Secret Weapons of The Luftwaffe

"Only the spirit of attack
born in a brave heart will

bring success to any fighter
aircraft, no matter how
highly developed it may be."
Luftwaffe General Adolf Galland
CREDITS
Created and Designed by Manual Written by Victor Cross

Lawrence Holland Additional Manual Contributions by
Programmed by Lawrence Holland Lawrence Holland, Mark Shepard,
and Peter Lincroft Williamson Murray, James Finnegan,
Artwork by Martin Cameron Walter Krupinski, Robert Davila, and
and Jam es McLeod Thomas Marsters
Original Music by Michael Land Manual Design and Layout by
Mark Shepard
Produced by Anthony Garcia Maps and Illustrations by Mark Shepard
Lucasfilm Games VP. and and Evana Gerstman
General Manager, Steve Arnold Additional Graphic Support from
Managing Director, Doug Glen Peter Di Venere and John Harris
Director of Operations, David Fox Copyediting by Francey Oscherwitz
Associate Director of Marketing, Package Design by Rick Strand
Kelly Flock Cover Painting by Greg Demeduc
Public Relations Manager, Betsy Irion
Marketing Manager, Stacey Lamiero Code Wheel Designed by Anthony Garcia
Print Production Manager, and Mark Shepard
Carolyn Knutson Nose Art by Avril Harrison, James Dollar,
Manufacturing Coordinator, Greg Hammond , and Lisa Star
Meredith Cahill Thanks to Larry Wilson, Photo Librarian at
Administrative Support, Wendy Bertram, the National Air and Space Museum
Alexa Eurich, Paula Hendricksen , All manual photos courtesy of the National
Lisa Star, and Debbie Ratto Air and Space Museum except where
Testing Manager, Kirk Roulstan noted
Thanks to all the other testers, including Special Thanks to George Lucas
Bret Barrett, Terry Bratcher, TMand 1990 LucasArts Entertainment
Mark Cartwright, Jim Current, Company. All rights reserved.
Ari Hollander, Mike Kerry, Kirk Lesser, Lucasfilm Games, PO Box 10307,
Judith Lucero, Bret Mogilefsky, San Rafael, California 94912 USA
Aaron Muszalski, Ezra Palmer-Persen,
David Popovich, Akilaj. Redmer, Darnen
Tripodi, Matt Wood
Test Pilots, Greg Hammond and
Noah Falstein
Preceding page: The prototype

of the Go 229, the Horten Ho IX,
being prepared for a test flight in
early 1945. This plane crashed on
its second flight because of
engine failure.
4 Secret Weapans of the Luftwaffe

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 7 Mission Instructions: Pre-Flight 83

How to Use This Manual 8 Loading Instructions 84
Acknowledgments 9 Game Controllers
(Mouse/Joystick/Keyboard) 84
Historical Overview I I
Using the Controller to Select
The "Grand Alliance" 12 from Menus and Directories 84
The RAF 's First Bombing Missions 14 Choosing Sides 85
The Americans Bring Controversy 16 Main Menu 86
Baptism by Fire 18 Flight School 87
The State of the Luftwaffe 20 Historical Missions 87
The Birth of the "Secret Weapons" 22 Custom Missions 89
The Casablanca Directive 24 Tour of Duty 89
"The Big League" 26 Starting, Continuing, and Viewing
The Trials of the Schwalbe 29 Records of a Tour of Duty 90
Operation Gomorrah 30 Tour of Duty Length 92
Carnage in the Skies 32 Flight Briefing 92
"Black Thursday"- Weapons Load Options 93
Return to Schweinfurt 36 Flight Roster 94
The Mus tang Arrives 3 9 Creating and Deleting
Hitler Blunders Again 40 Pilots and Crews 95
Gathering Strength for "Big Week" 42 Assigning Pilots and Crews 95
Preparation for Invasion 45 How to Have More
The Luftwaffe's Struggle for Survival 47 Successful Missions 96
D-Day 48 Campaign Battles 96
On the Brink of Defeat 51 Starting a Campaign 97
Dresden 55 The Campaign Map 97
Jagdverband 44 57 Directing the German
Conclusion 60 Fighter Defense 98
Interview with Professor Changing Production in
Williamson Murray 62 the German Economy 99
Directing the U.S.
Bombing Campaign 100
Creating and Modifying
Flight Groups 101
The Flight Group Menu 101
Creating a Flight Plan 102
Making Aircraft Unit Transfers 103
Campaign Results 104
Combat Records 105
Table of Contents 5
Mission Instructions: In-Flight 107 German and U .S.
Simulation Controls 109 Aircraft and Weapons 145
Pilot View Controls 109 German Secret Weapons Projects 146
Maneuvering Controls 111 German Aircraft:
Airplane Controls and Equipment 113 Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6
Engine Controls 113 and Bf 109G-l 0 Fighter 149
Weapons Controls 115 Focke-WulfFW 190A-5
Crew Position Controls and FW l 90A-8 Fighter 154
(Bomber Only) 115 Messerschmitt Me 163B-la
Gunner Position Controls Komet Fighter 158
(Bomber Only) 116 Messerschmitt Me 262A-la
Bombardier Controls (Bomber Only) 117 and Me 262A-2a Fighter 162
Using the Norden Bombsight 117 Gotha Go 229A-0 Fighter-Bomber 168
Cockpit Instruments 118 United States Aircraft:
View Indicators 118 Republic P-47C Thunderbolt
Flight Instruments 118 Fighter ("Razorback") 172
Airplane Control Indicators 119 Republic P-470 Thunderbolt
Engine Indicators 120 Fighter ("Razorback") 176
Weapons Indicators 121 North American P-51 B
Aircraft Operating Instructions 124 and P-51C Mustang Fighter 180
Flight Fundamentals 124 North American P-51 D
Aircraft Engines 124 Mustang Fighter 184
Stalling 127 Boeing B-l 7F and B-l 7G
Maneuvering 127 Flying Fortress Bomber 188
Takeoffs and Landings 129 German Airborne Weapons 194
Film Viewing Room 130 United States Airborne Weapons 197
Film Controls 130
Disk Menu 131 Combat Tactics 199
View Modes 131 General Fighter Tactics 200
Selecting Camera Positions Firing Weapons 202
and Tracked Objects 132 Fighter Formations 205
The View Window 134 Fighter versus Fighter Tactics 206
In-Flight Map 134 Fighters Attacking Bombers 209
Getting Information from Fighters Protecting Bombers 213
the In-Flight Map 134 Ground-Attack Tactics 214
Changing Orders 135 Bomber Formations 217
BombingTactics 218
Mission Instructions: Post-Flight 137
Flak 218
Ending Your Mission 138
Mission and Campaign Results 139 Appendix 221
Updating Combat Records 139 Suggested Reading 222
Medals and Promotions 140 Bibliography 223
U.S. Army Air Force Medals 140
Battle Maps 225
Luftwaffe Medals 141
Ranks and Promotions 143
6 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

INTRODUCTION
ecret Weapons of the Luftwaffe is a World War II air
combat simulation that allows you to fly the air-
craft of the United States Eighth Air Force and
the German Luftwaffe, and to reenact the fierce
air battles fought over western Europe between
1943 an d 1945. Like previous Lucasfilm air
combat simulations, Secret Weapons ofthe Luftwaffe allows you
to fly and fight on both sides of the conflict. As a German,
you can fly those two truly revolutionary jet and rocket air-
craft, the Messerschmitt Me 262 and the Me 163. You can
also fly another advanced weapon, the Gotha Go 229, which
was developed too late to see action, and find out for your-
self how this remarkable "flying wing" might have per-
formed in combat against conventional aircraft. You'll be
able to fly the Luftwaffe 's two deadly mainstay fighters
against the United States: the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the
Focke-Wulf FW 190. As an American, you can take on these
formidable Luftwaffe aircraft and attack ground targets in
three of the most storied warplanes ever to see combat: the
P-51 Mustang, the P-47 Thunderbolt, and the B-17 Flying
Fortress.
Whichever side you choose, you'll be able to select from a
wide variety of historically accurate combat missions in Se-
cret Weapons of the Luftwaffe. If you fly as a Luftwaffe pilot,
your main mission objective will be to stop the U.S. aerial ar-
madas from pulverizing key Third Reich industrial and
strategic installations. If you fly as an Eighth Air Force pilot
or crew, you' ll be trying to destroy these vital German
ground targets, as well as gain air superiority over the Luft-
waffe in air-to-air combat. Flying both the U.S. and the Ger-
P-4 7 pilot James Finnegan (left)
man sides will give you a greater appreciation of those fierce takes a break on the fuselage of
aerial engagements that amounted to a virtual third front his Thunderbolt with his crew
over Europe. chief. Courtesy ofJames Finnegan
Introduction 7
In addition to what could be the most realistic action
graphics of any computer simulation, Secret Weapons of the
Luftwaffe gives you a host of all-new simulation features. For
example, an advanced flight control mode lets you try your
hand at expert aerial maneuvers. With the new Tour of
Duty option, you can try to survive a set number of missions
just like World War II pilots did. Other features, such as the
replay gun camera and the In-Flight Map, have been en-
hanced and improved. And, of course, you'll be able to cre-
ate your own custom missions with the Mission Builder. In
Campaign Missions, you'll direct the war effort, setting the
strategy for the side you choose. This can include dictating
German war production, if you're directing the German
side, and selecting which German targets to bomb, if you're
directing the U.S. side. You'll see if your command deci-
sions can affect the outcome of the air war over Europe.
How to Use This Manual
Once again, we've produced an enormous manual for
our simulation. However, the volume's size doesn't mean
that the simulation instructions are lengthy and complex.
Actually, the opposite is true, as we've attempted to make
our instructions more concise, better organized, and easier
to understand. This manual contains a
"Armies and navies have clashed for more detailed Historical Overview chapter,
centuries, and their battles, strategies, plus interviews with World War II veterans
and tactics have been recorded, studied, and experts. The chapters on aircraft and
and analyzed by historians and war col- tactics have also been expanded.
leges of m any nations. Prior to World To get started, take a look at the Refer-
W ar II , air power had never had similar ence Card inside the simulation box , and
experience. Although Lord Trenchard of turn to the Loading Instructions, which tell
Britain, General Douhet of Italy, and you how to load the program and start it
General William Mitchell of the U.S. had up. For your convenience, the Reference
prophesized that strategic air power Card also lists all the keyboard commands
co uld exercise a decisive influence on
you'll use in the simulation. The Qy,ick Start
warfare, those theorie s had never been
tested ....
instructions on the Reference Card can get
"For the first time, the U.S. Eighth you in the air on a sample mission right
A ir Force, operating out of Britain, and away. Next, turn to the three Mission In-
Britain's own Royal Air Force were to be structions chapters. Pre-Flight tells you how
given the resources to test those theories to select a mission, choose the aircraft you
of the use of strategic air power. General want to fly, create a pilot or crew to fly yo ur
H. H. Arnold, head of the U.S. Army Air mission, and get a briefing before taking
Force, was a dedicated Mitchell disciple. off. In-Flight gives you information on the
His instructions to General Carl Spaatz various flight controls and weapons you'll
and to me were clear-cut, specific, use while flying your mission . Post-Flight de-
unmistakable. We were to take the scribes how to end your mission and get a
heavy bombers General Arnold would post-flight review, which could include a
send us and demonstrate what air power
medal or promotion if you distinguish
could do ."
yourself in battle.
U.S. Army Air Force
Brigadie r General Ira Eaker Whenever you're ready to learn more
about the aerial battles , strategies, and

weaponry of the time, read the Historical Overview chapter, "We fighters are a
which concludes with an interview with Professor
Williamson Murray, a World War II expert from Ohio State
special breed. We do not
University. The chapter titled Gerrrwn and U.S. Aircraft and hate anybody. We were
Weapons gives you detailed information on the warplanes fighting. That was our
you'll fly and the armaments you'll use in combat, and in-
way of thinking."
cludes cockpit screen shots to help you familiarize yourself
with the instruments of each aircraft. And if you'd like to be- Luftwaffe General Walter
Krupinski
come even better at air-to-air dogfighting, bombing, shoot-
ing, and more, read the Combat Tactics chapter.
Acknowledgments
Our project was aided tremendously by the following
individuals, to whom we owe our gratitude and our thanks:
Robert Davila, a B-17 pilot who flew bombing missions
against German oil, rail, and other key targets with the
Eighth Air Force from 1944 to 1945.
James Finnegan, a P-47 pilot with the 50th Fighter
Group, 10th Fighter Squadron of the Ninth Air Force, who
led his flight in strafing and destroying heavily armed
ground transport from 1944 to 1945, and whose 127 com-
bat missions included the downing, in April 1945, of an Me
262 flown by Luftwaffe General Adolf Galland.
Walter Krupinski, one of the Luftwaffe's most successful
fighter pilots, who flew Bf 109s on the eastern front from
1941 to 1943 and on the western front from 1943 to 1945
against U.S. bombers and fighters, and who flew Me 262s in
Jagdverband 44, Adolf Galland's "squadron of experts," in
the final months of the war, for a total of 197 aerial victories.
Thomas Marsters, who flew P-47s in ground support
and fighter escort missions with the Twelfth Tactical Com-
mand of the Ninth Air Force, and who also flew P-51 Mus-
tangs after the war.
Finally, a special thanks to Larry Wilson of the National
Air and Space Museum, for his help with the photographs
and in helping us locate key facts and people, and to the
aforementioned Professor Williamson Murray, who gen-
erously gave his time and his expertise to our project.
Next page: Ripped apart by

cannon fire from an Me 262, this
8-17, "Wee Willie," goes down
during a raid on April I 0, 1945.
Courtesy of the United States Air
Force
Introduction 9
. .
fill~T ffHl[H~
[ WfHW lf~
ne of the longest and bloodiest cam-
paigns of World War II was fought in
broad daylight in the skies over western
Europe from 1943 to 1945. This air bat-
tle, the greatest the world has ever wit-
nessed, pitted two formidable adversaries
against each other. On the offensive was the United States
Army Air Force, which sought to destroy the industrial
might of Germany through precision bombing, and thus
prove that air power could win war single-handedly. On the
defensive was the German air force, the Luftwaffe, desper-
ately battling the American bombers with experienced pi-
lots and a variety of fighter aircraft, including the proven
Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the outstanding Focke-Wulf FW
190. As this air war slowly shifted in favor of the United
States, a succession of highly advanced German jet and
rocket aircraft were unleashed against the hordes of Ameri-
can aircraft. Two of these weapons, the Me 262 jet fighter
and the Me 163 rocket fighter, proved to be far deadlier in
combat than anything the Americans could counter with.
German technological advances at this time exceeded simi-
lar Allied research developments, but the resulting
weapons were plagued by development problems, and
Adolf Hitler and others in the Third Reich's leadership ulti-
mately squandered any advantage they might have given
the Germans. Still, some historians have called these ad-
vanced German warplanes "war-winning weapons"; had
they seen action earlier, perhaps they would have had a
chance to fully live up to their frightening potential - and
alter the outcome of the war.
THE " GRAND ALLIANCE "
Oune 1940-December 1941)
With nearly all of continental Europe under German
control by 1940, only Great Britain remained as an active
opponent. In the summer of 1940, the fighters and
bombers of the Luftwaffe pushed the fighter defense of the
British Royal Air Force to the brink of defeat. But the Ger-
mans, in a strategic blunder, ceased their attacks on RAF
airfields and began bombing London at the
moment when victory was within reach.
"War, no matter how it may be glo- This four-month aerial struggle, the Battle
rified, is unspeakably horrible in every
of Britain, marked the first German setback
form. The bomber simply adds to the
of the war. Germany canceled Operation
extent of the horror, especially if not
used with discretion; but whe n used with Sea Lion, the planned invasion of England,
the proper degree of understanding, it but continued to bomb England by night.
becomes, in effect, the most humane of Though supplying the British with aid
weapons." through the Lend-Lease program, the
U.S. Army Air Force General United States was reluctant to help Britain
Henry H. "Hap" Arnold further by entering a new war.
Meanwhile, in other battlefields of the

Axis-Occupied Europe
November 1942
D Axis Countries
1 D Axis-Occupied Areas
North
I
D Allied Areas
A t lantic Ill Neutral Countries
Ocean
Algeria
(Algeria & Morocco controlled
MorOfCO by Vichy France 1940-1942) Tunisia
world, German victories mounted. Adolf Hitler rescued his

Axis partner Benito Mussolini following Italy's unsuccessful
attack on Greece, and in April of 1941 launched his own in-
vasions of Greece and Yugoslavia, both of which fell a short
time later . After British forces routed the Italians in East
Africa, German desert troops pushed back the British in
Libya and Egypt. On May 20, German paratroopers landed
on Crete, and the former British stronghold was captured
eleven days later. But the most important German offensive
began on June 22 as Operation Barbarossa - the invasion
of Russia. Over the ensuing months, the German army, sup-
ported by the Luftwaffe, pushed deep into Russian territo-
ry. Though they suffered heavy losses, the Russians held ,
Historical Overview 13
and on December 4, the German drive on Moscow was halt-
ed.
But events taking place on the other side of the world
would greatly affect the course of the European war. On De-
cember 7, 1941,Japanese aircraft attacked and sank most of
the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. The next day , in a
show of support for his Axis ally Japan, Hitler declared war
on the United States. At last, Britain had a powerful ally in
its struggle against Germany, and thus the "Grand Alliance"
was born.
THE RAF ' S FIRST
BOMBING MISSIONS
(August 1940-June 1942)
During the Battle of Britain and the Blitz of London, the
British people wanted desperately to show that they were
still in the fight, and were demanding vengeance for their
bombed-out cities. The RAF 's Bomber Command launched
a series of retaliatory "nuisance raids," first
against Berlin, then against German mili-
tary targets. Later, in an effort to break the
morale of the German people, this bombing
campaign was increasingly directed at
cities. Missions flown in daylight resulted in
heavy British losses, and the RAF decided
to switch to night bombing, hoping the
darkness might offer some protection. Un-
fortunately, precision bombing proved
nearly impossible at night, since few of the
bombers could even find their targets, let
alone hit them . With only one-third of the
bombs landing within five miles of their tar-
get, the RAF attacks were more hazardous
to sheep and cows than to Germans. More-
over, the RAF bombers were without fighter
escort, and losses to German night fighters
mounted.
Recognizing that their bomber force was
too weak to do the job, in November of
1941 British prime minister Winston
A bom bed-out cathedral at Churchill curtailed the bombing offensive against Germany
Furth.
and won cabinet approval to build up Bomber Command
to 4,000 aircraft. Then, in February of 1942, Air Chief Mar-
shal Arthur Harris took over as head of Bomber Command.
"Bomber" Harris, as the dynamic new leader was known,
opposed precision bombing, arguing that damage caused
by what he called "panacea" attacks on pinpoint targets
could be easily repaired. Instead, he favored large-scale
area-bombing attacks on population centers, which would
leave the inhabitants homeless and lower civilian morale,
particularly among industrial workers. Moreover, he was
14 Secret Weapons of tfu! Luftwaffe

