A typical LW kill claim procedure, from Ruy Horta`s site :
Luftwaffe Claims Confirmation Proceedure
As noted on the Luftwaffe Scoring and Awards System page, "victory claims" and "points" were two seperate issues. Whenever an Abschuss (Destruction) of an enemy aircraft was claimed a strict proceedure was followed before the claim was allowed.
Following the policy of "one pilot-one kill", the investigating authorities would determine if the claiming pilot was solely responsible for the destruction of the enemy plane. Every Abschuss had to be observed by a witness: either a ground observer or the encounter, the pilot's wingman, or a Staffelmate. Witnesses were necessary unless the victor's aircraft had been fitted with a gun-camera and the destruction of the plane or the vanquished pilot's bailout had been recorded on film, if the wreckage of the downed pilot or other crew crew member had been captured by German forces. In effect: No witness or tangible evidence - no victory.
Every Abschuss had to be confirmed by the Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe or Commander in Chief of the Air Force. Jagdwaffe pilots were at all times required to note their geographical position as well as the type and number of the aircraft in enemy formations engaged. Naturally, the victor was required to log the exact time of a kill, while he maneuvered for a tactical advantage over the remaining enemy aircraft! In addition, he had to observe other actions in the air in order to be able to witness victories by his Staffelmates. Upon landing, the claimant prepared his Abschuss report for review by the immediate supervisory officer, who either endorsed or rejected the claim. If endorsed, the pilot's report to the Geschwaderstab, or Wing Staff, which, in turn, filed its report and sent both to the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM), or Air Ministry. After checking all the papers that were submitted, the official confirmation was prepared and sent to the unit. This very long bureaucratic proceedure sometimes took as long as a year! During 1944, another authority was created: the Abschusskommission, which received all reports on crashed aircraft remains found by search units. This commission checked conflicting claims between antiaircraft batteries and fighter pilots, and awarded credit for the victory to one claimant or the other. This system ensured that no more credits would be awarded than wrecks found.
The German system of confirming aerial victories was very effective in keeping human errors and weknesses within limits. Despite this, the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe, or Luftwaffe High Command, considered the large victory totals during the early days of the Russian campaign as incredulous. On many occasions, they accused the Jagdgeschwader Kommodores of exaggerating the victory scores. In effect Goering was calling the frontline pilots liars. This was one of the grievances that brought about the Mutiny of the Fighters, or the Kommodores' Revolt Conference, in Berlin during January, 1945.
When a German fighter pilot scored a victory, he would call "Horrido" on the radio. This distinctive announcement of victory alerted his fellow pilots to watch for a crash or a flamer, as well as notify ground stations, which helped to confirm many victories.
Typical Luftwaffe Combat Report
Copy
Gottlob, Oblt.
Base of Operation, on 23.6.1941
1./JG No. 26
Combat Report
Start:
20.11 hours (8:11 PM)
Mission:
Alarmstart (Scramble)
Landed:
21.04 hours (9:04 PM)
I flew as the protection Rotte of our Staffel, as our Saffelkapitaen engaged a Spitfire. Then I saw that three other Spitfires tried to get behind the Staffel. I engaged them with my Rotte. The Spitfires went into a tight turn. I turned also and climbed above them. I saw one Spitfire flying in a northwesterly direction. The Spitfire was over land at 19, 680 feet altitude. I flew behind him at a range of about 70 feet and the pilot did not take evasive action.
I fired all guns from the rear and below. I saw a lot of smoke and parts falling from his fuselage and wings. The plane climbed and slowed and rolled over the left wing. It rolled 2 or 3 times. Then the Spitfire dived down. I dived after it and fired again. I pulled out of my dive and gained altititude. I turned into a bank and saw the Spitfire hit the water.
The pilot did not emerge from his plane.
Gottlob
Typical Luftwaffe Air Witness Report
(English Version)
auf Deutsch (in German)
Copy
Priller, Oblt.
Base of Operations, on 23.6.1941
1./JG No. 26
Air witness report of victory by Oblt. Gottlob on 23.6.1941 (8:50 PM)
Oblt. Gottlob, flying in the 2 Rotte in my Scwarm warned me that I was being attacked from the rear. I went into a left turn while climbing and saw that my protection Rotte engaged more Spitfires at a higher altitude. I saw Oblt. Gottlob, who was alone, attacking a Spitfire from the rear and shooting at it. The plane belched black smoke and dived, and we followed behind it and watched it crash into the sea 26 miles northwest of Calais.
