Production times for Aircraft in WW2

[iTunes]

Hi guys 
I was reading about the Allied Air raids over Germany and it got me thinking about how on earth did the Axis powers manufacture anything? When you see the photos of the desctruction the Bombers made, It makes you wonder.
And what sort of production times where the Axis pushing for gettting an Aircraft from the Factory to the front lines?

[Fencer51]

The used railway tunnels, old mines, and alot of other underground locations.  Even at the last the Germans were turning out alot of fighters.

[MiloMorai]

This is just for new built 109s.

1944
Jan - 932 > 30/day average   
Feb - 715 > 24.7/day average   
Mar - 804   
Apr - 1006   
May - 1065
June - 1230
Jul - 1043
Aug - 1374
Sept - 1718
Oct -   1793 > 57.8/day average
Nov -   1558
Dec -   1147

1945
Jan - 1221
Feb -   876
Mar -   716

Total - 17017 for 456 days or 37.3 per day average or 1.56 a/c per hr average

I'll let you do the calculations for the other months.

The K-4 was produced for 7 months. In that time 1593 had been produced. That is an average of 227.6 per month.

Mtt Regensburg produced 3812 in 14 months (Jan 44 to Feb 45) or an average of 272.3 per month.

Bf 109 Neubau                                                
Subtype   Factory   1944                                    1945   > Totals
      Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul    Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec   Jan   Feb   Mar   
G 5   Erla   50   63   56   6   2   *   *   *   60   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 237
G 5/R2   Erla   Scheduled-not built   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   >    0
G 6   Mttr   430   309   135   343   550   659   662   260   242   50   53   109   1   9   *   > 3812
G 6   Erla   291   270   203   200   319   300   305   *   *   106   295   *   64   *   *   > 2353
G 6   WNF   Scheduled-not built                                    > 0
G 6/R2   WNF   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   130   *   2   *   >    132
G 6/U2   Erla   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   38   3   1   1   *   *   *   >   43
G 6/U4   WNF   119   51   303   404   118   144   240   33   40   14   *   *   *   *   >    1466
G 6/U4   Györ   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   16   15   *   *   *   *   *   >    31
G 6AS   Mttr   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   1   *   *   *   *   *   >    1
Ga 6   Györ   42   6   50   14   17   17   30   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 176
G 8   WNF   *   16   57   39   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 112
G 8/R5   WNF   *   *   *   *   59   110   111   208   92   77   21   67   *   63   107   > 915
G 8/R5   GYör   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   29   2   *   *   *   *   *      > 31
G 8/U3   WNF   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   1   *   *   *   *      > 1
G 10   Erla      *   *   *      *   *   *   *   1   52   279   67   103   38   4   > 544
G 10   Mttr      *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   4   108   62   3   *   *   > 177
G 10/R6   Erla   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   49   191   269   178   284   > 971
G 10/U4   WNF   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   129   132   95   > 356
G 14   Mttr      *   *   *   *   *   *   440   144   30   59   11   1   157   47   > 889
G 14   Erla      *   *   *   *   *   *   232   472   339   25   *   78   *   *   > 1146
G 14/U4   WNF   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   59   148   219   98   56   11   2   >    593
G 14/U4   GYör   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   32   *   *   *   *   *   >    32
G 14/U4   KöB   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   9   20   *   *   *      29
G 14AS   Mttr   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   303   379   101   203   211   62   11   > 1270
G 14AS   Erla   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   95   9   3   *   *   *      > 107
K 2   Erla   Scheduled-not built   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 0
K 2   WNF   Scheduled-not built   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 0
K 3   Erla   Scheduled-not built   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 0
K 3/R2   Erla   Scheduled-not built *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   >    0
K 4   Mttr      *   *   *   *   *   *   *   15   293   221   325   338   233   168   > 1593
   Totals   932   715   804   1006   1065   1230   1043   1374   1718   1793   1558   1147   1221   876   716   > 17017

[Rich46yo]

1, They were Germans. Ever been to Germany?