convinced that this type of bombing could by itself actually "Victory, speedy and
win the war against Germany.
Fortunately for Harris, the British aircraft industry was
complete, awaits the side
just starting to turn out large numbers of four-engined, which first employs air
long-range bombers, including the Lancaster and the Hali- power as it should be
fax, that could carry the heavy bombloads and huge bombs employed."
he had envisioned. To test his theory of area bombing, Har-
ris decided to strike several German cities, choosing them RAF Air Chief Marshal
Arthur Harris
for their vulnerability and their proximity to England,
rather than for their military importance. The first of these
cities was the German port of Lubeck , which the RAF
bombed on the night of March 28. Over half the city, whose
buildings were mainly of wood construction, went up in
Rames. Next, the German city of Rostock-Warnemi.inde,
home to a Heinke! aircraft factory, was bombed over four
nights, with even better results. Buoyed by these successes,
Harris ordered Operation Millenium, a thousand-plane
raid on Cologne, for the night of May 27. This bomber
force, by far the largest aerial armada ever assembled, lev-
eled 600 acres of the city, destroyed 250 factories, and killed
469 people. Only forty-one bombers were lost in the mis-
sion, which set a fire that could be seen for 200 miles.
The success of the Cologne raid was a tremendous boost
for the confidence of Bomber Command, and the newly
knighted "Sir Bomber" Harris ordered similar raids during
June on the German cities of Essen, home of the gigantic
Krupp armaments works, and Bremen, where the Focke- An early prototype of the Me
Wulf factory was located. However, these raids were largely 262, with a tail wheel instead of a
unsuccessful, and many RAF bombers were lost to flak and nose wheel.
"The trouble with Yanks fighters. The difficulties of assembling such large numbers
of planes ruled out any further large-scale attacks until
is, they're overpaid, Bomber Command regained full strength. More disturbing
oversexed, and over was the news that Cologne and the other bombed cities had
here." gradually come to life again and that German wartime pro-
duction was relatively unaffected. Intelligence reports that
Common quip of English civilians
from 1942 to 1945 even the morale of German civilians was good provoked
surprise, since the British believed that on ly they could
keep up their spirits amid bombing attacks, as witnessed
during the Blitz of London.
Obviously, Harris needed assistance if his Bomber Com-
mand was to win the war according to his strategy. And he
had hopes that the U.S. Eighth Air Force, which was gradu-
ally forming in England, could supply exactly what he
needed.
THE AMERICANS BRING
CONTROVERSY
(February 1942-May 1942)
On February 20, 1942, U.S. Army Air Force Brigadier
General Ira C. Eaker arrived in London with the immedi-
ate task of procuring sites which could be used as U.S.
bomber bases. His superior, General Henry H . "Hap"
Arnold, the head of the U.S. Army Air Force, had also or-
dered Eaker to observe Bomber Command, and to lead the
U.S. bombing offensive once enough bombers had been
flown in from the States.
Both Eaker and Arnold were supporters of former U.S.
general "Billy" Mitchell and the theories of air power he
had developed after World War I. Mitchell believed that the
coming war would be decided in the skies, and that bomb-
ing important military production targets would destroy
the enemy's ability to wage war, while crushing its will to
fight. Italian general Giulio Douhet and the RA.F's first air
chief marshal, Hugh Trenchard, had also promoted air
power as a war-winning strategy in the 1920s. Trenchard, in
particular, contended that the breakdown in civilian morale
following such an aerial onslaught would lead to revolution.
Mitchell, Douhet, and Trenchard all believed that the
bomber would be the principal weapon in the future war; to
these three men, and those generals who would follow
them, this aircraft was invincible. "A slower, heavily armed
plane, able to clear its way with its own armament, can al-
ways get the best of a faster pursuit plane," wrote Douhet,
continuing, "A unit of combat composed of slower heavily
armed planes is in a position to stand up to the fire of enemy
pursuit planes and carry out its mission successfully." An-
other believer, former British prime minister Stanley Bald-
win, declared, "The bomber will always get through ." Luft-
waffe bombers had not, in fact, always gotten through in the
Battle of Britain; still, the American generals insisted that

their much heavier-armed bombers were destined to suc-
ceed against the Germans.
T he American generals' tactical point of view was also
based on theories evolved at the Air Corps Tactical School in
Maxwell Field, Alabama. These theories held that every in-
dustrialized nation contained vulnerable economic sectors
which , if destroyed, would cause that nation's entire econo-
my to collapse. Such "bottleneck industries" included ball
bearing manufacturing plants, petroleum production facili-
ties, and transportation systems. This approach would
eventually dictate the choice of many American military tar-
gets.
Shortly after arriving in London, Eaker met with his
British counterpart, Harris, and the two soon realized that
their respective sides differed widely on the best way to car-
ry out the bombing offensive. First there was the question of
day versus night bombing. The British had suffered heavy
casualties in the daytime and found that night missions
were more successful, with fewer losses . Harris tried to con-
vince Eaker to join with the RAF in their night bombing
missions . But Eaker argued that the American bomber
crews who would soon be arriving in England were trained
in da ylight missions only, and retraining wou ld take
months. Moreover , participation by the fledgling U.S.
bomber force in the RAF's night missions would hinder the
start of the Eighth Air Force's own operations, scheduled to
get under way later that year.
T h e next topic of debate was precision versus area
bombing. Though less accurate, area bombing could be
devastating, as the RAF raid on Cologne had proved. It was
Brigadier General Ira Eaker,
also better suited for the conditions of night missions. Pin- commander of Strategic
point precision bombing, on the other hand , could cripple Forces for the U.S. Eighth
vital German installations, such as factories and oil plants, Air Force, oversaw the
whi le minimizing civilian casualties. And the American buildup of U.S. bombers in
England during 1942-43.
bombers were equipped with an amazing instrument that
Eaker was a capable pro-
made precision bombing possible: the Norden bombsight. moter of the doctrine of
It was hooked up to the bomber's automatic pilot, so that daylight strategic bombing
when the bombardier was looking at the bombsight, he at a time when many Allied
could position the plane more accurately over the target. leaders were doubting its
effectiveness. But his belief
T he Norden bombsight was said to be so accurate that it that this type of bombing
could "drop a bomb in a pickle barrel from 20,000 feet. " could be accomplished with-
But, argued Harris, the cloudy weather that covered Eu- out fighter escort proved
rope sixty to seventy percent of the time, plus the smoke disastrous when, in the first
two raids on Schweinfurt,
from German industry, could render this bombsight use- 120 U.S. bombers were lost.
less. "In order to hit a barrel from 20,000 feet," he conclud- In 1944, Eaker became
ed, "you must first see the barrel." commander in chief of the
Finally, the two Allies differed over the bombers that Mediterranean Air
were to be used. T he main U.S. Army Air Force heavy Command, and successfully
directed air operations for
bomber in 1942 was the Boeing B-17. Nicknamed the "Fly- the August 1944 invasion of
ing Fortress," it bristled with ten .50-caliber machine guns, southern France.
which gave it more firepower than the main British heavy
"At present the United bomber, the Lancaster. Eaker, faithful to the doctrine ofthe
heavy bomber, asserted that the B-l 7's firepower would al-
States are persevering low it to withstand daylight Luftwaffe fighter attacks, even
with the idea of the day- without protective fighter escort. (Later, General Arnold re-
light bombing of fused the British request that the United States build Lan-
Germany ... informa- casters, because he felt they were underarmed.) The British
were skeptical of the performance of the B-17, since its
tion without escort. bombload of around 4,000 pounds was much smaller than
They will probrzbly expe- that of the Lancaster, which when modified could carry
rience a heavy disaster 10,000 pounds ofbombs. (Later, the Lancaster would carry
the 22,000-pound "Big Boy" bomb against the German bat-
as soon as they do so." tleship Tirpitz.) Moreover, several Flying Fortresses that
Prime Minister Winston Bomber Command had actually used in a few raids in 1941
Churchill, in 1942 had been shot to pieces by German fighters. But Eaker
countered that the British had misused the B-17, which was
designed to be operated in large formations of a dozen or
more, where it was felt that its collective firepower would be
murderous. He conceded that for additional protection,
the Fortresses should have fighter escort as far as the
fighters' range permitted.
It was Eaker's belief that ifthe Americans began to bomb
by day while the British continued to bomb at night, it
would wear out the German defenses by keeping them on
alert at all times. It would also force the Luftwaffe to draw
some ofits aircraft from the Russian offensive, and thus take
some of the pressure off the Soviets, who were clamoring
for Britain and the United States to establish a second front.
Harris remained skeptical of the U.S. ability to bomb by
daylight, and debates between the two stubborn comman-
ders went on incessantly during the first few months ofEak-
er's stay in England.
BAPTISM BY FIRE
Oune 1942-0ctober 1942)
In the spring of 1942, Harris and the RAF turned over
some old RAF bases to Eaker and the Eighth Air Force, and
helped the Americans acquire land on which to build addi-
tional airfields. The majority of these bases were located
northeast of London in East Anglia, within easy reach of Eu-
rope and, eventually, Germany. By June, final preparations
were completed on the first of the 127 bases that the Eighth
Air Force would occupy. Before long, the first B-l 7s and
their crews began to arrive, after flying 2, 119 miles from the
United States via Newfoundland, Greenland, and Scotland.
The RAF lent a hand by providing some badly needed gun-
nery training to the American crews. At this time, the new
commander of the Eighth Air Force, Major General Carl
Spaatz, also arrived . Slowly, the Eighth was assembling as a
fighting force.
On August 17, the Eighth's 97th Bomb Group made the
first U.S. Army Air Force daylight bombing run over occu-

pied Europe. Twelve B-l 7s, escorted by RAF Spitfires to the
coast of France, bombed the railroad marshaling yards and
repair shops at Rouen, sixty-five miles northwest of Paris.
About half the bombs landed on target, and all the bombers
returned to base safely after encountering minimal resis-
tance from some Luftwaffe FW 190 fighters. Eaker, who
had gone on the mission as an observer, was pleased with
the results of this, the first American test of daylight bomb-
ing. But, he noted, "One swallow doesn't make a summer."
Two days later, twenty-four B-l 7s attacked a Luftwaffe
fighter base at Abbeville, France, again achieving a high de-
gree of bombing accuracy while suffering no aircraft losses.
On September 5, the Eighth Air Force suffered its first
heavy bomber losses when two B-l 7s were shot down dur-
ing a raid on an aircraft factory near Rouen. Owing to a
missed rendezvous, nine Flying Fortresses without fighter
escort had to take on twenty
attacking Bf 109s and FW
l 90s. Despite the losses,
Eaker felt that the B-17 had
proven it could defend itself
from enemy fighter attack if
it had to.
A bigger test was to come
on October 9. The largest
U .S. attacking force yet,
consisting of 108 bombers,
was to attack the steelworks
at Lille , France. Among
these aircraft was the other
main U.S. heavy bomber,
the Consolidated B-24. The ungainly looking "Liberator" Courtesy of the United States Air
Force
could fly faster and carry a greater bombload than the B-17,
but it was felt that the Flying Fortress could sustain more
battle damage. Neither bomber fared well in the raid, which
was heavily opposed by Luftwaffe fighters . Only nine
bombs fell near the target, and the force lost three B-l 7s
and one B-24. But after the raid the Americans were jubi-
lant, because gunners had reported shooting down fifty-six
Luftwaffe fighters. (This claim proved to be a wild exagger-
ation; only one German fighter was actually lost.)
By the fall of 1942, the Eighth Air Force was brimming
with confidence. Overall in its first few missions it had suf-
fered few losses while vindicating the U.S. belief in daylight
precision bombing. The British themselves were beginning
to ease up on their demands for the Americans to switch to
night bombing. And even with fighter escort only as far as
the coast of France, the Americans believed that their
bombers could take whatever the Luftwaffe could dish out.
But conditions during these first few missions had favored
the United States. The weather had been excellent, and
antiaircraft fire and fighter attacks had not been severe.
Moreover, while the British were flying raids deep into Ger-
man airspace, these early U.S. missions had targeted sites in
France, Belgium, and the Netherlands that were relatively
close to their home bases.
Most importantly, they had yet to experience the full
power of the Luftwaffe.
THE STATE OF THE LUFTWAFFE
(February 1941-0ctober 1942)
In early 1941 , as it was becoming obv io u s that the
Luftwaffe was not going to defeat the RAF or destroy the
spirit of the British people , many fighter and bomber
Geschwader were transferred away from the English Chan-
nel area. Despite the denials of Reichsmarschall Hermann
Goring, the head of the Luftwaffe, Germany was abandon-
ing the conquest of Britain for a goal which became appar-
ent on June 22 - the conquest of Russia. T hough Hitler
had promised not to repeat the mistake of World War I and
force Germany to fight a two-front war, the reality was that
in 1942 Germany was in a multifront war. German troops
were fighting in Russia, in North Africa, and in the Mediter-
ranean, as well as engaging the British in France and Nor-
way. With most of its aircraft scattered from Scandinavia to
the Middle East, the Luftwaffe was stretched to the breaking
point, and had few aircraft left to battle the RAF in western
Europe.
As Luftwaffe opposition lessened, the RAF became more
aggressive and began making daytime fighter sweeps across
France along with night bombing raids on France and Ger-
many. To counter the bombing, Goring formed a special
night fighter branch, headed by Generalleutnant Joseph
Kammhuber . A radar defense system known as the
"Kammhuber Line" was built to locate incoming enemy
bombers and vector night fighters to intercept them . Large,
twin-engined aircraft such as the Messerschmitt Bf 110 and
the Junkers Ju 88 began to enjoy success as night fighters .
Goring had ridiculed the first American
The poor marksmanship of antiair- daylight bombing raids. But Adolf Galland,
craft gunners during the first U.S. bomb- the Battle of Britain ace who had recently
ing raids became the source of a German become the Luftwaffe's ge n era l of t h e
joke. A soldier who was sentenced to die fighter arm, could see the dangers that lay
was told to choose the means of his exe- ahead. The United States, rich in resources
cution. He chose death by antiaircraft and far out of the range of German
fire, and was tied to the top of a tower.
bombers, could conceivably produce thou-
Three German antiaircraft batteries
sands of bombers. If these aircraft were all
fired away at him for three weeks. When
the gunners went to retrieve the soldier, launched from England, Germany could be
they found that he had not been hit by destroyed while Lu ftwaffe fighters were
their fire but had starved to death battling on other fronts. Galland also dis-
instead. covered that Luftwaffe fighter production
had been virtually neglected since the Bat-

tie of Britain, and that the bomber arm had been built up in- "[It is] not enough to
stead. This was in keeping with Hitler's military philosophy,
which emphasized offensive, rather than defensive, mea-
shoot down all the birds
sures. in flight if you want to
To counter the growing U.S. threat and build up the wipe out the species;
fighter arm, Galland implemented a training program in there remain the eggs
which new pilots were given operational experience by ac-
tive fighter units. He also convinced Feldmarschall Erhard and the nests."
Milch, the chief of Luftwaffe procurement and supply and Italian General Giulio Douhet, an
the number two man in the Luftwaffe, to increase fighter advocate of bombing attacks
production from 250 a month to 1,000 a month by mid- against aircraft factories and
other industrial targets
1943.
At that time, Galland was fortunate to have two excellent
fighter aircraft under his command: the Messerschmitt Bf
109 and the Focke-Wulf FW 190. The Bf 109 had proven it-
self early in the war in the conquest of Europe , and the
newest model, the 109G, had a more powerful engine and
could reach speeds of nearly 400 miles per hour. However,
the extra weight of the new engine cut back on maneuver-
ability and added to the Bf l 09's other problems, including
a short range and a narrow landing gear that was prone to
collapse. The FW 190, introduced in 1941, had quickly
earned a reputation as the most advanced fighter in the
world. Faster, sturdier, and more maneuverable than the Bf
109, the FW 190 had quickly found favor with Luftwaffe
Target Cities
in Germany
Historical Overoiew 21
squadrons after engine problems in the earlier versions
were corrected.
And in the development stage were two even deadlier
fighters , the likes of which had never before been seen in air
combat.
THE BIRTH OF THE
"SECRET WEAPONS"
During the 1930s, many of Germany's leading scientists
and scholars had been victimized by the anti-intellectual-
ism, racism, and religious persecution that marked the Nazi
regime, and fled the country. Many of the Germans who
had taken their place were not so much theoretical scientists
as technicians, and the fields of research and development
came to be dominated by these engineers. Incited by Nazi
propaganda regarding the "intellectual superiority" of the
German people, the emphasis on militarism, and the Ger-
man tradition of workmanship and discipline, these Ger-
man engineers had spurred an incredible push in the devel-
opment of new warfare technologies . Research faci lities,
sponsored by profit-seeking businesses in collaboration
with the government, had sprung up all over Germany, and
the most secret of these were the Luftwaffe's. Inside their fa-
cilities, plans for advanced aircraft, as well as for solid- and
liquid-fueled rockets and jet engines, were already on the
drawing boards by the mid- l 930s.
In 1936, Ernst Heinkel's aircraft company began to take
an interest in the possibilities of jet propulsion. After much
experimentation, the first German jet engine, the HeS 3,
was developed. The prototype that used the engine, the He
178, made the world's first jet-powered flight on August 24,
1939,just before the outbreak of World War II. This plane
was later demonstrated to Feldmarschall Milch and General
Ernst Udet, the Luftwaffe's chief of the technical office, but
amazingly, neither of them was impressed.
When flying on a bombing mission, Because both men felt that the Luftwaffe's
gunners used the "clock face" system to resources should be committed to other ar-
note which direction an enemy fighter eas, and that such an aircraft would not be
attack was coming from. "Twelve needed, the jet fighter that emerged from
o'clock" signified straight ahead, while the He 178 prototype, the He 280, was left
"six o'clock" meant straight behind. If a to languish.
gunner called out "Bandits at two Other manufacturers started develop-
o'clock," it meant that fighters were ing their own jet engines, including
attacking from ahead and sixty degrees Junkers , who was commissioned by the
to the right.
German air ministry to begin work on the
1,300-horsepower Jumo 004 engine in
1938. The Messerschmitt company, in turn, was asked to
develop a suitable aircraft for the new engine, testing of
which began in 1940, at the time of the Battle of Britain.
The airframe was completed a year later, and the earliest
version of the new aircraft, dubbed the Me 262 Schwalbe, or

