their Big Brothers over Germany. In August,
1943, the P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft, equipped
with drop tanks, were able to accompany the
bombers to a distance of approximately 375nm,
which roughly corresponded to the area of
Frankfurt am Main, Hanover, or Kassel. This, of
course, provided that they did not get into a fight
with German fighters. Any significant change
in the flight regime, let alone the necessity of
premature jettisoning of the extra tanks, of
course significantly shortened their range. The
P-38 had a greater range and in December 1943
they were able to scrape the area of “Big B”,
Berlin itself (approx. 520 nm). However, their
combat capabilities at that time were already
significantly behind the newer versions of the
Luftwaffe’s main fighter types, the Bf 109G-6
and Fw 190A-5 and their following variants.
Only the P-51B and C, which appeared in Europe
at the turn of 1943 / 1944, were able to escort
bombers deeper over the Reich itself and the
center of Europe. Significantly better protection
of the bombers was provided by the P-51D,
which entered service during the summer of
1944. These were not only able to escort the
bombers to the vast majority of their targets
on the continent, but in several cases of special
operations of the Frantic type, they protected
their Big Brothers taking off from their home
bases in Great Britain up to the region of Poltava
and Mirgorod in Ukraine (approximately 1,300
nm).
As the Luftwaffe’s ability to respond to
American raids weakened, the role of escort
fighters shifted partly to ground attack.
American aviators destroyed locomotives,
substations, German planes on the ground, river
boats and other means of transport. In essence,
everything that could even remotely appear to
be a target of military importance had to be on
the lookout for the hunters' thirst
Protecting the bombers from Luftwaffe
aircraft remained a priority task, as long as
there was something to protect them from.
However, the impression that the German air
force was already completely defeated could
be very dangerous. This was especially true
in the closing months of the war, when Me 262
jets began to appear more and more regularly
among the intercepting fighters, which in classic
combat were a difficult opponent even for
Mustang pilots. Unfortunately for the Germans,
realizations regarding the conduct of the war
came too late. “Jets” became the prestigious
hunting trophy of many USAAF fighters.
It will probably remain an eternal topic of
historical debate, which weapon, vehicle or
aircraft primarily provided the Allies with the
opportunity to end the war in Europe by the
spring of 1945 and which element thus ensured
the air supremacy necessary for victory.
Among the main favorites of the debates will
12
INFO Eduard
Photo: Public Domain
HISTORY
339th FG´s P-51 escorts a damaged B-17 returning from enemy territory.
understandably be the planes participating in
the strategic bombing of German war industry
and transport. And even among proponents of
this theory, there will be differences of opinion
as to whether these were the four-engined
B-17s and B-24s, or their “Little Friends”. Even
if the final answer were to be the four-engined
heavies, it is quite certain that without their
“little brothers” and among them the P-51D, they
would never have been able to do their job.
Sources:
- Maurer Maurer: Combat Squadrons of the Air Force
– World War II, Office of Air Force History, HQ USAF,
1982
- Maurer Maurer: Air Force Combat Units of World
War II, Office of Air Force History, HQ USAF, 1983
- Archives of the Air Battle over the Ore Mountains,
September 11th, 1944 in Kovářská
- US National Archives and Records Administration,
College Park, Maryland; Unit Histories, Reports and
Mission Orders
- Proposed plans for organization of the Eight Air
Force, HQ EIGHT AIR FORCE, March 1944
- Eight Air Force – Tactical development August 1943
– May 1945, AAF Evaluation Board, 1945
- Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
- Color profiles and emblem of the 8th Air Force –
Jan Zdiarský
July 2023