2, They used slave labor, and stolen resources, from an entire Industrialized continent they over-ran.

3, Albert Speer. The man was an organizational genius. He wrote a book that is must reading for anyone interested in the war.

The really fascinating thing is the fact that German production didn't even begin fully mobilizing for war until 1942. Hitler gave Speer vast power over war production and he turned out to be the right guy at the right time for the Nazi war machine.

Add to that the fact that reducing such a vast Industrialized empire was a tall order for Yank and Brit bomber crews whom were also basically inventing the doctrine of the strategic air offensive at the very same time they were fighting it. They had to deal with a lot of bad weather, fierce opposition, and lastly the fact that dropping bombs from 25,000' in B-17s, while your being shot at, wasn't exactly precision work.

We tend to view history thru the foggy lenses of modern times. Nowdays we can send 100 bombers in, each armed with dozens of 2,000 lb JDAMs, and wreck any kind of target or Industrial base. Back then it was far harder to do.

But the real answer to your question would be the reorganization/mobilization of German industry under Albert Speer.

[Fencer51]

They would have been better off to centralize their production in what worked as well.  They spent alot of effort amd manufacturing to build an attachment to thee MP40/MP43/MP44 which allowed them to be shot around corners...

[Masherbrum]

Speer?   

The ONLY book to be read is this one:

"The Rise and Fall of the Luftwaffe: The Life of Field Marshal Erhard Milch".   If you've read it, you know what I mean, if you haven't, get it.

[choppit]

This is just for new built 109s.

1944
Jan - 932 > 30/day average   
Feb - 715 > 24.7/day average   
Mar - 804   
Apr - 1006   
May - 1065
June - 1230
Jul - 1043
Aug - 1374
Sept - 1718
Oct -   1793 > 57.8/day average
Nov -   1558
Dec -   1147

1945
Jan - 1221
Feb -   876
Mar -   716

Total - 17017 for 456 days or 37.3 per day average or 1.56 a/c per hr average

I'll let you do the calculations for the other months.

The K-4 was produced for 7 months. In that time 1593 had been produced. That is an average of 227.6 per month.

Mtt Regensburg produced 3812 in 14 months (Jan 44 to Feb 45) or an average of 272.3 per month.

Bf 109 Neubau                                                
Subtype   Factory   1944                                    1945   > Totals
      Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul    Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec   Jan   Feb   Mar   
G 5   Erla   50   63   56   6   2   *   *   *   60   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 237
G 5/R2   Erla   Scheduled-not built   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   >    0
G 6   Mttr   430   309   135   343   550   659   662   260   242   50   53   109   1   9   *   > 3812
G 6   Erla   291   270   203   200   319   300   305   *   *   106   295   *   64   *   *   > 2353
G 6   WNF   Scheduled-not built                                    > 0
G 6/R2   WNF   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   130   *   2   *   >    132
G 6/U2   Erla   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   38   3   1   1   *   *   *   >   43
G 6/U4   WNF   119   51   303   404   118   144   240   33   40   14   *   *   *   *   >    1466
G 6/U4   Györ   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   16   15   *   *   *   *   *   >    31
G 6AS   Mttr   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   1   *   *   *   *   *   >    1
Ga 6   Györ   42   6   50   14   17   17   30   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 176
G 8   WNF   *   16   57   39   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 112
G 8/R5   WNF   *   *   *   *   59   110   111   208   92   77   21   67   *   63   107   > 915
G 8/R5   GYör   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   29   2   *   *   *   *   *      > 31
G 8/U3   WNF   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   1   *   *   *   *      > 1
G 10   Erla      *   *   *      *   *   *   *   1   52   279   67   103   38   4   > 544
G 10   Mttr      *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   4   108   62   3   *   *   > 177
G 10/R6   Erla   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   49   191   269   178   284   > 971
G 10/U4   WNF   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   129   132   95   > 356
G 14   Mttr      *   *   *   *   *   *   440   144   30   59   11   1   157   47   > 889
G 14   Erla      *   *   *   *   *   *   232   472   339   25   *   78   *   *   > 1146
G 14/U4   WNF   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   59   148   219   98   56   11   2   >    593
G 14/U4   GYör   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   32   *   *   *   *   *   >    32
G 14/U4   KöB   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   9   20   *   *   *      29
G 14AS   Mttr   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   303   379   101   203   211   62   11   > 1270
G 14AS   Erla   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   95   9   3   *   *   *      > 107
K 2   Erla   Scheduled-not built   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 0
K 2   WNF   Scheduled-not built   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 0
K 3   Erla   Scheduled-not built   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   > 0
K 3/R2   Erla   Scheduled-not built *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   >    0
K 4   Mttr      *   *   *   *   *   *   *   15   293   221   325   338   233   168   > 1593
   Totals   932   715   804   1006   1065   1230   1043   1374   1718   1793   1558   1147   1221   876   716   > 17017