"swallow," made its first flight in 1942. ''This is not a step for-
But fears and mistrust stemming from previous failures
of the German aircraft industry hampered the early devel-
ward; this is a leap!"
opment of this jet aircraft. One project, the He 177 heavy Luftwaffe General Adolf Galland,
after test-flying the Me 262 jet on
bomber, had been delayed by repeated engine fires, and the
May 22, 1943
prototypes had had an unnerving tendency to explode in
midair. (The He 177 was later nicknamed Luftwaffen-
feuerzeug, or "the Luftwaffe's lighter.") Feldmarschall Milch
worried that similar problems could develop with the Me
262's Jumo jet engines once they were in mass production.
Furthermore, he had little faith in company head Willy
Messerschmitt, largely because of problems that had
plagued, and ultimately doomed, the two-seat Me 210
fighter. Originally designed as a replacement for the Bf 110,
the unstable Me 210, which tended to go
into spins, had nevertheless been brought
into production. But the crashes had
mounted, and the Me 210 program was
eventually cancelled. Blaming Messer-
schmitt for this, Milch had then ordered
him to cease work on the Me 262. Ignoring
this order, Messerschmitt had proceeded
with the Me 262 in secrecy. However, the
Luftwaffe's failure to push for the jet's de-
velopment meant that valuable time was
lost.
Meanwhile , Messerschmitt's company
was also developing an even more revolu-
tionary airplane: the Me 163 rocket fighter.
Germany's experimentation with rockets
had actually begun back in the 1920s, when
a group known as the German Rocket Soci-
ety had conducted experiments with liquid-
fuel rockets. At the same time, Fritz von
Opel, of automobile fame, had been researching solid-fuel
rockets and had used one to power a sailplane in 1929. In
total secrecy, the German army weapons department had
established a liquid-fuel rocket research department in
1929, with a facility at a site south of Berlin. After the Nazis
had taken power in 1933, they had moved this facility to
Peenemiinde, on the Baltic coast. Under the leadership of
Wernher von Braun, a liquid-fuel rocket had been devel-
oped and flight-tested on a piston-engined aircraft, the He
112, in April 1936.
At another facility, Hellmuth Walther had designed a
rocket motor that utilized a hydrogen peroxide propellant.
In 1936, he was commissioned to develop an engine for
Projekt X, an experimental high-speed aircraft designed by
Alexander Lippisch, a proponent of delta-winged and tail-
less planes. Walther's new engine was first successfully
flight-tested on an He 72 biplane in 1937.
In 1939, Projekt X was moved to the Messerschmitt com-
pany. ln 1940, they test-flew a new rocket-powered Lip-
pisch prototype, a tailless single-seater called the D FS 194.
Its performance exceeded expectations. With its Walther
liquid-fuel rocket engine, it boasted a top speed of342 miles
per hour, and could climb at a rate of 5,300 feet per minute.
It was decided to put this aircraft into production, and the
new model was designated the Me 163, and nicknamed the
Komet. The first Me l 63A
flew in August 1941 and set
a secret world speed record
of 623 miles per hour two
months later.
In an age when the bi-
p lane was sti ll seeing mili -
tary service, the Me 262 and
the Me 163 represented a
huge leap forward in avia-
The Walther rocket that pow- tion technology, a leap necessitated by the urgency of the
ered the Me 163 Komet.
war, which had pushed the imaginations of German design-
Force ers and engineers to their limits. But how would the Luft-
waffe and the German high command use this advantage
over the Allies and the Eighth Air Force?
THE CASABLANCA D I RECTIVE
(November 1942-January 1943)
The euphoria brought on by the Eighth Air Force's first
successful bombing raids on France was quickly snuffed in
the final months of 1942. Bad weather forced the cancella-
tion of numerous missions, and only twelve were flown dur-
ing the months of November and December. Another blow
came when the Eighth was ordered to transfer nearly one
hundred bombers and crews to support Operation Torch ,
the Allied invasion of North Africa. This action also made
General Eaker the new head of the Eighth, in place of Gen-
eral Spaatz, who was now in charge of the air offensive in
North Africa. Most of the bombing raids made by the
Eighth during th is period were against U-boat yards in
France, in response to the growing U-boat menace in the
Atlantic. But these raids did little damage to the U-boat
pens, whose thick concrete walls and roofs could withstand
d irect hits by one-ton bombs. The pens, moreover, were
heavily defended by antiaircraft guns and fighters, and U.S.
losses were heavy.
As 1943 dawned, Winston Churchill was increasingly
critical of the U.S . bombing operations. Not one U.S. mis-
sion had been flown over Germany, which was being
bombed nightly by the RAF. It was obvious to the British
prime minister that U.S. generals were reluctant to put
their daylight bombing theory to its toughest test. More-
over, the Un ited States lacked a long-range escort fighter

which could protect the bombers over Germany . The P-47C Thunderbolts, with the
early "razorback" canopy design,
newest U.S. fighter, the P-47 Thunderbolt, had an operat-
ready for takeoff. Courtesy of
ing range of only 175 miles, which meant that for over half Acme Newspictures, New York City
the distance to the German targets the bombers would be
unescorted and under the attacking guns of Luftwaffe
fighters.
At an Allied strategy meeting on January 14, 1943, at
Casablanca, Churchill spoke with President Franklin Roo-
sevelt in an effort to convince him that the Eighth Air Force
should join the RAF in night bombing. Although there was
no danger that Roosevelt would side with Churchill against
his generals in this matter, when General Arnold learned of
Churchill's intentions, he immediately ordered Eaker from
London to speak with the prime minister. With his argu-
ments written out on a single sheet of paper, Eaker met with
Churchill, and after declaring his beliefs in favor of daylight
bombing, handed over the paper. Churchill read through
the arguments until he came to one which asserted , "By
bombing the devils around the clock, we can prevent the
German defenses from getting any rest." He read this sen-
tence aloud twice, the second time very slowly, then turned
to Eaker and stated, "You've made a strong case here. While
you have not convinced me that you are right, you have
convinced me that you should have further opportunity to
prove your case." Churchill then told Eaker that he would
meet with Roosevelt and take back his statement that the
United States should join with the British in night bombing.
Ecstatic that the U.S . daylight bombing strategy had sur-
vived, and convinced that this agreement would be one of
the great decisions of the war, Eaker immediately left for
London. On January 21, the U.S. and British leaders issued
the Casablanca Directive, which outlined their position on a
number of points, including the bombing of Germany .
Worded for the men who would be flying the missions, the
directive stated, "Your primary object will be the progres-
sive destruction and dislocation of the German military, in-
dustrial, and economic system, and the undermining of the
morale of the German people to a point where their capaci-
ty for armed resistance is fatally weakened." It also autho-
rized the Eighth Air Force to "take every opportunity to at-
tack Germany by day, to destroy objectives that are unsuit-
able for night attack, to sustain continuous pressure on
German morale, to impose heavy losses on the German day
fighter force, and to contain German fighter strength away
from the Russian and Mediterranean theatres of war."
Two days after Eaker returned to London, he authorized
the first Eighth Air Force bombing mission against Ger-
many.
"THE BIG LEAGUE "
Oanuary 1943-May 1943)
On January 27, 1943, a force of fifty-three B-l 7s and
B-24s headed toward the submarine factories at Vegesack,
Germany. When it was discovered that the target was ob-
Spitfire, I 75 ml.
May 1943
P-47 Thunderbolt,
230 ml. June I 943
P-47 Thunderbolt
(with belly tank).
375 ml. June 1943
P-38 Lightning.
520 mi. Nov 1943
P-5 I Mustang.
over 600 ml.
Dec '43 I Mar '44
26 Secret Weapons of tlu Luftwaffe

scured by clouds, the bombers changed course for Wil-
helmshaven and dropped their bombs on the U-boat facili-
ties there. The unescorted force lost only three bombers to
enemy fighters, and shot down seven of the German attack-
ers. Although bombing accuracy was marginal, the day was
momentous, for the U.S. Eighth Air Force had finally flown
a mission on a target within Germany.
When Wilhelmshaven was bombed again a month later,
resistance was stiffer and seven U.S. bombers were shot
down. On March 18, ninety-seven U.S. bombers destroyed
two-thirds of the U-boat shipyards at Vegesack. Only two
bombers were lost, and American gunners claimed to have
shot down a staggering
fifty-two German fighters.
Nearly a week after the
Vegesack raid, General
Eaker gave a gathering of
war correspondents the
Eighth's totals for the past
thirteen months: 51 mis-
sions, 90 bombers lost, and
356 German fighters shot
down. Eaker knew that the
totals against the German
a ircraft were inflated, as
several different gunners
often took credit for shoot-
ing down the same plane.
Moreover, German fighter
pilots sometimes nosed
their planes toward the
ground, pretending to have been shot down . But Eaker B-17. Courtesy of the Boeing
Aircraft Company
knew he would be a poor leader if he continually ques-
tioned the reports of his own crews, and the high numbers
were good for morale.
Exaggerated totals and all, the early success of the
Eighth validated the U.S. generals' belief that their heavy
bombers could fly unescorted on daylight raids over Ger-
many without suffering heavy losses. Their faith in the doc-
trine that "the bomber will always get through" was unshak-
en. What remained a nagging question in the generals'
minds was whether the Luftwaffe had the capability to shoot
down enough U.S. bombers to make daylight bombing too
costly to continue. So far, despite AdolfGalland's urgings to
fortify fighter defenses in the West, his superiors simply did
not see the Allied air attacks as a looming threat. As a result,
most of the Luftwaffe's fighters were seeing action in the
doomed Mediterranean campaign, and resistance to the
U.S. and British bombers over western Europe was weaker
than it could have been.
With more unescorted raids into Germany planned,
Arnold and Eaker were b u sy prodding
Washington to beef up the Eighth with
lllj>re bombers and fighters. On a single day
in May 1943, the number of Eighth Air
Force bombers jumped from 100 to 215.
That same month, the Allies approved their
Combined Bomber Offensive Plan, under
which the Eighth was to receive nearly
3,000 more heavy bombers by the end of
the year.
Though the generals were convinced
that unescorted bombers wou ld survive
without fighter escort, the lack of a long-
range, maneuverable escort fig h ter that
cou ld go deep into Germany and back
remained a pressing issue. In combat over
the Channel and France, the P-47 Thun-
derbolt was more durable and could dive
faster than the FW 190, but could not climb
as fast. It was felt that another U.S. fighter,
the P-38 Lightning, would be a good long-
P-51 B Mustangs being assembled range escort because of its twin-engined durability, plus a
at a North American Aviation
distinctive twin-boom design that was easily recognized by
factory. In the background to the
left are several partially assem- the trigger-happy U.S. bomber gunners. However, the P-38
bled B-25 Mitchell medium proved to be far less maneuverable than the Bf 109 and the
bombers. Courtesy of the FW 190, and its Allison engines developed problems at high
Sherman Fairchild Collection altitudes. Finally, before either the P-47 or the P-38 could be
tried out as a long-range escort, a satisfactory external drop
tank, which U.S. Army Air Force brass had assigned a low
priority to until 1938, would have to be developed. For the
time being, the bombers would go it alone once the fighter
escort had turned around over France and the Low Coun-
tries.
This decision would prove to be a tragic one for the
bomber crews, made even more so by the fact that the U.S.
Army Air Force had stalled the production of an excellent
long-range escort fighter, maintaining that there was no
need for one at the time. This fighter was the P-51 Mustang,
which had originally been developed for the British in
1941. Its Allison engine was underpowered at high alti-
tudes, but when the British installed the Rolls-Royce Merlin
engine, the Mustang's performance picked up incredibly.
Moreover, the Mustang had greater range than the Thun-
derbolt, since it had an additional internal fuel tank behind
the pilot, and its Merlin engine used up roughly less than
half the fuel used by the P-47. But the U.S. Army Air Force's
material division decided that, being liquid-cooled, the
Merlin engine was too vulnerable to gunfire. They reached
this conclusion despite the fact that the RAF's Spitfire and
the Luftwaffe's Bf 109, two of the most successful fighters in
the world during the early part of the war, were both pow-

ered by liquid-cooled engines. Moreover, since the Mustang "Now we have fighters
had been designed for the British and had a British-made
engine, there was less interest in this l!ghter than there
with us all the way. Our
would have been if it were strictly an American plane. This P-4 7s take us as far as
error in judgment critically delayed production of the P-51. Aachen. The
But events would prove that the United States was not Messerschmitts and
alone in making poor decisions about its own aircraft.
Focke-Wulfs take us to
THE TRIALS OF THE SCHWALBE
the target and back.
(May 1943-June 1943)
Then the 4 7s pick us up
Frustrated by the indifference of Hermann Goring and
Erhard Milch toward his new jet fighter, Willy Messer- again when we reach
schmitt invited General Galland to test-fly the Me 262. On the Channel. If we
May 22, 1943, Galland climbed into the cockpit of one of the reach the Channel."
jet prototypes and quickly climbed out again when one of its
Remark frequently made by B-1 7
engines caught on fire. A second prototype was readied, crewmen in 1943
and soon Galland took off.
To say he was impressed by the Me 262 is an understate-
ment. The jet's handling was much smoother and quieter
than that of any piston-engined aircraft, even at speeds of
520 miles per hour. Galland made a simulated attack on the
prototype four-engine Me 264 Amerika-Bomber that was
flying nearby, and quickly realized that the jet could be an
effective deterrent to the growing U.S. bombing threat.
Galland was ecstatic as he climbed out of the Me 262's cock-
pit. In a report to Milch, he noted:
1. This model is a tremendous stroke ofluck for us;
it puts us way out in front, provided the enemy con-
tinues to use piston engines.
2. As far as I could tell, the fuselage appears to be
entirely satisfactory.
3. The engines are everything that has been
claimed for them, except for their performance dur-
ing takeoff and landing.
4. The aircraft opens up entirely new possibilities
as far as tactics are concerned.
Galland pushed for an accelerated testing and produc-
tion program. Surprisingly, Milch and Goring, who rarely
agreed on anything, went along with him, and only Hitler's
approval was needed to get the Me 262 program under
way. But Hitler, who had lost faith in Goring and was begin-
ning to distrust Milch, killed the idea. Citing the He 177
bomber mishaps, along with other German aircraft failures,
Hitler announced to Goring that the Me 262 program was
not going to be rushed before he had made a decision about
the jet's value. In the meantime, mass production was for-
bidden and only a few prototypes were to be developed.
Although Milch still agreed with Galland, he told the
general that he had no choice but to go along with Hitler's
order. For the time being, the only fighters that were to be
produced were piston-engined ones. A saddened Galland
realized that a golden opportunity to regain air superiority
and counter the bombing offensive was being needlessly
thrown away.
OPERATION GOMORRAH
Ouly 1943)
While the Eighth Air Force had been making its first
raids on Germany, the RAF's Bomber Command had taken
the night offensive into Germany's industrial center, the
Ruhr valley. On one raid, on May 16, 1943, the RAF made
an out-of-character display of pinpoint bombing when a
squadron of Lancasters dropped bombs specially designed
to bounce on water on three of the Ruhr's reservoirs, knock-
ing out two dams. The "dam busters" raid failed to stop in-
dustrial production in the Ruhr, however, and Harris decid-
ed to continue with his area bombing strategy. Subsequent
RAF raids crippled the Ruhr, and Harris then began plan-
ning a large-scale attack on Germany's largest port, Ham-
Feldmarschall Erhard Milch, burg. For the first time, American daylight bombing and
a pilot in World War I, RAF night bombing were both to be concentrated on a sin-
became head of the gle target. The code name for this mission, which was to last
German airline Lufthansa
during the period between
for ten days, was Operation Gomorrah, for reasons that
wars. In this position, he would soon become obvious.
secredy laid the ground- Mea nwhile, the Eighth was finding that Luftwaffe
work for the future fighter attacks and antiaircraft fire were becoming more
Luftwaffe, and helped build
and more effective against their B-l 7s and B-24s. On May 7,
it into a formidable force. In
1933 he became deputy air just three days after a successful raid on Antwerp that saw all
minister of the Luftwaffe, the bombers return to base safely, 7 bombers out of a force
and was second in com- of 31 were shot down over Saint-Nazaire . Two mid-May
mand to Hermann Goring. raids on the U-boat yards at Kiel resulted in only 14 losses
A brilliant organizer and
capable administrator, the
for the Eighth, yet on a return raid on June 13, a stunning
ambitious Milch continually 26 out of 182 bombers were shot down. Nine days later, the
pushed for great numbers Eighth made its first attack on the Ruhr. Despite fierce
of existing models of air- fighter opposition, 182 B-l 7s and B-24s bombed the syn-
craft to be produced, a
thetic rubber plant at Huls, effectively knocking out pro-
move which hampered the
development of newer duction for months.
models. However, Milch During July, only a few Allied bombing raids were made,
backed the Me 262 jet fight- mainly on targets in coastal France. But this was the calm be-
er once Adolf Galland con- fore the storm , as on the evening of July 24, nearly eight
vinced him of its worthiness.
As the war progressed,
hundred RAF bombers took off for Hamburg, signaling the
Milch began losing influence beginning of Operation Gomorrah. Dropping strips of tin-
with Hitler and Goring, and foil to confuse the radar of the Kammhuber Line, the force
was removed from office successfully unloaded nearly 3,000 tons of bombs on Ham-
after he argued with Hitler
burg. The next day, U.S. bombers largely avoided the city it-
that the Me 262 should be
used as a fighter instead of a self and attacked the Hamburg shipyards and docks, losing
bomber. After the war, nineteen B-l 7s out of sixty-nine.
Milch was sentenced to life That evening, the returning RAF bombers dropped in-
imprisonment at the cendiary bombs on the burning city, whose water mains had
Nuremberg Trials, but was
released after serving ten
burst under the earlier attacks. As more fires sprang up all
years. over Hamburg, the air above the city became superheated,
and as the hot air rose, cool air rushed in to replace it. This

effect created tornadoes of fire all over the city, which
merged into one enormous whirling inferno two-and-a-half
miles high and one-and-a-half miles in diameter. Nothing
could stop this horrifying firestorm as it swept across Ham-
burg, burning or melting everything in its path. Thousands
of people were sucked into the inferno, or instantly inciner-
ated in the l ,800F heat, many as they sat in air raid shel-
ters. Those inhabitants who were not burned either suffo-
cated, were poisoned by carbon monoxide, or were crushed
by collapsing buildings.
The bombing of Hamburg, in which the Eighth Air
Force had played a very minor role, unleashed a hellish
spectacle of death and devastation, the likes of which had
never been inflicted on a city or its people before. Not until A burned-out railway station
in Cologne. Scenes like this
1957 was it finally determined that some 50,000 inhabitants littered the German landscape
died in the raids. The last bombs fell on Hamburg on Au- in 1944-45.
gust 2, and word of die Katastrophe quickly spread across
Germany. Albert Speer, the German minister of arma-
ments, told Hitler that ifthe Allies continued to bomb in this
manner, the war would quickly be lost. The leaders of the
Luftwaffe vowed that the destruction that Hamburg had
suffered would never be inflicted on another German city.
From Goring on down, they decided that building up the
fighter arm at the expense of the bombers would now be a
top priority, and that the Luftwaffe would now become a de-
fensive force, to fight off the U.S. and British bombers and
regain air superiority for Germany.
Goring met with Hitler to get approval of these strategy
changes. But the enraged fiihrer would not listen to any
"There were gaping talk ofa defensive war, especially from Goring. Instead, the
bombing of Hamburg was to be avenged by a renewed Luft-
holes in their precise for-
waffe bombing offensive against London! A badly shaken
mations ... . More than Goring left the meeting, and Adolf Galland later found him
half the bombers we sobbing uncontrollably. (The aerial bombing of London did
nursed over the North not begin until January 1944 and was so ineffective that it
was referred to as the "baby blitz" by the British.)
Sea were shot up. One If the destruction of Hamburg had little effect on Hitler,
or two ditched in the sea. it certainly had a unifying effect on the Luftwaffe's leaders.
Others, carrying dead For the first time they all agreed with Galland that the Allied
bombing offensive was a grave threat, and that radical mea-
and badly wounded sures needed to be taken. Milch announced a production
crew members, had to target of 4,000 fighters per month to bolster the fighter
make crash landings." arm. Since British countermeasures had neutralized the
radar of the Kammhuber Line, special night fighter units
Unidentified U.S. Anny Air
Force fighter pilot who escorted
called "Wild Boars" were visually guided by searchlights to-
B-17s back from the first ward RAF bombers, and began enjoying success. And Gal-
Schweinfurt raid on August 17, land continued to urge Luftwaffe day fighters to fly at least
1943 three missions a day against U.S. bombers, who were con-
tinuing to fly unescorted over Germany.
CARNAGE IN THE SKIES
(August 1943)
On August 1, the day that Speer was warning Hitler of
the dangers of Allied bombing, the U.S . Ninth Air Force,
with three bomber groups on loan from the Eighth,
launched a massive raid against the oil refineries at Ploesti,
Romania. Taking off from their base in Benghazi, Libya,
some 177 B-24s flew at low altitude toward the heavily de-
fended refineries, which supplied Germany with over one-
third of its oil. A series of mechanical breakdowns caused
eleven of the bombers to drop out of the force , and naviga-
tional errors put the remaining aircraft on a course over the
most heavily defended approach to Ploesti. Murderous,
point-blank antiaircraft fire ripped into the B-24s as they
made their bombing run, and one Liberator after another
was blasted out of the skies at treetop level. Dodging chim-
neys and explosions from refinery storage tanks, many of
the surviving bombers were scorched by flames from the
Ploesti inferno. Those that made it through the bombing
run were quickly attacked by swarms of Luftwaffe fighters.
Only half the attacking force made it back to Benghazi.
With 579 men killed, wounded, or captured, 53 B-24s
lost, and another 55 severely damaged, the raid on Ploesti
was a disaster for the Ninth Air Force. Although forty per-
cent of Ploesti's refinery capacity was destroyed, production
was stepped up in the idle refinery units so that the oil flow
to the German military continued uninterrupted . The mis-
sion was deemed a failure when no immediate follow-up
raid was ordered.
Between the bomber groups loaned to the Ninth for the
32 Secret Weapom of the Luftwaffe

