Quote:
Originally Posted by killabee
please explain...
|
Were there Mustangs over Berlin or Messerschmitts over Washington?
Relying on kill scores is the typical mistake most do. In the Allied AF, especially the USAAF, pilots were rotated and sent home after tours, and they racked up high scores in shorter periods. In the Luftwaffe, thanks to the pressure, pilots remained in the seat till they bought the valhalla express. Not to mention that most "aces" knocked up their tall scores against the Russians who were caught off guard and had poor training and equipment early on.
What matters is staying power- the USAAF dominated the air, they sent fighters deep into Germany all the way from the UK, and escorted their bombers which struck again and again and again. They were the clear victors.
No doubt the Germans fought back as much as they could, but if theres a victor, its the USAAF.
And the USAAF also fought against the Japanese.
It was the Germans who were foolish enough not to develop long range bombers and fighters, and they paid the price. Fancy technology is useless unless brought to the fight in sufficient numbers and at the right time. It was the USAAF which had the P-47s, P-51s, P-38s to escort the B-17s, B-24s, B-25s, B-26s and in the far east, the B-29s. Compare and contrast to the Luftwaffe, which for all its wunderweapons, persevered with the obsolete Stuka, could not rationalise its heavy fighter procurement and had junk for long range bombing. Its Me series fighters were too little too late.
The USAAF had a plan, and they implemented it, bombing Germany to smithereens. And the Luftwaffe couldnt stop them.
After DDay, Allied troops also had air superiority thanks to the USAAF and the RAF and the other nations. Again, the Luftwaffe couldnt stop them.
So who is the
victor?