military planners allowed for the use of blitzkrieg tactics against overmatched Allied armies.

Why did the Luftwaffe fail at Dunkirk?

There was an overdependence on dive-bombing

Dive-bombing was fine when the Luftwaffe controlled air space and when attacking a fixed target, but as Dunkirk had shown, it wasn't so effective when targets such as ships were moving or when British fighters were waiting to pounce.

Why did the Luftwaffe lose?

By the end of 1941 the Luftwaffe had been reduced to just 30–40% of their original strength. The winter weather and the snow caused damage to aircraft, as engines seized and the oil and fuel froze inside the tanks. The Luftwaffe was losing as many aircraft damaged than in combat.

Why did the Luftwaffe fail at Stalingrad?

The air supply mission failed. Appalling weather conditions, technical failures, heavy Soviet anti-aircraft fire and fighter interceptions led to the loss of 488 German aircraft. The Luftwaffe failed to achieve even the maximum supply capacity of 117 tons that it was capable of.

What was the most feared plane in ww2?

Junkers Ju87 Widely known as the “Stuka”, the Ju87 was one of the most feared aircraft during World War Two. It had a fearsome siren which terrified those who heard it.

What pilot has the most kills in history?

Erich Hartmann, with 352 official kills the highest scoring fighter pilot of all time.

What was the most durable fighter in ww2?

The P-47 was one of the toughest Allied planes during WWII and had the most firepower from its eight . 50 caliber guns in its wings (3,400 rounds.) It was even more effective as a ground attack aircraft; it was capable of carrying as much as 3,000 pounds of external ordnance.

Who had the best pilots in ww2?

So the list with top kills is actually extremely dominated by Nazi German fighter aces, with the top Allied pilot being Lev Shestakov with 66 kills ranks as 231. So the top 230 fighter pilot aces are ALL axis power pilots. Below the top 30 fighter aces of WWII, so you get an idea of the German scores.

Who defeated the German Luftwaffe?

The pilots of RAF Fighter Command, flying iconic aircraft including the Hurricane and Spitfire, were supported by a vast network of ground crew during the battle. Ultimately, the Luftwaffe was defeated by Fighter Command, forcing Adolf Hitler to abandon his invasion plans.

Could the Luftwaffe have won the Battle of Britain?

Luftwaffe 'could have won Battle of Britain if they attacked earlier,' new study suggests. Germany's Luftwaffe could have won the Battle of Britain if they had attacked earlier and focused on bombing airfields, a new study has suggested.

How many people were killed by the Luftwaffe?

More than 40,000 civilians were killed by Luftwaffe bombing during the war, almost half of them in the capital, where more than a million houses were destroyed or damaged.

Why was Britain so weak in ww2?

In particular, there was a lack of home defences, especially against bombing. The heads of Britain's armed forces consistently warned Chamberlain that Britain was too weak to fight.

Why didn't Germany invade England?

Either way, the German navy did not have enough ships or submarines to dominate the channel and this was one of the main reasons why Hitler was hesitating to invade Britain.

What was the mistake at Dunkirk?

The British retreat to Dunkirk was controversial. But poor planning, intelligence, leadership, and communications had left the Allies in a desperate situation. Prime minster Winston Churchill had promised the French that the BEF would play its part in a coordinated counterattack against the German flank.

What were the weaknesses of the Luftwaffe?

Its lack of heavy bombers made it difficult to inflict strategically significant damage on British targets. The Luftwaffe's fighter force had no effective method of plotting the positions of Fighter Command aircraft and also lacked any means of ground-to-air control of its machines.

What plane did German pilots fear the most?

They called it a 'fork-tailed devil. ' Key point: The P-38 was a forerunner of modern multi-role fighters.

Who had the best anti air in ww2?

The Swedish-designed rapid-fire Bofors 40-mm gun was the most widely used antiaircraft weapon of World War II. In the 1939–45 conflict, the Bofors was in the arsenal of most Allied and Axis nations and in all theaters of the war.

What is the longest air battle in history?

The air battle of Mansoura was an air battle that took place during the Yom Kippur War between the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) and the Israeli Air Force (IAF) near the town of El Mansoura, in the Nile Delta.