Ploesti raid and a 200-plane lag in bomber deliveries from
the States, the Eighth was not up to full strength in August.
Moreover, problems still plagued the development of drop
tanks for the escort fighters. The P-47s could not yet accom-
pany the bombers all the way to targets deep inside Ger-
many and back, and the first P-5ls would not be delivered
until late autumn. But the lack of a long-range escort fighter
did not stop Eaker, who felt that his bombers would be wast-
ed if they sat idle until all of the Eighth's problems were
solved. Every day that the Eighth waited, German industry
was producing more and more weapons and materials to be
used against the Allies. Something had to be done, and
soon.
For months, plans had been made for the Eighth to
bomb the Bavarian town of Schweinfurt, home to five
plants that produced an estimated fifty-two percent of the
I st Schweinfurt Raid,
August 17, 1943
ball bearings used by Germany. Destruction of these facto-
ries could seriously hamper the German war effort, since
without ball bearings, no airplanes, tanks, ships, artillery
guns, or other equipment which depended upon precision
machinery could be built. This "bottleneck target," consid-
ered to be too small for the night bombers of the RAF to find
in the darkness, was the ideal target for the Eighth's pro-
gram of precision daylight bombing. It would also be a test
of the generals' fixed belief that the heavily armed B-17s
could survive without fighter escort. The raid on Schwein-
furt would mark the furthest penetration into German
airspace by U.S. aircraft thus far.
Also to be bombed was the Messerschmitt aircraft factory
at Regensburg, which turned out nearly two hundred
fighters a month. It was believed that if Regensburg was at-
tacked first, it would draw the Luftwaffe fighters away from
Schweinfurt, the more important of the two targets. The
Eighth's Fourth Bombardment Wing, led by Colonel Curtis
LeMay, was to bdmb Regensburg, then land at U.S. bases in
Algeria. The Eighth 's First Bombardment Wing, led by
Brigadier General Robert Williams, was to attack Schwein-
furt, then return to its bases in England.
On the morning of August 17, thick fog surrounded the
Eighth's airfields. Since LeMay had drilled his men repeat-
edly in the art of blind instrument takeoffs, his 146 B-17 s
were delayed only a few minutes before taking off for Re-
gensburg. However, Williams's aircraft, scheduled to take
U.S. Army Air Force off ten minutes after Le May's, were grounded for over
General Curtis E. LeMay, a three hours. The tactical advantage of the two-pronged raid
tactical innovator, propo- was now lost, but it was decided not to cancel the mission,
nent of strategic bombing,
and ruthless taskmaster,
since the hazards oflanding with a full load of bombs meant
was affectionately dubbed that all of LeMay's returning bombers would have to salvo
"Iron Ass" by the men who their bombs in the English Channel, where they could pos-
served under him in the sibly hit Allied ships. When the fog finally lifted, the First
Eighth Air Force's Fourth Bombardment Wing took off, way behind schedule.
Bombardment Wing.
Leading many raids himself, LeMay's B-l 7s encountered antiaircraft fire and mini-
he developed the B-17 com- mal fighter opposition shortly after they crossed into Ger-
bat box formation, which man-occupied Holland. But most of the Luftwaffe fighters
gave the Fortresses better avoided tangling with the P-47 escort fighters, knowing the
mutual firepower and pro-
tection. He also drilled his
Thunderbolts would soon have to return to their bases in
crews relentlessly on instru- England. Although the P-47s now had paper drop tanks,
ment flying, a skill that these leaked badly, were unusable at high altitudes, and
enabled them to take off on could safely hold only 100 gallons of fuel. With these tanks,
the historic August 17, the range of the Thunderbolt was now extended to Aachen,
1943, raid on Regensburg,
even though the English air-
just inside the German border.
fields were socked in by fog. As LeMay's armada crossed into Germany, the fuel-
LeMay went on to direct B- depleted U.S. escort fighters were forced to head back to
29 bombing raids from the England. Almost immediately, Luftwaffe FW 190s and Bf
Marianas against Japan, and
l09s began tearing into the B-17s with machine gun and
after the war became head
of Strategic Air Command. cannon fire . Twin-engined Bf 110 fighters, flying outside
the range of the American machine guns, fired four-foot-

long rockets into the bomber formations .
Some Luftwaffe fighters even dropped 500-
pound time-fused bombs on the Fortresses.
One B-17 after another fell out of the for-
mations in flames , and the sky was littered
with debris and parachutes from scores of
broken aircraft. Since Luftwaffe fighter
bases were spread out from the German
border to Regensburg , as soon as one
fighter unit had exhausted its fuel and am-
munition, another one rose to take its place.
As a result, the American bombers were at-
tacked unceasingly in the most awesome
display of Luftwaffe firepower that the surviving U.S. crews Taken during a raid on Berlin,
this sequence of photographs
had ever witnessed.
shows bombs from the aircraft
By the time the Fourth Bombardment Wing reached Re- above hitting an out-of-position
gensburg, 15 B-l 7s had been shot down. But the 131 re- B-17, cutting off its horizontal
maining Fortresses, many of which were damaged and rid- stabilizer.
dled with holes, managed to find their targets, and nearly
all of the Messerschmitt buildings were hit
by high-explosive and incendiary bombs.
Satisfied that they had destroyed their tar-
get, LeMay's bombers headed south toward
Algeria. Three more B-l 7s were lost before
the last of the Luftwaffe fighters gave up the
chase near the Alps.
Meanwhile, the 230 B-l 7s of Williams's
First Bombardment Wing had just crossed
the border into Germany, where they en-
countered the full fury of a refueled and
rearmed Luftwaffe. Again avoiding all-out
attacks on the bombers until the P-47 escort
had departed, 200 FW l 90s and 100 Bf 109s shot down None of the crew was seen bail-
ing out of the stricken bomber as
even more B-l 7s than they had that morning. Despite the
it plummeted to earth. Courtesy
loss of 21 bombers, the First Bombardment Wing pressed of the Boeing Aircraft Company
on and finally located the target factories. Over 420 tons of
bombs were dropped on Schweinfurt, inflicting severe
damage on the ball-bearing works. But the Fortresses still
had to run the gauntlet of enemy fighters
that awaited them on their return trip to
England. Again, Luftwaffe firepower pul-
verized the bomber formations, bringing
down one B-1 7 after another until the P-4 7s
arrived near the German border to escort
the shot-up survivors home across the En-
glish Channel.
Soon after the surviving crews had land-
ed, it was realized that the Schweinfurt-
Regensburg raids had taken a fearsome toll
on the Eighth Air Force, with 60 B- l 7s shot
down and 600 crewmen lost. Of the
bombers that landed safely in England and North Africa,
122 were damaged and 27 of those had to be scrapped.
Many Americans wondered if the damage done by these
raids was worth the horrendous losses. To Adolf Galland,
whose Luftwaffe fighter arm had lost 36 aircraft out of some
300, with another 12 written off, this was positive proof that
the American heavy bomber offensive could be made too
costly by a strong German fighter defense, though his forces
could ill afford the losses they too had suffered. Moreover,
these raids disputed the air power theorists' doctrine that
"the bomber will always get through." Sadly, the U.S. lead-
ers would be slow in grasping this lesson.
" BLACK THURSDA Y"-
RETURN TO SCHW EI N FURT
(October 1943)
Crews of the Eighth were disappointed to find out that
instead of making a follow-up night raid on Schweinfurt,
the RAF had bombed the German secret weapons facility at
Peenemiinde on the night of August 17. The Baltic island
was now the test site for two Vergeltungswaffen, or "venge-
ance weapons," the V-ljet-powered flying bomb and the V-
2 liquid-fueled rocket. The raid had killed many top Ger-
man scientists and would delay the V-1 and V-2 programs
for months. The RAF bombing of Peenemiinde following
the U.S. attack on Schweinfurt typified the lack of coopera-
tion between the two air forces in what was mistakenly
called the "Combined Bomber Offensive."
The next few weeks saw the battered Eighth bombing
targets in northern France, well within range of fighter es-
cort. Additional bomber reinforcements were flown in from
the States, including the new B-l 7G, which had a gun tur-
ret in its nose to ward off frontal attacks. General Arnold
continued to call for attacks on Germany, and several un-
escorted raids were made on targets in East Prussia and
2d Schweinfurt Raid,
October 14th, 1943

Poland . In a frightful three-day stretch, the Eigh th lost "The loss of sixty
eighty-eight bombers in raids on Frankfurt, Bremen, Gdy-
American bombers in
nia, Marienburg, Anklam, and Munster.
While photo reconnaissance had confirmed the destruc- the Schwein/urt raid
tion of the Messerschmitt plants at Regensburg, photos of was incidental."
Schweinfurt showed that the damage there was being re- U.S. Anny Air Force Brigadier
paired with astonishing speed. Intelligence reports also General Ira Eaker, after the
confirmed that ball bearings were frantically being sought second raid on Schweinfurt on
from every corner of the Third Reich-proofthat the Ger- October 14, 1943
man ball bearing industry had indeed been crippled by the
August 17 raid. What was needed now was a follow-up raid
to finish the plants offbefore repairs made them fully oper-
ational. This time, the Eighth would not split its forces with
a diversionary raid; instead, it would hit Schweinfurt with
everything it had . Again, there was no time to wait for the
arrival of the promised long-range escort fighters; the
Fortresses would once again have to go it alone.
On the morning of October 14, a fleet of291B -l7s and
nearly 200 escort fighters took off from their bases in Eng-
land. Before the B-l 7s, which had been divided into two
groups flying thirty miles apart, even crossed the Dutch
coast, the escort fighters were attacked by 20Bf109s. The P-
4 7s drove them off, but other Luftwaffe aircraft flew at a safe
distance from the huge aerial armadas, waiting for them to
pass the city of Aachen, where the P-47s would have to turn
around. As soon as the Thunderbolts headed back to Eng-
land, the sky filled with attacking Luftwaffe aircraft. Waves
of Bf 109s, FW 190s, Bf l lOs, Me 210s,Ju 88s, and even Ju
87 Stuka dive bombers and He 111 medium bombers
joined in the melee with the same weaponry that had been
used with such devastating effects on August 17. Bf 109s
and FW l 90s riddled the formations with 20-mm cannon
and machine-gun fire. Stukas climbed above the bomber
formations and dropped time-fused bombs on the Fortress-
es.Twin-engined Bf l lOs, Me 220s, and He 11 ls fired rock-
ets which packed four times the explosive
force of an antiaircraft shell. As broken,
burning, shrapnel-ridden Fortresses fell "This one FW 190 ... obviously was
from the sky, the gaps in the formations attempting a head-on ram on my air-
were quickly filled by the surviving B-l 7s, craft. He was not firing at all when he
seeking the protection of each other's guns. was well within his own range. Our rate
The fighting was even fiercer than in the of closure had to be about 400 to 450
miles per hour, and I eased the [B- 17]
first Schweinfurt mission. The crew of one
down. It required split-second timing, but
bomber counted forty separate attacks by my timing was good. I pulled the aircraft
German fighters in the space of a minute. up and he went about fifty feet under
One of the American commanders, Colonel me. I will never forget the green scarf
Budd Peaslee, noted eleven columns of that German pilot had around his neck."
smoke on the ground where B-l 7s h ad U.S. Army Air Force Lieutenant David
crashed . By the time the two armadas Shelhamer, a survivor of the second raid
neared the outskirts ofSchweinfurt, twenty- on Schweinfurt on October 14, 1943
eight bombers had been shot down and
"Wherever one looked thirty-four more had headed home with damage or me-
chanical problems. Those bombers which had reached
in the sky there were
Schweinfurt now had to face the murderous fire of new an-
Germans attacking tiaircraft batteries that had been installed after the first raid .
and B-17s smoking, Luftwaffe fighters, ignoring the fierce fire of their own flak,
burning, spinning continued to attack the formations relentlessly. Fortunately
for the surviving Americans, their formations had remained
down." tight, so that they were able to deliver 500 tons of bombs on
Unidentified survivor of the the factories with high accuracy within the space of twelve
second raid on Schweinfurt on minutes.
October 14, 1943
But the flight home was even worse than the flight in .
Just as in the first raid , the tired crews of the B- l 7s were met
by waves of refueled and rearmed Luftwaffe aircraft along
the route from Schweinfurt. Another thirty-two bombers
were shot down on the return trip. After over three hours of
the most savage aerial fig hting ever displayed, the surviving
bombers, many badly damaged and full of dead, dying, and
wounded, reached the English Channel.
Once again, 60 bombers and their crews had been lost
over Germany, in the bloodiest mission ever flown by the
United States. Of the planes that returned, 142 were dam-
aged. Although the Americans claimed to have shot down
Flak hit this B-17 over Cologne, 186 German fighters , the Luftwaffe had actually lost 31 ,
killing both the bombardier and with another 12 written off. As for the raid itself, Eaker was
the navigator. Amazingly, the initially optimistic, based on photographs of Schweinfurt
pilot, Lieutenant Lawrence which showed even greater damage than after the first raid.
Delany, managed to fly the
bomber safely back to England. On the German side, Albert Speer estimated that 67 per-
Courtesy of the United States Air cent of the factories ' production capability had been de-
Force stroyed: ifthe Allies could follow up the October 14 attacks
38 Secret Weapons of t/1 Luftwaffe

with raids on the ball-bearing industry every two weeks,
Germany would be defenseless within four months. But the
Eighth was so badly decimated that follow-up raids were not
only impractical but impossible, and Harris and the RAF
would not cooperate. After what the American crews were
calling "Black Thursday," it was apparent that despite the
heavy German losses, the Luftwaffe still ruled the skies over
Germany.
THE MUSTANG ARRIVES
(November 1943-December 1943)
The cost of the second disastrous Schweinfurt raid
stunned the Americans, including Roosevelt, who declared
that sixty bombers were too many to lose. Many wondered if
the daylight bombing offensive should be canceled alto-
gether. Eaker, whose initial
optimism had quickly fad-
ed, stopped planning any
more unescorted missions
into Germany. It was finally
apparent to him that unless
the bombers were escorted
by long-range fighters, the
Eighth Air Force wou ld
soon be obliterated. He re-
ceived good news two weeks
after the Schweinfurt raid : Arnold had ordered stepped-up Courtesy of Aero Digest
production of the P-51, with the first Mustangs going to the
Eighth Air Force.
Only a few raids, mostly on occupied France and with
fighter escort, were carried out over the next few weeks. In
mid-November, the first P-51 B Mustangs began arriving in
England by ship. By the end of the month, a new fighter
group, the 354th, was training in twenty-four P-5 ls. On De-
cember 1, the commander of the 354th, Lieutenant Colonel
Don Blakeslee, decided to take the Mustangs across the
Channel to show them off to the German defenders. On De-
cember 11 they made their first escort mission to Emden,
Germany, and on December 16 they claimed their first
Luftwaffe victim.
The Mustang's performance immediately established it
as the leading active fighter in the West. More maneuver-
able than either the Bf 109 or the FW 190, it was also faster,
with a top speed of 440 miles per hour at 30,000 feet. Most
importantly, it solved the problem oflong-range escort once
and for all. With its fuel-efficient engine and internal fuel
tank, the P-51 had the range to take the B-l 7s and B-24s
deep into Germany and back. U.S. bomber crews were
hopeful that they would never again have to endure mis-
sions as bloody as the two Schweinfurt raids. They had an-
other reason to rejoice when a 150-gallon drop tank was
Histarical Overview 39
"!would rather have finally developed to extend the range of the P-4 7 to deep
within German airspace. The Eighth also received a steady
one Me 262 than five supply of trained crews and replacement bombers, and
[Me] 109s." some five hundred B-l 7s and B-24s were available by the
Luftwaffe General Adolf Galland, end of October.
in 1944 While the Eighth was regaining strength, the RAF's
Bomber Command continued to attack German targets by
night. On October 22, the industrial city of Kassel was hit by
1,800 tons of bombs, causing a fire storm like the one that
had swept through Hamburg. Next, Harris turned his at-
tention toward Berlin, maintaining that ifthe German capi-
tal were destroyed, the war would be ended. The U.S. gen-
erals did not share Harris's belief, but the stubborn Bomber
Command leader sent large numbers of RAF aircraft on
raid after raid on Berlin. Bad weather and heavy losses to
German night fighters hampered what was being called the
Battle of Berlin. Despite pressure to switch to industrial tar-
gets, Harris continued the raids through the spring of 1944,
when he commanded his forces to assist in preparations for
the invasion of France.
HITLER BLUNDERS AGAIN
(November 1943)
By late 1943, the embattled empire of the Third Reich
was withering away on all fronts in the face of the combined
Allied offensives. The German campaign in North Africa
had collapsed. U.S. and British troops had captured Sicily
and were working their way up the "boot" of Italy. Russian
troops were pushing back the German army on the eastern
front. And even Hitler himself conceded that the Allied in-
vasion of France was only a matter of time and would prob-
ably take place in the spring of 1944.
For years Hitler had embraced the concept of the "blitz
bomber," a plane that would fly faster than any pursuing
enemy fighters . He spoke with Goring of how the "blitz
A restored Me 262. bomber" would wreak havoc strafing and bombing the in-

vasion beaches. The Me 262, left to languish in the belief
that there would be no need for such an advanced weapon
in the face of Germany's eventual victory, now began to oc-
cupy a special place in Hitler's plans.
On November 2, 1943, Goring visited the Messerschmitt
works at Augsburg. He asked Messerschmitt if the Me 262
could carry one or two bombs. Messerschmitt replied that it
was possible for the new plane to carry two 1, 100-pound
bombs or one 2,200-pound bomb. The bomb racks had not
been developed, but Messerschmitt falsely assured Goring
that this would take only two weeks.
At an air show at Insterburg on ovember 26, Hitler saw
the Me 262 in flight for the first time. As Messerschmitt,
Goring, and Galland all stood together with the fi.ihrer
watching the jet swoop by, Hitler asked Messerschmitt if the
Me 262 could carry bombs. Messerschmitt gave Hitler the
A captured Me 163 that was
flown by Allied pilots for evalua-
tion after the war.
same reply he had earlier given Goring. Hitler nodded,

