Originally posted by -aper-:
Widewing
You may know that most of Russians aircraft factories were evacuated from western territories of Russia to Ural (Siberia) in the end of 1941. Nevertheless in 1942 the production of aircrafts increased drastically.
As was mentioned in other posts, the range to the Soviet fighter plants was substantially greater. Indeed, this did exceed the range of the B-17 with effective bomb loads (please remember that the B-17 was not originally designed to be a heavy bomber, but more of a long range medium bomber). However, the B-24 could range out considerably further, with a greater bomb load (1,200 - 1,500 miles combat radius with 5,000 lbs of bombs). The major threat to the Soviets would have been the Lancaster and the superlative B-29. From Bases in China, India, Europe and the Middle East, these heavy bombers could reach any location within the Soviet Union. I should also point out that the B-32 Dominator would have continued in production, replacing the B-24.
I should also mention that the best years of Soviet aircraft production were those in which Lend-Lease material were being delivered. Nonetheless, American aircraft production capacity was nearly 3 times that of the USSR, excluding British capability, which was about 80% of the Soviets maximum. This includes heavy bombers, which the Soviets were not building. As you must realize, the Heavy bombers consume 6 to 8 times more manhours and material than fighters. So, it is obvious that U.S. industry could produce a great many more aircraft than the Soviets, who would not longer be supplemented by western aircraft.
Someone else asked questions how much avgas was being imported via Lend-Lease. I will have to dig out my materials on this to be specific, and will post that data here shortly. But, rest assured that the total of all equipment and material supplied to the USSR during the war remarkable. IIRC, this total was nearly three times greater than that produced by Japan between 1939 and 1945. However, we can look to Marshall
Zhukov for insight to the value of American Lend-Lease to the Soviet Union's survival.
Quoting Zhukov:
"Speaking about our readiness for war from the point of view of the economy and economics, one cannot be silent about such a factor as the subsequent help from the Allies. First of all, certainly, from the American side, because in that respect the English helped us minimally. In an analysis of all facets of the war, one must not leave this out of one’s reckoning. We would have been in a serious condition without American gunpowder, and could not have turned out the quantity of ammunition which we needed. Without American ‘Studebekkers’ [sic] (trucks), we could have dragged our artillery nowhere. Yes, in general, to a considerable degree they provided our front transport. The output of special steel, necessary for the most diverse necessities of war, were also connected to a series of American deliveries."
Moreover, Zhukov underscored that "we entered war while still continuing to be a backward country in an industrial sense in comparison with Germany. Simonov’s truthful recounting of these meetings with Zhukov, which took place in 1965 and 1966, are corraborated by the utterances of G. Zhukov, recorded as a result of eavesdropping by security organizations beginning in 1963:
"It is now said that the Allies never helped us . . . However, one cannot deny that the Americans gave us so much material, without which we could not have formed our reserves and **could not have continued the war ** . we had no explosives and powder. There was none to equip rifle bullets. The Americans actually came to our assistance with powder and explosives. And how much sheet steel did they give us... We really could not have quickly put right our production of tanks if the Americans had not helped with steel. And today it seems as though we had all this ourselves in abundance."
You may also know that in 1944 the production of Me-109s and Fw-190s reached amazing numbers per month (as well as new Jets were put into mass production) and it was the time when Allied bombers were extremely succesfull in flattening German cities.
I would not call German production
amazing at all. It was still only a fraction of the total being produced in the U.S. during that time. Moreover, we know that the quality of later war German aircraft was far below the standard of pre-1943 aircraft. This is because quality control fell off rapidly under the stress of bombing and the decentralizing of the production facilities. Besides, it takes but a few days to produce an aircraft, but it takes months to produce a pilot. Likewise, it takes 18 years for a man to mature to military age. It takes several more months to train him. In contrast, it takes but 5 seconds to manufacture the bullet that kills him. Indeed, survivability is the greatest asset. Maintaining your trained and skilled manpower was the one of the most important aspects of waging war in the mid 20th century.
One other point that is indicative of U.S. manufacturing capacity. During the war, the U.S. manufactured over 9,000 surface ships exceeding a displacement of 1,500 tons. The USSR produced less than 110. The Soviets depended upon others navys and ships to deliver the Lend-Lease material. They concentrated their efforts on tanks and artillery. Remarkably, the U.S. produced more tanks in 1942 and 1943 than the USSR did. In fact, entire Soviet Tank Brigades were equipped with American M-4s. Where the Soviets really impress is in the number of artillery tubes produced. Typically, the USSR produced twice as many as both the U.S. and Britain combined. It is facinating to study the weapons manufactured, as it enables one to better understand the type of war each nation believed that it needed, or was required to fight.
My regards,
Widewing
[This message has been edited by Widewing (edited 03-24-2001).]
