Yea but even if the ground forces where retreating doesnt meen the LW was dead. By the time the P51B/D came to service the LW still had many good pilots. Most of the fights where over the channel and some over france tell the P51 came and downed many good LW pilots over their own country. 100s of bombers and 1000 of bomber pilots and gunners where saved due to the P51 being able to escort them all the way and back.