then announced, "For years I have demanded from the
Luftwaffe a fast bomber which can reach its target in spite of
enemy fighter defense. In this aircraft you present to me as
a fighter plane, I see the Blitz Bomber, with which 1 will re-
pel the invasion in its first and weakest phase. Regardless of
the enemy air umbrella, it will strike the recently landed
mass of material and troops, creating panic, death, and de-
struction. At last this is the Blitz Bomber!" He paused and
then added, "Of course, none of you thought of that!"
A stunned Galland realized that he had just witnessed
another setback for the Me 262 jet fighter. This superb in-
terceptor had many drawbacks as a bomber. The external
bombload would reduce its speed. Its high fuel consump-
tion would result in a minimal bombing range. Dive-
bombing was out, as the Me 262 was uncontrollable at
speeds over 600 miles per hour. A special bombsight would
need to be developed. But nobody, especially not Goring or
Messerschmitt, would present these problems to Hitler.
Back at the Messerschmitt factory, work continued on
the jet prototypes. Despite Hitler's decision, only one Me
262 was fitted with bomb racks while the rest were built as
fighters. By March 1944, the first evaluation prototype was
ready for combat. However, its Junkers Jumo 004B turbojet
engines had numerous technological problems, and pro-
duction of this powerplant crept along at a slow rate. In
June 1944, before all the problems had been worked out, it
was finally decided to "freeze" the design of the engine for
mass production. The resulting engine would frequently
break down at the high temperatures it generated.
Meanwhile, work on another secret weapon, the Me 163,
was continuing without interference from Hitler, although
the rocket fighter was plagued by technical problems, and
its volatile fuels often caused it to explode. From 1941 on,
several flights had been made with various powered and
unpowered prototypes, and on June 24, 1943, the Me 163
made its first takeoff and landing from the airfield at Peen-
emtinde. By the fall of 1943, the Me 163 group had been
moved to Bad Zwischenahn, and thirty pilots were selected
to begin training on the Komet. This marked the birth of
Jagdgeschwader 400, a group of rocket fighter pilots whose
skill could only be equaled by their courage in flying this
volatile aircraft.
GATHERING STRENGTH
FOR "BIG WEEK"
(December 1943-March 1944)
With the appointment of General Dwight D. Eisenhower
as supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force,
changes were in store for the Eighth Air Force. On Decem-
ber 18, General Eaker was notified that he was being trans-
ferred to head the Fifteenth Air Force in the Mediter-
ranean. His replacement was Lieutenant General James H .
Doolittle, who had led the famous B-25 carrier raid on
Tokyo in 1942. General Spaatz was brought
The volatile T-Stoff and C-Stoff fuels back from North Africa to supervise the air
that powered the Me 163 were extreme- offensive over Europe. Doolittle and Spaatz
ly dangerous even when they were not had served with Eisenhower before, and he
ignited. On one occasion, a pilot crash- valued the close working relationship they
landed his Komet while attempting to had established.
take off. Ground crews smothered the Extremely disappointed at the prospect
rocket plane with foam, then inspected of leaving the Eighth just as it was about to
the accident scene. They found that the gain the upper hand against the Luftwaffe,
fuel lines had ruptured and the two fuels Eaker departed London on January 1,
had doused the pilot, literally dissolving
1944. On his way to his new headquarters
him in his seat.
in Italy, he was told that a certain "Colonel
Holt" wanted to see him in Casablanca.
This turned out to be Winston Churchill, who received Eak-
er in the same villa where the two had discussed bombing
operations a year ago. Eaker was consoled by Churchill,
who told him , "Your representations regarding daylight
42 Secret Weapons of tlie Luftwaffe

and night bombing ... have been and are being verified .
Round-the-dock bombing is achieving the results you pre-
dicted."
In a New Year's message, General Arnold told his com-
manders in Europe to "destroy the Enemy Air Force wher-
ever you find them, in the air, on the ground and in the fac-
tories." When Doolittle took over the Eighth on January 6,
he was presented with an intelligence report that stressed
the importance of wiping out the Luftwaffe's fighters before
the invasion of France, Operation Overlord, could take
place. With more and more P-5ls arriving from the States,
Doolittle decided that he could take more risks with his own
fighters: instead of sticking in formation to escort the heavy
bombers, U.S. fighters would go on the offensive and hunt
down German fighters, either in the air or on the ground .
The unleashing of the fighters was welcomed enthusiasti-
B-l 7s stockpiled in England.
cally by the fighter pilots, but the beleaguered bomber

crews were highly critical of Doolittle's decision. Doolittle
insisted that by going after the Luftwaffe fighters before
they could get to the bombers, the Eighth would gain the
upper hand in the air war in Europe. Perhaps he was
demonstrating a lesson learned from the Battle of Britain,
in which German fighter pilots had racked up huge "kill"
totals in the "free-chasing" role before being ordered to Ay
close to the bombers, where the fighters' effectiveness was
greatly reduced.
In addition to changing fighter tactics, the Allied com-
manders drew up plans for Operation Argument, which
called for strategic bombing of any enemy factories that pro-
duced fighter aircraft and components, to begin when there
were a few days of good weather, a rarity in Europe during
January and February. Argument was to be a coordinated
attack between the Eighth, the Fifteenth, based in Italy, and
the RAF.
The first Eighth Air Force raid of I 944 saw 633 B-l 7s
Historical Overvi.ew 43
and B-24s take off to attack three targets in Germany, in-
cl ud ing a Focke-Wu lf factory at Oschersleben . The raid
marked the successful debut of the P-51 as an escort fighter
for the Eighth: fifteen German fighters were shot down by
the Mustangs. Although most of the bombers had to turn
back because of bad weather, the remaining aircraft badly
damaged the Focke-Wulf factory and other targets in the
raid, which cost the Eighth thirty-four bombers.
Another raid on Frankfurt was made on J anuary 27, but,
again hampered by bad weather, fewer than sixty bombers
reached the target. Mission after mission was canceled be-
cause of the weather, and Spaatz, impatient for Operation
Argument to begin, ordered that it be completed by March
1. On February 20, meteorologists forecast fair skies for a
few days over Europe. Even though it was overcast and
snowing in England, Spaatz gave the orders to "let 'em go."
"Big Week" had begun.
Fo llow ing an RAF n ight bombing mission against
Leipzig, over 1,000 bombers, the largest number ever as-
sembled by the Americans, headed for targets in central
Germany and Poland, escorted by 700 fighters. The Luft-
waffe, ordered by Goring to avoid the fighters and attack
the bombers, had trouble penetrating the
In September of 1943, several Ameri- thick fighter formations, and managed to
can fighter planes were shot down just shoot down only 21 bombers. That night,
inside the German border at Aachen, the th e ball-bearing works at Stuttgart were
first sign that the U.S. escorting aircraft blasted by the RAF. The next day , bad
were extending their range deeper into weather moved in, and although 764 B-l 7s
the Reich. When Adolf Galland reported and B-24s were in the air, the results were
the news to Adolf Hitler, Hermann minimal. February 23 saw the Fifteenth Air
Goring confronted Galland, calling the Force wipe out the Messerschmitt factory at
reports "pure bluff." Galland replied, Regensb u rg while los ing 33 bombers .
"Those are the facts, Herr Reichs-
Sch we infurt, the most dreaded target in
m arschall! American fighters have been
shot down over Aachen. There is no
Germany, was hit by the Eighth on Febru-
doubt about it." Cried Goring, "That is ary 24, and the RAF dropped even more
simply not true .... What must have hap- bombs o n to the burning city later that
pened is that they were shot down much evening. The Gotha factory, where Bf l lOs
further to the west. I mean, if they were were bu ilt, was heavi ly damaged by 238
very high when they were shot down Liberators.
they could have glided quite a distance Bad weather terminated Big Week on
farther before they crashed." Keeping a February 25, but not before the Eighth and
straight face, Galland replied, "Glided to the Fiftee nth had hit the Bf 109 production
the east, sir? If my plane were shot centers at Augsburg and Regensburg, los-
up ...." Before he could continue, Goring ing 64 bombers. As the RAF dropped the
barked, "I herewith give you an official fi n al Bi g Week bombs on the flames at
order that they weren't there! Do you
Augsburg, it appeared to the Allies that the
understand? The American fighters were
German aircraft industry had been wiped
not there! Get that! I intend to report
that to the Fuhrer. You have my official o u t, at a cost of 229 bombers and 29
order!" Smirked Galland, "Orders are fig h ters. Dropping over 19,000 tons of
orders, Sir!" bombs, the Allies had destroyed 700Bf109s
th at were eith er combat-ready or in the

final production stages, along with hundreds more fighter "Hitler built a fortress
aircraft. Additionally, the Allies claimed over 600 Luftwaffe
fighters shot down during Big Week.
around Europe, but
At a time when Germany was trying to build its fighter he forgot to put a roof
forces in preparation for the Allied invasion, Big Week was a on it."
resounding success for the Allies , as it took hundreds of President Franklin D . Roosevelt,
fighters out of the hands of the Luftwaffe. But although in 1943
seventy-five percent of the fighter production facilities had
been hit, German aircraft production capability had not
been destroyed altogether. In the wake of Big Week, the
ministry of armaments, headed by Albert Speer, took
charge of fighter production from the Luftwaffe and gave
top priority to increasing fighter output. Large numbers of
machine tools were salvaged from the wrecked plants, and
many serviceable aircraft and components were removed
from the rubble. Production facilities were dispersed into
wooded areas and even caves, and under Speer's emergen-
cy program the output of fighters was stepped up to the un-
precedented level of nearly two thousand a month by April.
For Adolf Galland, a sign of hope amidst the rubble was
found at Augsburg, where all of the Me 262 prototypes had
emerged from the bombings undamaged.
PREPARATION FOR INVASION
(March 1944-May 1944)
With only a few months left until D-Day, the planned
invasion of France, the Allied leaders were divided on which
course the bombing offensive should take. Eisenhower
wanted to "soften up" the landing areas and hamper Ger-
man troop and supply movements in the vicinity of Nor-
mandy. Spaatz and Harris felt that Operation Overlord
could best be served by continuing the day-and-night
bombing of Germany's key industries. Spaatz also argued
that bombing the Reich's synthetic oil production facilities
would keep fuel away from
German army units and D-Day Invasion Strategy
Luftwaffe aircraft in the in-
vasion area, as well as tie up
valuable Luftwaffe fighters
who would have to protect
the refineries.
Winston Churchill back-
ed up Spaatz and Harris.
But Eisenhower and some
British leaders backed a
strategy known as the
Transportation Plan . It
called for U.S. and British
bombers to attack roads,
bridges , and rail lines in
France and the Low Coun-
tries, concentrating on
some eighty railroad mar-
shaling yards and adjacent
repair facilities and depots.
Knocking these vital rail
centers out and bombing
them repeatedly to keep
them from being repaired
would prevent the Ger-
mans from reinforcing the
invasion beaches on D-Day.
The RAF decided to test
out the precision attacks
called for under the Trans-
portation Plan. Though
Harris had stated that hi s
bomber crews were un-
skilled in anything but area
bombing, they had proved
him wrong before, in the
"dam busters" raid, and
A U.S. bombing raid on an oil they now proved him wrong again by successfully knocking
refinery in Bremen on March 30,
out several rail centers in France. Eisenhower, who felt that
1945. Te n Me 262s attacked the
B- l 7s of the 306th Bomb Group the Transportation Plan would support the invasion plans
afte r they had dropped their more directly than would Spaatz's tactic of attacking oil cen-
bombs; six of the German jets ters, faced stubborn opposition from Churchill and others
were shot down by escorting P- who felt that many French civilians would be killed in the at-
S I Mustangs and B-17 gunners.
tacks. But when Roosevelt refused to intervene in the mat-
ter, Churchill dropped his opposition. Spaatz won a conces-
sion from Eisenhower: the Eighth's bombers would be
allowed to attack oil centers and other industrial targets in
Germany when they were not needed to carry out the
Transportation Plan.
Meanwhile, the RAF attacks on Berlin raged on. The
German capital was heavily damaged, but the morale of its
inhabitants had not been crushed by Harris's bombers, and
many Lancasters had been shot from the skies by Luftwaffe
night fighters. On March 4, the United States joined in the
attacks as the Eighth's bombers, escorted by P-5 ls and P-
4 7s, dropped their bombloads on Berlin. Two days later, the
Eighth made another daylight attack on Berlin, losing sixty-
nine bombers and eleven fighters, while the Luftwaffe lost
eighty-two fighters. On March 24, the RAF lost seventy-two
bombers in a night raid over the target that, like London
years before, refused to be pounded into submission from
the air.
While it was becoming obvious that the Battle of Berlin
was resulting in a defeat for Harris and Bomber Command,
another blow to the RAF came on the night of March 30,
when nearly 1,000 bombers were sent to hit Nuremberg.
Owing to faulty British meteorological forecasts, the

bombers ended up flying over the target area illuminated "The greatest single
by a full moon in a cloudless sky. In what would go down as
the greatest fighter victory of the war, some 108 RAF
factor differentiating
bombers were shot down by Luftwaffe night fighters . After the Eighth Air Force
this disastrous mission, the RAF began cutting back on its operations from those
deep raids into Germany. of other theaters is the
Although the Luftwaffe night fighters were shooting
down staggering numbers of British bombers, U.S. long- extremely high propor-
range escort fighters were making their daytime presence tion of battle damage
felt in the spring of 1944. Hundreds of Luftwaffe fighters resulting from combat
and their irreplaceable pilots were now falling to the guns of
Mustangs and Thunderbolts, and more U.S. bombers were with the best German
surviving to drop their destructive payloads. Many P-51 fighters."
and P-47 pilots developed a rivalry as they aggressively U.S. Assistant Secretary of War
sought out Luftwaffe pilots to duel. In particular, the Mus- for Air Robert Lovett, in 1943
tangs of the 4th Fighter Group (the "Eagles"), led by
Blakeslee, and the Thunderbolts of the 56th Fighter Group
(the "Wolf Pack"), led by Colonel Hubert Zemke, were as
fiercely competitive with each other regarding their "kill"
totals as they were against the Luftwaffe. With each U.S.
mission, fewer German fighters were rising in opposition.
In April, the Eighth's fighters began massive strafing
sweeps over Luftwaffe airfields, destroying hundreds of
German fighters on the ground. But at this stage of the war,
the loss of aircraft was the least of the Luftwaffe's concerns.
THE LUFTWAFFE'S
STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL
(May 1944)
The results of Albert Speer's herculean efforts to step up
fighter production were nothing short of miraculous: Ger-
man industry was turning out more of these aircraft than
ever. What was hampering the Luftwaffe was a shortage of
trained pilots. In the first four months of 1944, over one
thousand Luftwaffe fighters had been shot down: many of
these fallen pilots were officers who were irreplaceable at
this stage of the war, veterans who could have taught young
pilots invaluable lessons in air combat. Instead, hurrying to
make up the losses, the Luftwaffe now threw raw, inexperi-
enced pilots into the skies with little training, usually to
meet with disaster. Moreover, General Eaker's Fifteenth Air
Force had badly damaged the oil refineries at Ploesti, and as
a result, oil supplies to Germany were dwindling. Speer and
Galland both realized that ifthe German synthetic oil plants
were destroyed, Germany would be out of fuel, and out of
the war. The fuel shortage further devastated the pilot
training program, since the Luftwaffe could not spare the
fuel for training flights.
Despite the crisis, Hitler and Goring still clung to their
deluded visions of a massive bomber counteroffensive and
ordered bomber production to continue, though Speer qui-
"Ifyou see fighting air- etly countermanded this order. When Hitler met with
Speer, Erhard Milch, and others on May 23, he was startled
craft over you, they will to hear production estimates calling for 1,000 Me 262
be ours." fighters per month. "I thought the Me 262 was coming out as
General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a speed bomber," snapped the agitated fiihrer. "How many
to his troops on D-Day, June 6, of the Me 262s already produced can carry bombs?" "None,
1944 my Fuhrer," explained Milch. "The Me 262 is being manu-
factured exclusively as a fighter aircraft." Hitler exploded,
screaming that Milch had deceived him. Milch blurted that
"even the smallest child could see that it was a fighter air-
craft." With these ill-chosen words, his career as the Luft-
waffe's number two man was effectively terminated.
A furious Hitler ordered the immediate conversion of all
Me 262 fighters to bombers, and transferred all the Me 262s
being used for testing and training from Galland's fighter
arm to the bomber arm. No more prototypes were to be
supplied to Galland, and the general was forced to secretly
appropriate what few Me 262s he could. What made
Hitler's decision so disheartening for Galland was the fact
that the Me 262 had flown in combat a few times during
testing, with superb results against Allied aircraft. More-
over, the Me 262's engines.used diesel fuel, which was in less
demand than the high-octane fuel used by prop aircraft. All
in all, the potential of the Me 262, Galland's hope for end-
ing the Allied air raids, was being squandered for the sake of
dropping one or two bombs.
D - DAY
(May 1944-June 1944)
As the invasion date neared, the Transportation Plan was
achieving devastating results. The B-25 Mitchell and B-25
Marauder medium bombers, and other fighter-bombers of
the Ninth Air Force, newly relocated to England, dropped
33,000 tons of bombs on vital rail centers in France. Fifty-
one of these centers were destroyed, along with 1,500 loco-
D-Day, June 6, 1944
/
American /
lstArmy
~ Q
British
2dArmy
/
'"''
l
<:>~
/ /
.... I Q "ti
(So ~"'' ..... ~ f .;e
"~cS"><J Cl
I ;"' ,Zr J ,, ~
Utah Oma!
Gold Juno
i)
Sword
48 Secret Weapom of the Luftwaffe

motives. All twenty-four bridges on the Seine between Paris
and the ocean were severed, and by June the rail system was
a shambles. Nearly one hundred airfields in the invasion
area were hard-hit, and hundreds of fighters on the ground
were destroyed in bombing and strafing attacks . Altogether,
some 200,000 sorties were flown against selected invasion
targets; other coastal areas were also targeted, to confuse
the Germans about the location of the invasion. (Informa-
tion about many of these targets had been gained by Allied
intelligence, using a replica of the German Enigma coding
device to break German communications codes, in a pro-
gram classified "Ultra Secret.")
U.S. fighter pilots who took part in ground-target
strafing missions were encountering a set of hazards much
different from those of air-to-air combat. Flying a fighter
near the ground at speeds of 400 miles per hour was tricky,
and German antiaircraft gunners quickly adjusted to the
low-level attacks. Ground fire was a special
problem for the P-51, whose liquid-cooled
engine would seize up if even a single bullet One of the keys to the eventual Allied
victory in World War II was provided by
ripped its coolant tanks or tubes. The larg-
a team of Polish cryptographers who
er, air-cooled engine of the P-4 7 could sus- escaped from Poland after the German
tain battle damage better than the Mus- invasion with several working replicas of
tang's engine, and soon most of the Ninth's the German Enigma coding machine.
P-5ls were transferred to the Eighth Air With these machines, Allied intelligence
Force for bomber escort duty, while addi- was able to break the top-secret German
tional Eighth P-47s were switched over to communications codes, and gather a
the Ninth for ground attack. wealth of "ultra secret" information about
General Spaatz's request that the Eighth German air, land, and sea movements,
be allowed to hit oil targets was finally including the status of every Luftwaffe
granted by Eisenhower. On May 12, a fleet unit in the Battle of Britain, as well as
of 1,500 aircraft from the Eighth and the many of their plans for attacking British
targets. Also divulged were the identities
Fifteenth bombed twelve German synthetic
of many German intelligence agents in
plants and refineries, losing forty-six
Britain, plans for the invasion of Russia,
bombers. Attacks on synthetic plants were the location of supply convoys in the
repeated on May 28, and oil production Mediterranean, and many more German
plummeted. Goring told his commanders secrets. In the air war over Europe, Ultra
to send fighters against Allied bombers only decoders alerted U.S. generals to how
if they were heading for oil targets. This much the 1944 offensive against German
kept German fighters bottled up in Ger- oil production was hurting the Third
many, away from the invasion area. Reich-and how fast repair efforts were
On June 5, the night before D-Day, more going. They also revealed the existence
than 5,000 tons of bombs were dropped on of German jet and rocket aircraft, and
the fortifications of the Atlantic Wall. The the location of their bases. Many precau-
tions were taken so as not to tip off the
next day, as 150,000 invasion troops
Germans that their communications
stormed the beaches of Normandy, more
were being monitored, and as a result
than 8,000 fighters and bombers flew more most Ultra disclosures remained top
than 14,600 sorties in their support, secret until some three decades after the
strafing and bombing gun batteries and war had ended; several others remain
continuing the Transportation Plan attacks. secret to this very day.
So many rails and roads had been knocked
A few of the P-47 pilots of the
56th Fighter Group, the
''Wolfpack." On the left is
Colonel Francis Gabreski, the
leading U.S. ace in the European
theater with 31 "kills."
out that many German reserves had to travel by foot toward