Milo, I'm just curious as to where you got this info. I've been looking for info relating to this.

Thanks, Choppit.

[MiloMorai]

choppit, it was in a thread on this board, http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=2462&highlight=bf+109+neubau&page=3

post #28

[choppit]

Thank you very much Milo.

[RTHolmes]

1944 Oct -   1793 > 57.8/day average

thats very impressive

[Rich46yo]

Speer?   

The ONLY book to be read is this one:

"The Rise and Fall of the Luftwaffe: The Life of Field Marshal Erhard Milch".   If you've read it, you know what I mean, if you haven't, get it.

Well obviously you read it but didn't even attempt to answer the question.

The original poster asked for more then just aircraft production. But even aircraft production depended on the centralized principles, managed by competent experts, in the component production chain, that Speer's improvisations made possible. ALL of German war production benefited by Speer's genius.

[Masherbrum]

Well obviously you read it but didn't even attempt to answer the question.

The original poster asked for more then just aircraft production. But even aircraft production depended on the centralized principles, managed by competent experts, in the component production chain, that Speer's improvisations made possible. ALL of German war production benefited by Speer's genius.

Wiki Erhard Milch.   Where do you think Speer "looked"?    Milch was the absolute backbone of the War Machine, but Hitler needed his hands in too many pies.   

[MiloMorai]

wiki

At the outbreak of World War II Milch, now with the rank of general, commanded a Luftwaffe wing during the Norwegian campaign. Following the defeat of France, Milch was promoted to field-marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) and given the title Air Inspector General. Milch was put in charge of the production of planes during this time, and his many mistakes were key to the loss of German air superiority as the war progressed[citation needed]. Due to changing the designs and aircraft requirements frequently, manufacturers like Messerschmitt were unable to focus on aircraft output. Germany produced fewer than 5,000 planes during 1942, whereas Russia increased its aircraft production to over 40,000, leading to a change of superiority on the Eastern Front. Interestingly, during 1944, when Allied bombers were razing German factories and cities, aircraft production moved up to over 40,000, comparable with the Soviets, but too late.

wiki

After Minister of Armaments and War Production Fritz Todt died in a plane crash in February 1942, Hitler appointed Speer as his successor to all of his posts.

Speer ranked higher than Milch.

[dtango]

I don't have time but to give a quick reply for the moment.  For an outstanding discourse on the German war economy I would highly recommend "The Wages of Destruction" by Adam Tooze.

According to Tooze the time to manufacture an airplane from raw material to finished aircraft was a minimum of 6 months.

Regarding German aircraft production... the wiki reference that Milo quoted is patently incorrect.  Milch is much more responsible for laying the groudwork for the increased production of aircraft than is Speers.

When I have more time I'll put together more details.

Tango, XO
412th FS Braunco Mustangs

[iTunes]

I am just astounded at those production numbers, To think that they actually Increased in 1944 is amazing, Like Rich said, they must have been using Factories all over Europe to sustain that level of production, I just wonder how the heck they transported the sheer volume of new Aircraft around and then got them to where they should be.