The 8th Comes OverBy Summer 1943 the North African campaign was over and the build-up in Britain was renewed. Targets were switched to the aircraft, ball bearing and oil production centers. Unfortunately enemy defences had also been reinforced so that by the end of 1943 there were three times as many fighters opposing the 8th AF than there were in January 1943. The Luftwaffe were also constantly inventing new tactics to damage the bomber formations.
In mid 1942 38 percent of German fighters were on the western front but by Spring 1943 this rose to 45 percent. The Eastern front figures for the same period fell from 43 percent to only 27 percent. The B-17s and B-24s had extra armour and forward firing turrets added and some of the fiercest battles occurred in Autumn 1943. One year after that first raid on Rouen a massive two-pronged attack was mounted against Schweinfurt, where half of Germany's ball bearings were produced, and the Regensburg Messerschmitt factory. On 17 August 1943 the 1st and 3rd Bomb Divisions launched 367 B-17s and faced almost continuous opposition on route 60 bombers were lost or 16 percent of the total launched. Schweinfurt was attacked again on 14 October 1943 with 291 planes and 67 B-17s were destroyed. Just over the Dutch border their escorts turned back at maximum range and 300 Luftwaffe fighters attacked, resulting in 23 percent losses. Such losses were unsustainable and these deep penetration raids were stopped. However enemy fighter production had been cut in half and Luftwaffe turnover was 150 percent in 1943 with 3000 trained pilots lost. Their average battle strength was 2100 pilots and machines. It is possible to see from today's perspective that the Luftwaffe was now declining in numbers and quality whilst the vast fully mobilised and attack-free American economy was still turning out B-17s and B-24s in growing numbers. The bombing also caused immense enemy resources to be devoted to air defence, estimated to amount to one million men and 31,000 guns, that otherwise could have been at the front lines. The USAAF knew that the bombers needed fighter escorts and efforts were extended to increase their range. External droptanks were added to the P-47s. In late 1943 P-38Hs with drop tanks arrived in numbers, as well as the first P-38Js arriving in December.
On 3 November 1943 the 8th AF flew its first 500 bomber raid and devastated the port of Wilhelmshaven.The longer legs of the Thunderbolts and Lightnings gave JG-1 quite a wakeup call as the heavies took advantage of fighter escort for the first time during the last leg of the route. Naturally the Luftwaffe was unaware that the USAAF possessed a fighter that could reach this far into occupied Europe and reacted to the bomber force as it had done in the past. JG-1 sent up a mixed force of Bf-109Gs and Fw-190As to intercept the Americans over Holland. By the time the action had finished the Luftwaffe fighters had not only failed to inflict significant damage on the bombers, they themselves had been badly mauled. Thirteen fighters were reported lost by JG-1 during this engagement (four Fw-190As and nine Bf-109Gs). P-47 pilots of the 4th, 56th and 78th accounted for six German fighters leaving the remaining seven to the P-38s of the 55th FG. By 13 December they could send 649 bombers to Bremen, Hamburg and Kiel, and 763 to Frankfurt in January. Notice was served that the air war over Europe was now entering a much more difficult phase for the Luftwaffe fighter force.
This setup is focused on the Fall 1943/Early Winter 1944.The P51 is yet to make it's impact. P-47Ds from the 4th 56th 78th 352nd 355th Fighter Groups and P-38Hs and Js from the 20th 55th and 479th Fighter Groups using drop tanks do their best to protect 8th AF Bombers from the Luftwaffe. Channel based Jagdgeschwaders JG-2 JG-3 JG-26 and JG-27 along with the defenders of the Dutch and German North Sea coastlines JG-1 and JG-11 are forced to deal with the new threat of long range escorts when intercepting the USAAF B-17s and B-24s.
Setup:
Allied= Bishops.
Aircraft:
B-17
B-24
B-26
B-25H
P-47D11
P-38G (P-38H sub)
P-38J
GVs
M-16
Axis= Knights
Aircraft:
BF-109G2
BF-109G6
BF-110G2
FW-190A5
GVs
Ostwind
ARENA SETTINGS
MAP: BOB09
Bombsight Main Arena Mode
Killshooter is on.
Visibility is 12.0 miles
Fuel burn rate is 1.0
Ack settings are .25
Base capture: None
Radar (1943-med)
Sector 105600
Tower 52800
Enemy Icons Off
Friendly Icons 3K