the invasion sites.
On D-Day the Luftwaffe was in a state of utter chaos.
Many German airfields in the invasion area had been so
devastated by Allied bombing that they were unusable, and
when 600 fighters were ordered from Germany to Nor-
mandy, they found the surviving airfields under constant
attack . Some Luftwaffe fighters were forced to dogfight Al-
lied fighters before they could land . Fewer than 300 sorties
were flown by the Luftwaffe over France on D-Day, as the
Allies thoroughly controlled the skies. This successful Allied
strategy of attacking air bases was identical to the pre-inva-
sion strategy the Luftwaffe had used against the RAF
airfields in the Battle of Britain, before the fatefu l decision
had been made to bomb London instead.
In the weeks immediately following the Normandy inva-
sion, additional U.S. air support helped the Allied troops
break out from their landing areas and push inland. U .S.
fighters kept the Luftwaffe from mou nting any effective op-
position, and over one thousand German fighters were de-
stroyed. P-4 7 and P-38 fighter-bombers demolished Ger-
man tanks, bombed supply dumps, and attacked roads and
rails to hamper German troop movements. Heavy bombers
concentrated their payloads on German strongholds, blast-
ing them to rubble to clear the way for Allied troops. (This
last tactic requ ired utmost precision: over one hundred
U.S . soldiers were accidentally killed by U.S . bombs.) Air
support would continue to be invaluab le to the Allied
armies as they drove through France toward Germany it-
self.
General Spaatz took advantage of his agreement with
Eisenhower, and heavy bomber raids on June 15 and June
20 destroyed even more synthetic oil plants. Coded Ger-
man communications that were broken by "Ultra" revealed
to the Allies that these and other attacks were gravely dis-
rupting oil production. But because Eisenhower had tern-

porary control of the bombers and wanted them to contin-
ue supporting U.S. troop movements, Spaatz could not un-
leash an all-out offensive against oil targets. Not until
September did Eisenhower relinquish full control of the
bombers back to Spaatz. And despite the RAF 's demonstrat-
ed success in strategic bombing, Harris went back to area
bombing after D-Day.
ON THE BRINK OF DEFEAT
(June 1944-January 1945)
Germany was in tumult following the Allied invasion . A
reserve of fighters that Adolf Galland had painstakingly as-
sembled was thrown into the fighting in France and was
completely destroyed . The June raids on the synthetic oil
facilities reduced oil production to a trickle. Hitler, recog-
nizing that without oil , German armament production
would be halted, ordered that only fighters be produced,
with the exception of the Me 262, which was still his "blitz
bomber." The Ploesti refineries were hit repeatedly by the
Fifteenth Air Force and finally put out of action when the
advancing Red Army captured them . Many night fighter
bases and radar sites were overrun by Allied troops. Bomb-
ing attacks similar to those of the Transportation Plan de-
stroyed German transportation systems, disrupted troop
movements, and slowed the German economy. The July 20
attempt on Hitler's life only added to the confusion.
The first of the much-heralded "vengeance weapons,"
the V-1, was finally launched against London a week after
D-Day, in response to the demands of the German popula-
Seconds after takeoff, a V-1
"vengeance weapon" heads
toward England. Courtesy of the
Imperial War Museum, London

tion , who wanted revenge for RAF bombings. Over the next
few months, thousands of these flying bombs, each carrying
2,000 pounds of high explosives and traveling at speeds of
around 400 miles per hour, landed on target in greater
London, while thousands more either crashed into the sea
or were shot down by Allied fighters. Although 5,000 Lon-
<loners were killed by V-1 attacks, these bombs did not dev-
astate the city to the extent that the Blitz had, and many of
the V-1 bases in France and Holland were soon overrun by
Allied troops. The V-2 liquid-fuel guided missile, with its
one-ton warhead, was even deadlier than the V-1, and since
it flew at supersonic speeds, it was impossible to defend
against. Moreover, it required no specialized launching
sites, and could be fired from any cleared space. From
September 1944 on, more than 3,000 V-2 guided missiles
were fired on London, as well as on those European cities
that had been recaptured by the Allies. But .at this stage of
the war, it was obvious that even these Vergeltungswaffen
had arrived too late to turn the tide in favor of Nazi Ger-
many. In fact, the V-1 and the V-2 actually helped the Allies
by consuming valuable raw materials that could have gone
into increased fighter production.
To Adolf Galland, Germany's only hope lay in a massive
fighter strike against the American bombers. Amazingly, de-
A V-2 rocket blasts off from its
spite the intense Allied bombing, fighter production was
launching pad in Peenemiinde in steadily increasing and by November would reach 4,000
1943. per month, the highest level of the war. If enough of these
fighters could be launched against the
American heavy bombers, which were now
numbering 1,000 per raid, they could per-
haps shoot down 400 to 500 bombers and
4,000 to 5,000 crewmen. A "Big Blow" like
this would damage the Eighth Air Force
'
~
materially and psychologically, and perhaps
lead to the curtailment of the paralyzing
daylight raids , though the respite would
probably be only temporary. For the second
time, Galland began assembling a reserve of
fighters; his " Big Blow" was planned for
sometime in November.
Meanwhile, one of the "secret weapons"
Galland was hoping to use was seeing its
first action against the enemy. This was the
Me 163 rocket fighter, which made its first
appearance against U.S. bombers during
an August raid on Leipzig. Still in the devel-
opmental stages, it was proving to be as
deadly to the pilots who flew it as it was to
American aircraft. Because the landing
gear was jettisoned upon takeoff, the
Komet touched down on a landing skid at
120 miles per hour. Any fuel vapors remain-
ing in its tank would often be ignited by a
rough landing. Moreover, its fuel supply
was exhausted in four to seven minutes,
leaving it precious little time to engage Al-
lied aircraft. When its fuel ran out, it was

forced to glid e to earth, wh ich was usually when U.S. One German secret weapon that
fighters would attack it. was in the developmental stage
for over a decade was the Gotha
Even with its drawbacks, the Komet showed glimpses of Go 229. Although prop-powered
deadly potential. It could climb straight up at 33,000 feet versions of this "flying wing''
per minute and could fly much faster than Allied aircraft, appeared in the late 1930s, high
with a top speed of 590 miles per hour. One Komet actually German officials did not trust
their radical design. However,
shot down three B-l 7s during its time aloft. because of the outstanding flying
Another aircraft which Galland was hoping to add to the characteristics of a jet-powered
Luftwaffe's inventory was the Dornier 335. Nicknamed the "flying wing'' prototype, the
Pfeil, or "arrow," the Do 335 featured an unusual tandem Horten Ho IX V2, several ver-
sions were put into production in
engine arrangement, with one mounted in the nose and
1944 by order of Reichsmarschall
one in the tail. This "push-pu ll" effect made the Pfeil one of Hermann Goring. A single-seat
the fastest prop-driven aircraft ever built, with a top speed fighter-bomber (shown here),
of 475 miles per hour. But mutual interference problems two all-weather fighters, and a
stemming from the two propellers, plus the continued push two-seat trainer were all on the
assembly line, and plans for a
for Dornier to produce bombers, delayed production of this long-range bomber and an inex-
promising fighter. pensive "people's fighter" were
One "secret weapon" which Galland vehemently op- being drawn up when U.S. troops
posed was the He 162 Volksjager, or "people's fighter." Also overran the Gotha factory in
April 1945.
known as the Salamander, it had a single jet engine mount-
ed on a slender fuselage with plywood wings. Because the
He 162 was hastily designed , and produced in an amazing
sixty-nine days, Goring and others believed that thousands
of these fighters could be churned out in a short time, and
turn back the Allied aircraft. To overcome the pilot short-
age, it was hoped that boys from the Hitler Youth could be
quickly trained in gliders and then thrown into battle in the
Salamander. This desperation measure was never imple-
mented , since the He 162 had numerous structural defects
and was difficult for even an experienced pilot to fly. Gal-
land opposed the He 162 because he felt that it would keep
resources away from the production of the Me 262, which
had proven itself to be combat-worthy. Circumstances were
now favoring this much-delayed jet.
In October, much to Galland's surprise, he was ordered
by Goring to establish the world's first operational unit of
Me 262 jet fighters. Evidently, Heinrich Himmler, the
feared head of the S.S., had taken an interest in the jet
fighter, and in Goring's declining position within the Third
Reich. With visions of an eventual S.S. jet group, Himmler
had pressured the reichsmarschall to establish a test unit.
Galland appointed 24-year-old Major Walter Nowotny, who
had scored 250 aerial victories, as the leader of this new
group, and two bases were set up near the main U.S.
bomber routes into Germany. "Blitz Bomber" versions of
the Me 262 were converted back for use as fighters.
The thirty Me 262s of Kommando Nowotny were soon tan-
gling with Eighth Air Force bombers and fighters with
deadly effectiveness. Twenty-two American aircraft were
shot down in the first month of operations, and the crews of
the surviving bombers and fighters were awestruck by the
German jet's capabilities. It could attack with four 30-mm
cannons, and then fly away so fast that few machine guns
could be trained on it. The appearance of the jet forced the
free-ranging U.S . fighters to provide closer escort to the
heavy bombers. By early 1945, General Spaatz worried that
the Me 262 could actually give Germany the upper hand in
the air again.
Fortunately for Spaatz and the Allies, the Me 262 had
been delayed too many times to change the outcome of the
war. Now,just as the world's first operational jet fighter unit
was proving itself in combat, the overwhelming success of
the Allied forces was proving to be too much for even this
remarkable aircraft to overcome. By September, the Allied
advances had forced the German army out of France ,
where Allied fighter bases were now being set up. The two
Me 262 bases were under constant harassment from Allied
fighters hoping to catch the jet when it was most vulnerable,
Luftwaffe Major Walter during takeoff and landing. On November 8, this tactic
Nowotny, the first Gennan
pilot t o reach the 250- claimed Major Nowotny, whose crash while attempting to
victory m ark, was consid- land was witnessed by a shaken Galland. After Nowotny's
e red t o be the best young death, Galland relocated thejet unit deeper into Germany,
fighter ace of the Luftwaffe and used the surviving core of Kommando Nowotny to
at only 24 years of age.
formjagdgeschwader 7.
Holder of the Knight's Cross
with Oak Leaves, Swords, Ga!Jand continued to prepare for the "B ig Blow" attack.
and Diamonds, he was given Although 300 fighters had recently been lost in a four-day
command of the first opera- stretch while defending oil facilities, thousands more were
tional jet fighter unit, amassed for the one-day assault on the American heavy
Kommando Nowotny, in
t he fall of 1944, and worked bomber fleet. On November 12, Galland notified Goring
wit h Adolf Galland t o devel- that he was ready to proceed. All that was required was a
op jet fighter tactics. After day of good weather, and a large U.S bomber formation
downing a U.S. bomber on headed for Germany. But day after day, the skies above Ger-
November 8, 1944, he was
many remained overcast as Galland and his Luftwaffe
killed when his Me 262 was
jumped by U.S. fighte rs. fighter pilots waited. Then, in late November, came orders
from Hitler: 1,200 of Galland 's fighters were to be trans-

ferred to the western front for the German army's surprise
winter counteroffensive in the Ardennes. The fighters were
to attack Allied bases in France, Belgium, and Holland , as
well as to provide air cover for the advancing German
tanks. The "Big Blow" was canceled.
On December 16, the German army launched its coun-
teroffensive, which would later be called the "Battle of the
Bulge." A week later, German troops had advanced sixty
miles through weakly held American ground positions. But
lack of fuel stalled the German advance, and as the weather
cleared, Allied aircraft pounded the German tanks and
strafed Luftwaffe fighters on the ground. On New Year's
Day, 1945, some 900 German FW l 90s and Bf 109s finally
attacked the Allied airfields, destroying 228 aircraft on the
ground and damaging 146 more. The cost to the Germans
was enormous: 237 pilots were lost. Inflicting Allied losses
that could easily be made up, Hitler and his commanders
had sacrificed most of the Luftwaffe fighter arm for noth-
ing.
DRESDEN
(February 1945)
After the Luftwaffe's ill-conceived New Year's Day strike,
Germany was nearly defenseless. Allied bombers droned
over the ruins of the Third Reich virtually unmolested, ex-
cept for the occasional jet attacks. The German army had
collapsed on both fronts, thanks largely to the Allied bomb-
ing attacks on transportation systems, which had virtually
A rail yard at Buir, near Cologne,
destroyed by U.S. bombs. Note
the bomb crater in the fore-
ground.
shut down wartime production by stifling the movement of

raw materials and finished goods. More bombs fell , and by
February nearly every German city with a population of
over 100,000 had been severely damaged.
One large city that had escaped the Allied bombing was
Dresden, 100 miles south of Berlin in eastern Germany.
With the exception of its rail yards, Dresden had no targets
of military significance and in fact had no antiaircraft guns
and only one bomb shelter. This city, often called the Flo-
rence of Germany, was better known for its splendid archi-
tecture, with buildings that dated back to the thirteenth
century. Dresden normally had a population of 633,000,
but in early 1945 that figure had doubled, as its streets and
rail stations were choked with thousands of refugees fleeing
the pillaging Russian army.
For some time, Russia's premier, Josef Stalin , had been
pressing the Allied leaders for strategic bombing to support
his army's major offensive in eastern Ger-
"Five jet-propelled enemy aircraft, many. The leaders of Britain, the United
Me I 63s, flying in two separate forma- States, and the USSR were soon to meet at
tions, one element of two and one ele- Yalta, and Winston Churchill was eager to
ment of three, were seen in the target show Stalin a sign that the British and the
area around Merseburg. The element of Americans were indeed supporting the So-
two was seen to approach the bombers viets. Since the Ardennes counteroffensive
from the rear at about 32,000 feet. They
had stalled the advances of the British and
were leaving very dense white contrails.
Their formation was reported as very
American armies, Churchill decided that
good and they maintained formation bombing Dresden would visib ly demon-
position in their diving attack. They strate to Stalin that Britain and the United
made a slight diving turn attack at the States were doing their part to end the war.
rear of the bombers at very high speed, It would also demonstrate to the Russians
reported as between 500 and 600 miles the destructive punch of the combined An-
per hour. Eight of the 359th [Fighter] glo-American bombing offensive, a gesture
Group turned into them but they only whose ramifications went beyond the war
turned slightly away and continued. The with Germany.
Group did not get a shot. After attacking, General Spaatz was unhappy about the
the jet wingman pulled up into the sun at decision to bomb Dresden but did not ac-
a fifty-degree angle. In climb the jet gave tively resist the order. Spaatz was already
off smoke in bursts which was assumed
embroiled in controversy over Operation
to indicate the use offull power at inter-
Thunderclap, the plan to bomb Berlin
vals. It is believed that we can expect to
see more of these aircraft immediately, round-the-dock and force the Germans to
and that we can expect attacks on the sue for peace. He opposed this plan, since
bombers from the rear in formations or he was against wholesale bombing of cities
waves. To be able to counter and have and preferred to attack more strategic tar-
time to tum into them, our units are gets. Nevertheless, he gave in to the pres-
going to have to be in position relatively sure to end the war with one stroke, and on
close to the bombers to be between February 3, nearly one thousand B-l 7s
them and our heavies. It is believed that headed for Berlin. An estimated 25,000 res-
these tactics will keep them from making idents died in the bombings, and Spaatz lat-
effective, repeat effective, attacks on the er admitted that little effort had been made
bombers. Attention is called to the fact to hit targets of military importance.
that probably the first thing seen will be
Ten days later, on the night of February
dense contrails probably as high as
30,000 feet approaching from the rear of
13, a wave of244 RAF Lancasters dropped
the bombers." incendiary and high-explosive bombs on
Dresden. Flames swept the o ld wooden
U.S. Army Air Force Major General
William Kepner, commander of the
buildings, creating a firestorm like the one
fighter element of the Eighth Air Force, that had engu lfed Hamburg. It roared
after eight P-51 Mustangs encountered through eight square miles of the old city,
Me I 63s for the first time, on July 28, 1944 up rooting huge trees, ripping roofs off
buildings, and sucking hundreds of human

beings into its flaming maw. Into this inferno a second wave
of 550 RAF bombers dropped even more bombs, and the
heat from the city could be felt from 20,000 feet above. The
next day, Ash Wednesday, 450 U.S. bombers flew toward
the city to bomb its rail yards. When the B-l 7s failed to find
the yards, hidden by clouds and smoke, they dropped their
bombs on the city itself, thus adding to the devastation .
For seven days and eight nights, Dresden burned , and
the flames could be seen for 200 miles. There were literally
not eno ugh able-bodied survivors left to bury the vast
numbers of dead , which were initially estimated at 135,000.
With the war so close to conclusion, horrified Americans
and Britons wondered why Dresden had been sacrificed. In
the face of this outrage, even Churchi ll began to second-
guess his own decision. He wrote, "It seems to me that the
moment has come when the question of bombing German
cities, simply for the sake of increasing the terror, though
under other pretexts, should be reviewed. The destruction
of Dresden remains a serious query against the conduct of
Allied bombing. I feel the need for more precise concentra-
tions on military objectives such as oil and communications
behind the immediate battle zone, rather than on acts ofter-
ror and wanton destruction , however impressive."
For the dead of Dresden, Churchill's change of strategy
came far too late.
JAGDVERBAND 44
Oanuary 1945-May 1945)
For years, Hermann Goring had blamed the men under
him, including his fig hter pilots, for failures which largely
stemmed from his lack ofleadership and poor decisions. In
January of 1945, Goring dismissed Adolf Galland from his
position as general of the fighter arm. Furious at the news of
this action, a group of Luftwaffe fighter Kommodoren de-
manded an a udience with Hitler to air their grievances
against Goring. Instead, the reichsmarschall met with the
Kommodoren, whose spokesman, Co lonel
Guenther Luetzow , read a resolution de- After a U.S. bombing raid that did
manding Galland's reinstatement. The res- extensive damage, Reichsmarschall
olution also blamed Goring for the chaos Hermann Goring circulated a notice that
within the Luftwaffe, while calling for the one pilot from each Luftwaffe fighter
immediate release of all Me 262 jet bombers group was to be court-martialed for
to the fighter arm . cowardice. Goring changed his mind
after every unit commander volunteered
Growing angrier by the minute, Goring
for court-martial.
blamed Galland for the Luftwaffe's prob-
lems. "Are you suggesting that I didn 't build
up a strong Luftwaffe?" he bellowed. "Yes, Herr Reichs-
marschall," replied Luetzow, "you did build a strong Luft-
waffe. And it won you many victories in Poland and France.
But afterwards you went to sleep." When Luetzow called for
Goring's resignation, the reic h smarschall exploded.
''A !lied air power was "You're all mutineers," he screamed. As he left the room, he
threatened to have Luetzow shot. The next day, he ordered
the greatest single Galland to leave Berlin under house arrest.
reason for the German In deepest despair, Galland thought about suicide. But
defeat." word of Goring's vendetta against Galland reached Hitler,
who ordered the reichsmarschall to back off. Galland could
Feldmarsc~all Albert Kesselring
not be reinstated, but since he had long called for the use of
the Me 262 as a jet fighter, Hitler decided to let him form his
own jet fighter unit. Furthermore, this unit was to be com-
pletely outside the Luftwaffe chain of command, reporting
only to Galland, who would be able to choose his own pilots.
Goring suggested that Galland choose many of the "muti-
neers" for his new squadron, secretly believing the unit to
be a death sentence at this stage of the war. The ecstatic Gal-
land was only too willing to oblige, since these rebellious pi-
lots were among the finest in the Luftwaffe.
Word of the formation of this remarkable new unit,
Jagdverband 44, spread through the Luftwaffe. Many pilots
reported to Galland without permission or transfer orders,
and a few even rode bicycles in their eagerness to get to the
jet unit's base. Others left Luftwaffe hospital beds, where
they were recovering from battle stress. Among the pilots
who formed the core of this elite group were Major Gerd
Barkhorn, with 300 victories, Oberstleutnant Heinz Bar,
with 220 victories, and Oberst Johannes Steinhoff, with 170
victories. The "mutineer" Luetzow also found his way to
Jagdverband 44, which was now unquestionably the most
A Gruppe of Me 262s. Courtesy of talented group of fighter pilots ever assembled. "The
the Messerschmitt Archives Knight's Cross was, so to speak, the badge of our unit," Gal-
SB Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

land later wrote. "I was the fortunate man who was allowed
to form and lead the most powerful squadron of fighters in
the history of war."
Jagdverband 44 became operational in March of 1945,
and its skilled pilots quickly began to score kills against the
swarms of Allied aircraft. The speed of the jet fighter posed
an initial problem to its pilots, who found themselves clos-
ing on their target so fast that they wou ld often pass it before
they had a chance to fire. But by diving away from or out-
running any fighter opposition, the jet pilots could quickly
return for another pass. Other Me 262 units were proving
the worth of the jet fighter , which became even deadlier
with the addition of twenty-four wing-mounted R4M rock-
ets, capable of destroying a heavy bomber with a single hit.
Six Me 262s of Jagdgeschwader 7, equipped with R4M
rockets, shot down fifteen B-l 7s without losing a single jet.
Another twenty-five B-l 7s along with five P-5 ls were shot
down by Me 262s over Berlin on March 18.
But time had nearly run out on the Third Reich - and
on the jet fighter units as well. With the Russian army ad-
vancing on Berlin and U.S. and British forces crossing the
Rhine , Germany was hemmed in from the east and the
west, and the destruction of German transportation systems
by Allied bombing prevented the German
military from making a bloody last stand .
The jet fighter bases were under frequent "One of the guys I came over to
bombing and strafing attack , as All ied Europe on the ship with, Joe Cagney, he
fighters tried to catch the jets as they were and I slept in the same tent. This one
taxiing, taking off, or landing. On April 18, particular day, everybody from the C.O.
as Johannes Steinhoff was taking off, one of on down decided to get drunk, and I
mean drunk. After we ran through all
the wheels of his Me 262 caught a bad ly
our booze, the flight surgeon pulled out
patched crater in the runway, and the jet
his alcohol, and we mixed it with grape
crashed, severely burning him. Other jet pi- powder and water. Suffice to say, all of us
lots were lost to the overwhelming numbers were in pretty bad shape. I had an early
of Allied aircraft. After shooting down a morning mission the next day, and they
U.S. bomber on April 24, Guenther Luet- came in and rousted me, and I said, "Aw,
zow was reported missing in action. Two jeez, I can't make it," and Joe, the nice
days later, Adolf Galland's own Me 262 was guy he was, said, "Aw, Finnegan, you
riddled with bullets from a Ninth Air Force flake, I'll do it," and I switched m issions
P-47 flown by First Lieutenant James with him. This early morning flight was
Finnegan, and he was forced to crash-land led by a captain who I swear had a death
his jet under heavy attack with only one en- wish, and everybody hated to fly with
gine functioning. Wounded in the knee, him. And this captain led the flight down
a valley, and he was flying low and the
Galland was taken to a hospital. For the
valley was lined with antiaircraft. He got
leader ofjagdverband 44, the war was over. through, but Joe didn't, he got it. I was
On April 30, as the Russian army moved over in Normandy in '84, and I went
into the rubble of Berlin, Adolf Hitler com- through the American cemetery and
mitted suicide in his bunker. Galland , hav- found his grave there."
ing been rebt'1'ed in his attempt to surren- U.S. Army Air Force Captain
der his jet fighter unit to the United States James Finnegan
Army, ordered it destroyed . As P-47s flew
Historical Ove?View 59
overhead and U.S. tanks rumbled toward the airfield at
Salzburg, Austria, the parked Me 262s burst into flames,
one by one. Thus was ended the remarkable saga of
Jagdverband 44, which had shot down fifty Allied aircraft
while in operation.
CONCLUSION
The destruction of Jagdverband 44 signaled the end of
the long and costly war in the skies over Europe. Some
79,265 American pilots and crewmen were killed , while the
British lost 79,281 airmen. Although it is not known exactly
This U.S. flier, Second
Lie utenant Kenneth Meidigh, was
shot down on March 31 , 1945,
and escaped captivity ten days
late r.
how many Luftwaffe pilots died while fighting the Allied

aircraft, an estimated 305,000 German civilians were killed
in the combined Allied bombing offensive.
What can be concluded from this long air war? It is gen-
erally agreed that for the United States, the turning point
came when the U.S. leaders realized that their long-held air
power theories were flawed, and that the bomber was not
invincible to fighter attack. Only when the long-range es-
cort fighter, the P-51 , arrived , could the bombers be escort-

ed deep into Germany, and only then were the Allies able to "Our aces fought until
wrestle air superiority from the Luftwaffe and inflict major
damage on German industry. The lack of cooperation be-
they were killed."
tween the RAF and the U.S. Army Air Force weakened the Luftwaffe General Adolf Galland
overall bombing effort. Strategic pinpoint bombing to

knock out "bottleneck industries" initially failed to choke off
German war production, which in the case of aircraft actu-
ally went up during the period of heaviest bombing. Finally,
though, oil production facilities proved to be a vulnerable
target whose obliteration hastened the collapse of the T hird
Reich. The Transportation Plan attacks on France and Ger-
many, along with Doolittle's decision to unleash the Eighth
Air Force's fighters, were both successful Allied strategies.
For Germany, Hitler's continued meddling with the Me 262
and his belief in a bomber and a V-weapons offensive,
rather than fighter defense, crippled the Luftwaffe's efforts
against the Allies and contributed to Germany's defeat.
But many questions about the air war in the West remain
the subject of end less discussion and debate. We posed
some of them to Professor Williamson Murray, a World War
II historian from Ohio State Un iversity. The text of our dis-
cussion follows.
INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR
WILLIAMSON MURRAY
rofessor Williamson Murray is a Worl.d War II and
P
aviation history specialist who is the director of the
military history and strategic studies program at
Ohio State University. A 1963 graduate of Yale
University, Professor Murray spent five years in the
United States Air Force, then returned to Yale for his
Ph.D. before joining the faculty at Ohio State. He has served as a
research associate at the Air War College, and taught as a visiting
professor of military history at West Point and at the Naval War
College. Professor Murray is the author of numerous articles and
books, including Luftwaffe; The Change in the European
Balance of Power, 1938-1939; and The Path to Ruin .
Lucasfilm: First of all , if Germany had been able to come out
with advanced warplanes like the Me 262 sooner, what ef-
fect would that have had on the outcome of the war?
Murray: Well, Germany would probably have still lost the
war. And the reason is that the one secret weapon that clear-
ly was decisive in and of itself was the atomic bomb. And
only the United States was capable of spending the huge
amount of money for the atomic bomb in addition to fight-
ing a world war. We would have been in a position to drop
that bomb on Germany in increasing numbers in 1945. No
number of Me 262s, no number of special glide bombs, no
number ofV-2s could have changed that equation.
Lucasfilm: How close did Germany ever come to develop-
ing an atomic bomb?
Murray: Not close at all. The Germans thought they had the
technological lead, and so since they weren't close to devel-
oping the bomb, they assumed that nobody else was - be-
cause in their minds nobody else was as smart or as good in
terms of atomic physics as the Germans. Therefore there
was no pressure to develop such a weapon.
Lucasfilm: Why did Germany squander their huge techno-
logical advantage in the development of other weapons?
Murray: So many of their weapons never got past the proto-
type stage because of the problems involved in putting
them on a production line. It's extremely difficult to speed
that process up, even by throwing more money at it. In the
case of the Me 262, by early 1945 the Germans were in a po-
sition to turn out several hundred of these aircraft a month ,
but by that point they'd lost the war. Another problem for
the Germans was that it wasn't quite so easy to see which of
their weapons were war winne1s. Knowing what we now
know, it's very easy to say that they should have put their
money into the Me 262, the antiaircraft rocket, and other
weapons which would have changed the balance of the air
war or made it much more difficult for the U.S. to win. But
along with these weapons, the Germans spent huge

amounts of money on weapons that were completely coun-
terproductive in terms of cost-effectiveness. The V-2 is a
good example of that. It was wonderful from a technologi-
cal point of view, but the best target you could aim for with a
V-2 was southern England. Given how expensive it was, it
really got them nothing! The rocket aircraft - the Me 163
- was a disaster in terms of the amount of technology and
effort put into it. The He 162 People's Fighter? Everybody
in the Luftwaffe said that was a disastrous program.
Lucasfilm: Did the U.S. have similar developmental prob-
lems?
Murray: Yes. Many of our projects, like the German pro-
jects, were completely nonsensical, wasted money. But the
United States had the capacity to follow a broad spectrum of
weapons development, regardless of cost, including this
hugely expensive atomic bomb project, which a large num-
ber of scientists didn't think was going to work. We could
fund the good and the bad , while the Germans could only
fund the good. The problem was, there was no way of de-
ciding what was good in 1942 and 1943.
Lucasfilm: When do you think the very first production ver-
sions of the Me 262 could have been put in the air if, starting
in 1939, when they were flying the first jet planes, the Luft-
B- I7s being assembled at the
waffe had committed to it? Boeing Aircraft Company factory
Murray: It's hard to say, since the the real problem was in Seattle, Washington. Courtesy
twofold. First, Germany had decided to shelve many proof the Boeing Aircraft Company
Historical Overui.ew 63
jects because of the desperate situation it was in until May-
J une, 1940. After that, the Germans had victory disease for
a year and a half and believed that the war was won and
nothing more had to be done. To get around that mindset
would have required a level of political wisdom so high that
had they possessed it, they would have realized that they
didn't need to fight a whole world war to dominate the con-
tinent. When it became apparent that the war was going to
last a long time, and they had this large number of fantastic
weapons systems in development, they still had trouble
picking the winners from the losers, as I mentioned earlier.
The second part of the problem is technological: taking
prototype design and going to mass production. In the case
of the Me 262, the problem wasn't the airframe production
- the Germans were capable of doing that, since they were
building other aircraft. The problem was the engine pro-
duction . And it's clear that they did not get a satisfactory
model of the 262 engine until June of 1944. I've heard, in-
directly, from those in the Luftwaffe that while the hand-
tooled , hand-constructed turbine had a life of seventy-five
or one hundred hours, when they went into mass produc-
tion they suddenly went down to five hours in the initial
runs . They put these engines on the 262 and took it out
and, suddenly, during the second flight, one of the engines
would eat the turbine blades and the engine would blow up
-and that was the end of the 262, and maybe the pilot, too.
My sense is that when the war was over the Germans
Eighth Air Force,
Sortie Loss Rate for
Bombers and Fighters

threw up a lot of smokescreens, partially driven by the na- "The appearance of
tional catastrophe, which they still couldn't believe - their
country wrecked from one end to the other. It was conve-
bombers in 1943 over
nient to say that Hitler turned the 262 into a bomber and the Reich was the turn-
that's why they didn't have them. But the fact was that there ing point in World War
weren't any until June of 1944. So, whether he turned it II aerial warfare."
into a bomber or not didn't make any difference in terms of
the air battles that mattered. Those air battles were fought Luftwaffe Generalleutnant
Johannes Steinhoff
from February to April of 1944. After that point, they didn't
have the guys to fly the airplane!
Lucasfilm: How much did the German leadership affect
weapons development?
Murray: The people at the top, Hitler and Goring, knew
nothing about technology and weapons development -
what was possible, and what was not possible. They were re-
ally antediluvian in all sorts of ways. If Germany had had
wise leaders, then things would have turned out differently.
But if Germany had had wise leaders, they would have nev-
er gotten involved in World War II.
Lucasfilm: How did their decisions influence the air war?
Murray: The top German leadership was never interested
in shooting bombers down! Never! And they felt the way to
beat a strategic bombing offensive was not to beat it in the
classical sense of defeating the enemy on your territory, but
to go and smash his cities up in equal measure. It was almost
an ideological thing in terms of how air forces looked at air
power in the thirties and forties. Both air forces came very
close to losing the war simply because they were incapable
oflooking at air war as being similar to war throughout his-
tory, whether you're talking about naval war or ground war.
They looked at this as something entirely
new, with new rules, and it didn't have new The notorious English weather was an
rules. It just had different dimensions. additional obstacle for bomber crews,
Lucasfilm: What influenced the prewar the- and missions were canceled if visibility
ories ofair power? was less than a half-mile. During one par-
Murray: First, there was a reaction to the ticularly foggy morning, the lead B-1 7
First World War. Clearly, military theorists took off and radioed, "Okay to take off
and thinkers were looking to escape the here. Visibility at least 500 yards." From
catastrophe of the ground war of World one of the bombers on the ground an
exasperated voice exclaimed, "I don't
War I, and air war seemed to offer a cheap
know what runway he took off on, but I
solution. The irony is that the evidence was
can't even see my goddamn copilot."
available to suggest that air war was going to
be just as catastrophic in terms of losses and
expenses as ground war - if not more so. You look at air
war casualties in World War I - it was an absolute night-
mare. Survival rates for British pilots in 1916 were about
zero - four missions and they were dead. They just kept
grinding them through . But somehow, the public and air-
men came to believe that air war was cheaper, cleaner, easi-
er, swifter, and offered a promise of a decisive, quick,, easy
victory. The second part is the romance element. There's
something beautiful about airplanes - whether they're
flying or on the ground - they're simply fascinating. And
there was sort of a romance to aircraft flying.
Lucasfilm: How was air power to be employed?
Murray: The sense was that civilians were more vulnerable
to attack, since they were considered undisciplined and in-
capable of bearing pressure and sacrifice the way military
organizations do. So the idea was that you blast the enemy's
cities just a little bit, and the workers will be rioting and
mothers and children will be out in the street and the gov-
ernment will fall, and we'll win the war. Now, the U.S. Army
Air Corps didn't go in that direction for political reasons.
They understood that killing women and child ren was
something that Congress, in the late twenties and early thir-
ties, would have shut them down for . Something that nasty
would have been so appalling to your average congressman
from upstate New York or even Alabama or California that
it would have been rejected out of hand, so they had to look
elsewhere.
Lucasfilm: So they looked at economies?
Murray: Right. If you could break the enemy's economy,
this would have an enormous impact on the civilian society,
would collapse a civil government, and win the war quickly
and easily. And American military strategists did all sorts of
studies before the war, looking for nodules in the American
economy which would , by knocking them out, create such
economic difficulties that economic life would grind to a
halt. An obvious one was ball bearings. If you knocked out
three plants in the Northeast, suddenly half of the U.S. au-
tomotive industry would grind to a halt. Electric power was
a very attractive target, because if you hit one or two crucial
stations, the Northeast grid went down.
The problem is, there's no way of testing any of these
ideas. Military organizations have generally found it
difficult to predict what's going to work in a war and what's
not. It's not because they are made up of
very stupid, ignorant people. T he problem
Having been being hit by numerous
is that military organizations are asked to
antiaircraft shells during a raid on the
German city of Kassel, a B- 17 named prepare for the most horrible conditions
Tondelayo nevertheless managed to that human beings ever face in this world ;
make it back to its base in England. conditions that you simply cannot replicate
Amazingly, eleven unexploded shells in peacetime. When the airmen did get into
were found in the bomber's fuel tanks. conflict, they did not adapt very well, be-
Had even one of these shells gone off, the cause they tried to imprint their prewar
bomber would have been blown to bits. framework on the conditions they were fac-
Upon closer inspection, the shells were ing, rather than adapt to these conditions.
found to contain no explosive charges, The result was that air power ran into se-
and one actually had a rolled-up note vere problems almost right from the begin-
inside it. The note, in Czech, read, "This ning.
is all we can do for you now."
Lucasfilm: What were some of these prob-
lems?

Murray: In all fairness, one can criticize prewar airmen too "I think that if the
much , since they could not see then what we see today. Nev-
Germans in the Battle
ertheless, the main problem was that they simply did not
think their basic doctrine through enough. For example, of Britain, even with
the U.S. Army Air Force emphasized precision bombing so their same number, had
much because it flew in the deserts of Arizona and in the rel- had aircraft with the
atively good weather over Alabama, and everything worked
perfectly. And then, when the Eighth Air Force went to Eu- per/ormance, arma-
rope, it was discovered that there was relatively little chance ment, and precision
for precision bombing, because the weather conditions in bombsights of the B-17,
Europe were much worse.
Lucasfilm: Why did the U.S. leaders believe so strongly that
the answer might have
their heavy bombers could survive without fighter escort? been very different."
Murray: They felt that large formations of B-l 7s flying in RAF Air Marshal Sir John Slessor
close proximity to each other, all heavily armored, all carry-
ing lots of .50-caliber machine guns would put an enormous
number of slugs into the air over Germany. And, initially, in
late 1942 and early 1943, the Luftwaffe ran into real prob-
lems flying against the B-17 formations because they'd nev-
er run into such dense fire. They could see the tracers com-
ing at them, and that was pretty frightening.
Lucasfilm: It must have been hard for the B-17 formations
to avoid shooting down other B-l 7s with all those guns
firing at once.
Murray: Well, actually, a number of B-17 guys were wound-
ed by gunners in their own group who were following some
German fighter through . But by March and April of 1944,
German Aircraft Losses
ooo
- soo

..,...
g g
~
~ 0
..,...
~ ~
with one thousand aircraft - the whole sky filled with air-
planes - if you shot down two or three of your own, it was
no big deal. If you lose five percent or under, you're win-
ning the air war; if you lose five percent or more, you're los-
ing the air war. Five percent actually is a huge loss. If you
lose five percent in a constant formation, in twenty missions
you will have lost half the formation . Again, when yo u're
dealing with eight hundred aircraft and you lose two of
them because they shot each other down,
that's more than acceptable - as long as it's
added to a small group that the Germans
have shot down .
Lucasfilm: At what point did the Luftwaffe
fighter pilots realize that they cou ld do
some real damage to the B-17 formations ?
Murray: When they discovered that their
cannons could damage at ranges beyond
the U.S. machine guns. They also discov-
ered that head-on attacks were possible ,
something that nobody thought was possi-
ble in any air force. The Luftwaffe guys who
were really good could come in and, in one-
and-a-half seconds, put a whole bunch of
30-mm. shells into an engine, and that was
the end of the B-17. The head-on attack
was terrifying to the B-17 crews, and was
probably pretty frightening to the Bf 109
and FW 190 drivers who were doing it. And
the really good German pilots were aiming
While another black cross is to come so close that they would break up the B-17 forma-
painted on a P-47, two outstand-
tion; make a B-17 pilot actually take evasive action, which
ing U.S. fighter pilots, Captain
Robert Johnson and Captain might lead to a couple of B-l 7s running into each other or
Walker Mahurin, congratulate falling out of the formation , where they're sitting ducks. But
each other. at closure rates of600 miles per hour, a good portion of the
Luftwaffe pilots couldn't hit anything.
Lucasfilm: And when the Me 262s and other faster aircraft
came along, the closure rates were even faster.
Murray: Again, of course, the faster the closure rate, the
more skilled a pilot you had to be to put shells on a target.
And some guys in the Luftwaffe in 1943 and 1944 - the
only thing they could try to do was to fly their airplane.
Lucasfilm: How did the availability and the quality of Ger-
man pilots change during the war?
Murray: The Luftwaffe in the summer of 1942 was spend-
ing as many hours to train a new pilot, in terms of flight
time, as the British and Americans. In fact, I think it was
slightly more for brand-new Bf 109 drivers in summer
1942, and twenty-five more hours in Bf 109 fighter transi-
tion school than a Spitfire or a P-38 pilot. The problem for
the Germans is that starting in 1942, attrition begins to pick
up speed. They're fighting on every front, outnumbered;

and while they may shoot down two airplanes for every one
they lose in North Africa, and, while they may shoot down
two for every one they lose in Russia, it's clear that the coun-
tries they're fighting against can afford to lose those two air-
planes and pilots more than the Germans can afford to lose
their one. By 1943, the Germans are forced to cut back on
the number of flying hours because they need more and
more pilots to fill the cockpits. And this becomes a major fac-
tor in the 1943 fighting. By then, the experienced guys are
getting worn down, tired, weary, and they know they're go-
ing to get killed. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow .
But somewhere along the line they're going to make a mis-
take or somewhere along the line they're going to come up
against the guy on the other side who is as good as they are.
And they'll lose. Meanwhile, the younger Luftwaffe guys
were beginning to come in with considerably less overall
flying time than their opponents. By 1944, for example, the
average American pilot coming over to Europe to fly the P-
51 had, I think, 125 hours in the P-51 plus some 150 to 200
hours in training aircraft. The typical Luftwaffe fighter pilot
had just 25 hours in a Bf 109.
A P-51 pilot told me that, once, he shot down a 109 that
was actually flying along crabwise. On the 109, the torque
on the engine would make the airplane fly sideways unless
you trimmed the rudder. And, obviously, if you fly sideways,
you lose a lot of the capability. The guy flying this airplane
didn't know enough to trim his rudder to get the airplane to
fly straight! By the summer of 1944, the Luftwaffe was
putting kids in the aircraft, and they just didn't have the ca-
pabilities to stay in the arena. In early March 1944, thirteen
Luftwaffe General Adolf
rocket-armed Bf 11 Os from this one squadron went up, and Galland first made his mark
only one came back. as one of the leading
Generally, by June 1944, the Luftwaffe flight comman- German aces in the Battle
ders each had about thirty days of flying time, and the aver- of Britain while command-
ing Jagdgeschwader 26.
age fighter pilot had about eight days of combat. So the U.S. Later, he became general of
was dealing with a few extraordinarily good pilots, along the Luftwaffe's fighter arm
with a bunch of people who were killing themselves in huge at age 30, and used the
numbers just taking off and landing! And the American pi- knowledge gained in com-
lots, by 1944-1945, were all experienced twenty- to twenty- bat to direct the fighter
defense against Allied
one-year-old kids - the Chuck Yeagers of the world - bombers. Wrongly blamed
twenty-year-old killers! by Goring for the declining
Lucasfilm: With that lack of training, the Me 262 wouldn't Luftwaffe fortunes, Galland
have made much of a difference . was removed from his post
but was later allowed to
Murray: By the point of the war when the Me 262 was intro- form his own Me 262 jet
duced, the few jet squadrons they were able to put up in the fighter squadron,
air did wonderfully, because they were in the hands of the Jagdverband 44, and finished
flight commanders, people who were incredible flyers . The the war as he began it-as a
fighter pilot. An outstanding
question is, did the Germans, in early 1944 or even in the flier, leader, and tactician,
summer of 1943 have enough good pilots to take advantage Galland tallied I04 aerial
of the capabilities of the aircraft? Because the capabilities of victories.
the aircraft depended on having a guy who was really a first-
rate pilot. And you can't put a guy into a 262 in the fall of
1943 with 175 hours' flying and expect him to do anything
with the aircraft.
From their own point of view, the Germans had another
problem. Pilot morale was not helped by Goring's attitude
that, somehow, the failure to shoot down or stop B-17 for-
mations was due to cowardice. There were incredible con-
ferences where Goring talked to a large group of fighter pi-
lots and called them all base cowards. This fat, dumpy,
corrupt guy with forty-seven rings on each hand, calling
them cowards! I asked Johannes Steinhoff, "How could you
guys take that?" And he said, "You have to understand that
the sensibilities of many people in the Third Reich weren 't
particularly high." I think his answer also would have been
to the effect that they were all twenty-one, twenty-two years
old, and had that German respect for authority.
Lucasfilm: Did it really take a better pilot to
A few U.S. bombers and fighte rs that fly an Me 262, on average? Was it a more
had crash-landed in German-occupied difficult plane than the Bf 109 or FW 190?
Europe were repaired and made airwor- Murray: My guess is if you 're a less experi-
thy again by Luftwaffe ground crews. enced pilot, speed kills. The faster you go,
This group of aircraft, known as the Wan- the more unforgiving the aircraft is. In ad-
derzirkus, or "traveling circus," toured dition, the great weakness of the 262 was
Luftwaffe bases, giving German fighter that its takeoff and landing patterns were
pilots invaluable knowledge of the air- too long and slow - it needed a 10,000-foot
craft they were fighting against. Some of concrete runway. Fires in the jet engines
these patched-up B-17s, still retaining
were also common. But the real issue here
their U.S. markings, would infiltrate
American bomber formations and even
is: If a guy can't hit anything with a 109,
open fire on the startled bomber crews. how can he hit anything with a 262? With-
out the pilot, it doesn't matter what aircraft
you have. It's not a question of whether a
guy can take it off and land; it's whether a guy can fly
through a B-17 formation, shoot two B-l 7s down , swing
over, shoot down two P-5 ls, and then go home. If all five
hundred of your guys flying 262s could do that, in a couple
of days you could put some real holes in the U.S. bombing
offensive. But if only twenty of the five hundred guys can do
that, then it doesn't do you much good .
Lucasfilm: How was it that the Luftwaffe had so many high-
scoring aces in World War II?
Murray: There are certain extraordinary pilots who can de-
velop, in the right arena, even more extraordinary capabili-
ties the more they fly. And some really good examples of
this are the top Luftwaffe fighter pilots, the guys who fly
from 1939 or 1940 through to 1945: some of them ended
their careers in 1943 as smashed-up wrecks, but the guys
who flew over one hundred missions showed from that
point on a quantitative leap in the number of airplanes shot
down per fifteen missions. And, clearly, guys like Adolf Gal-
land and Hannes Trautloft had sort of a computer template
in their mind that allowed them to look at a situation in-

stinctively, with no conscious evaluation. One time, Galland
and Trautloft took off to evaluate the air war, I think in
March or April of 1944, and they took a look around and
understood instantly that if they stayed up there, they could
maybe have shot down ten U.S. aircraft, but they would die
in the process. They both headed for home. No conscious
thought, no discussion, just an instantaneous decision . Jo-
hannes Steinhoff talks about a mission that he was on,
where he looked at a situation and instinctively went into
the formation and took out a B-17. It's a skill honed by com-
bat, and these guys were clearly the best fighter pilots in the
Second World War. The problem is that there was one of
them and two hundred of the other guys who were flying
through the skies without their rudder trimmed!
On the other hand, the Americans and British generally
pulled their fighter pilots out after a hundred missions, and
sent them back to train other pilots. As a resource to pass
along to the training establishment, a guy who'd flown a
hundred missions over Germany was so valuable that it was
worth putting up guys with three hundred hours to replace
him. The Germans never thought in that fashion. They
were so hard-pressed for pilots from 1941 on that they
couldn't afford the luxury of taking out their best guys to
grow better pilots down the road. V-2 rockets about to be deployed
Lucasfilm: Was the U.S. even aware of the fact that there sometime in late 1944.
were just a few guys that had these incredi-
ble victory totals?
Murray: Yes. We knew that because of Ger-
man propaganda. We just made a very dif-
ferent choice in terms of the long-range ,
which was that when a guy reached a cer-
tain skill level - no matter how good he
was - it was far more effective to use that
skill level to work on the new guys coming
through . Again, I think it reflects our ap-
proach to war. We understood something
by 1941and1942, and the British did, too,
that the war was going to be a long war, be-
cause the Germans were going to win the
short war if anybody was going to win a
short war! So if we were going to win, we
were going to have to win a long war, and
think in those terms; whereas the Germans,
with a few very minor exceptions, were al-
ways thinking in terms of what they could
do that would help them tomorrow, rather
than a year or two years from now.
Lucasfilm: Was there a pattern with any of
these top fighter pilots? Would it be possible
to pick them out early in a training pro-
gram?
Murray: If you could figure out today who the top fighter
pilots would be, you could go to the United States Air Force
and they'd make you a millionaire tomorrow. Because you
really can't tell. Some of these guys were religious, decent
fami ly men. Others were comp lete wastre ls, women
chasers, drank huge amounts of liquor, that sort of thing.
One of the top Luftwaffe night fighter pilots was one of the
leading conspirators against Hitler. There's no pattern be-
cause there's just something undefinable about what it takes
to be an ace fighter pilot.
Lucasfilm: How did the Luftwaffe organize their day forces?
Murray: It's an interesting question. Their day interception
approach is a defense that looks relatively similar to what
the RAF did in the Battle of Britain, giving the course and
speed of enemy bomber formations when they crossed the
Channel. In the daylight, the other side wasn't going to try
to spoof your radar because they were in visible range once
they crossed the Channel. What the Luftwaffe aimed to do
U.S. Army Air Force Major from 1943 on was to make the U.S. escort fighters drop
General Carl Spaatz, the their tanks early, and then intercept attacking bomber for-
commanding general of the mations after the escort fighters dropped off. They put sus-
U.S. Eighth Air Force in
1942, was temporarily
tained pressure on B-17 formations from the beginning of
assigned to oversee air their run into Germany until they went home . And the
operations for the North longer they could attack them, the better! Now, it's clear
African theater, and then that the system became more and more complex as more
commanded the Allied air
fighters were brought back to defend Germany's airspace in
forces for the invasion of
Sicily and the Italian penin- the summer and fall of 1943. They also added Bf 11 Os and
sula. Brought back to Me 410s and a variety of other aircraft to go up there and
England in early 1944, fire rockets. The crucial thing they understood right from
Spaatz coordinated the the first was that the best way to attack the formations was to
overall bombing of
Germany by the Eighth Air
break them up. Because a small group, or preferably even a
Force and the Fifteenth Air single B-17 by itself, was a much easier target than a whole
Force in Italy. On March S, group of them. So they ended up firing rockets into the B-
1944, Spaatz issued the Oil 17 formations, or dropping fragmentation bombs from
Plan, which called for the above. Dropping bombs wasn't terribly effective, except
bombing of Germany's vital
oil installations before D- that seeing an enemy airplane above dropping bombs
Day as a way to draw the scared the hell out of B-17 crews. In one case of a B-17
Luftwaffe away from the group of twelve aircraft, one aircraft was hit by a bomb and
invasion beaches. His Oil a number of the others scattered, and then were shot down.
Plan was rejected in favor of
the Transportation Plan,
Lucasfilm: Were the air-to-air rockets really that effective at
but he nevertheless ordered breaking up formations?
strikes on oil targets after Murray: Not really. But that brings up an interesting point:
D-Day, and these proved If the Germans had really put a major effort into air de-
extremely successful in sti- fense, and regarded air superiority over the central conti-
fling the German war effort.
Later, Spaatz directed the nent as their first priority in terms of air fighting, they could
bombing of japan by B-29 have done a much better job. For example, they actually
bombers, including the two had a glider bomb that looked like a tiny V-2, except it was
that dropped atomic bombs much tubbier . This bomb had a little TV camera in the
on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. front, and the resolution from it was primitive, but you
Courtesy of the United States
Air Force could at least make out the shape of the target you were at-
tacking. In the Mediterranean, they dropped a radio-

controlled glide bomb right down the smo kestack of the
battleshi p Roma, and sank it. You can't get much more accu-
rate than that! I'm not a technologist, so I don't know ifthe
TV camera would have worked on a rocket that was fired
off instead of a bomb that was gliding down. But think
about the damage one of these wou ld have created if it were
guided into a B-17 formation!
Lucasfilm: Why did it take so long for the Allies to develop a
long-range escort fighter?
Murray: Because they didn 't think they needed it. If you
don't believe you need a weapons system, or can develop
such a weapons system, you're not going to develop it.
Churchill asked the RAF experts, "Why don 't we develop
long-range escort fighters ?" And their response was,
"That's technologically impossible." And Churchill's reply
A fonnation of P-51 Mustangs
from the 375th Fighter Group.
The lowest P-51 is a 8 -model,
while the rest are D-models.
to that was, "Well, that closes a great many doors!" Now

some of the guys in charge of the air forces may have had
engineering backgrounds, but generally they were not
technological experts. So the RAF leadership felt, on the ba-
sis of what they knew, that it was impossible to develop a
long-range escort fighter. They excluded it - they didn't
feel it was necessary to go and ask the engineers and scien-
tists or the aircraft manufacturers if it could be developed.
The second part of the problem was the "not developed
here" syndrome. For example, the U.S. Navy developed
the F4U Corsair, first flown on May 29, 1940, as a high-
speed air superiority fighter for use at long ranges. The
Corsair very clearly could have been developed as an air su-
periority fighter for the U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. But
the army never went for it, because it's the army, and the
army, like the air force today, is simply not going to buy what
the navy has built! The "not developed here" syndrome al-
most killed the Mustang.
Lucasfilm: Given its neglect by the U.S. Army Air Force,
"There is one thing that how did the Mustang program ever get off the ground?
Murray: The story of the Mustang development is a fasci-
will bring Hitler down,
nating piece of greed, capitalism, incompetence, and des-
and that is an absolutely perate need . The British showed up in the U.S . in 1940,
devastating attack by and they went to North Jtrnerican Aviation and said, "We'd
very heavy bombers like you guys to build the P-40 under contract from Curtis."
And the engineers at North American thought to them-
from this country upon selves, "Ifwe build the P-40, we'll have to give Curtis all this
the Nazi homeland." money. No, No, No!" And they told the British, "We've got
Prime Minister Winston
this great design we're working on, and we could have the
Churchill, in 1940 design to you in final form in one hundred days and we'll be
able to go into production shortly thereafter. " Desperate,
the British said , "Oh, OK, do it!" And the engineers came
up in one hundred days with a design for the P-51. They
put an Allison engine in it - which was a dog - but it took
off. And the RAF bought it and the guys at North American
were happy to have it, but they didn't think about develop-
ing it into something else. They didn't say, "Ah, what a great
design we've got!" But then in 1942, the RAF 's R & D guys
at Farmborough are looking at the flight characteristics and
profiles of all the various fighters that they're buying. And
they put the Mustang in the wind tunnel, and they discover
that it's a wonderfully aerodynamic airframe! They try a few
more tests with it, and it still comes out as an extraordinarily
good design . And then, one of them gets the bright idea,
"What's the matter with it? It's got a terrible engine. Let's
put a Merlin on it." They install the Merlin engine and cre-
ate the hottest piston engine fighter of World War II.
What's interesting is that the U.S. Army Air Force still
did not want to buy it because it was ordered under RAF
specifications and then further developed by the RAF estab-
lishment. They wouldn't buy it even though its airframe was
German Fuel Production

65 65
D Capacity
Percentage of Total
Achieved
Percentage of Total Aviation
Fuel Capacity Achieved
August 1944 September 1944 October 1944 November 1944 December 1944 J anuary 1945 February 1945

the only one, I believe, which had a center-
line fuel tank behind the pilot, and gave
fighter pilots the capacity to go to Berlin.
They changed their minds only after they
got the hell kicked out of them over Ger-
many.
Lucasfilm: How much did the Allies fall
prey to bombing a target, thinking it was
destroyed, crossing it off the map, and
figuring that they didn't have to return?
Murray: It took until 1944 for airmen to be-
gin to realize that hitting a target once may
not have removed the target. There were
some real problems with post-raid analysis
of damage done. One was the poor weather
conditions over central Europe. When the
RAF dropped the kitchen sink on Berlin
during the fall and winter of 1943-1944,
they didn 't get their first photographs of
damage until February of 1944. And the
second part of the problem was estimating
damage when you did have good pho-
tographs. Schweinfurt is a good example of
that. In the first Schweinfurt raid, they knocked the roofs Germany's largest oil refinery,
Rhenania-Ossag, goes up in
out, and knocked a whole bunch of the walls down. When
flames after an attack by U.S.
reconnaissance flew over the city the next day, it looked like bombers on August 6, 1944.
one ravaged, smashed-up landscape. But the nature of the
target was such that knocking the roofs and exterior walls
down and having some of the interior walls and exterior
walls collapse inward didn't guarantee that the target was
destroyed. In fact, the collapsing walls provided sort of an
insulation so that the succeeding bombs then did even less
damage. And when you think it through, what makes ball
bearings? Large machine tools. What are large machine
tools made out of? Tons of high-alloyed steel. You've got to
put a 500-pound bomb on each one of those things to de-
stroy it. But the collapsing walls actually protected these ma-
chines. While post-raid reconnaissance flying over the tar-
get were crossing Schweinfurt off, what were the Germans
doing? Pulling all of the bricks off the damaged machine
tools, which, for the most part, they were able to put back
into service relatively easily.
By 1944, I think, our airmen had begun to realize the
sort of intractable nature of destroying targets. Here, Ultra
really played a major role in World War II. When the U.S.
began to bomb oil targets, Ultra indicated that we were really
hurting the Germans, and also indicated how fast the Ger-
mans were rebuilding these targets and putting them back
into operation. And the benchmark was that when they got
back up to thirty percent, we would hit them again, and do a
substantial amount of damage to the repair work and waste
A fonnation of B-17s from the
452d Bomb Group unloads its
deadly cargo. Courtesy of the
United States Air Force
the huge amount of German effort that had gone into

putting synthetic oil production back on line. This under-
scores the fact that throughout the war, Allied intelligence
was far superior to German intelligence. The Germans
didn't have a clue as to what we were doing, and we had a
very good picture of what the Germans were doing from a
variety of sources, such as prisoner interrogation. But Ultra
radio intercepts were by far the most important source of
information.
Lucasfilm: What effect did Allied attacks on oil production
have on the Third Reich?
Murray: The oil attack by itself was not decisive, but it had a
crucial effect on many areas. First of all , it was the death
knell of the Luftwaffe, because when you substantially re-
duce the amount of oil available, you end the capability of
the Luftwaffe to ever recreate a pilot force that can fly with
any kind of effectiveness, and end any pilot training pro-
grams. Second, it clearly had a major impact on German
ground mobility. One of the best examples of that is that
Silesia on the eastern front fell to Soviet armored forma-
tions in only a few days in February 1945. The Germans had
1,300 tanks, Panthers, Tigers, Mark IVs, which were highly
capable weapons systems, but with no oil or petroleum. So
the mobility of the German army to fight was simply not
there, and the Soviet capture of Silesia was made much easi-
er. It clearly had an impact on the Battle of the Bulge, the
fact that the Germans planned to get halfway to Antwerp by
using their own fuel and hoped to capture the rest on the
way. The idea never had any possibility to succeed because it
doesn't take much more than a lighter to set a fuel dump on
fire .
Lucasfilm: How important was the Transportation Plan in
terms ofits effect on Germany?

Murray: The Transportation Plan not only led to the com-
plete collapse of German industry but created a situation in
which the Germans were literally incapable of moving sup-
plies anywhere in the Reich from the factories. It meant that
the German armies that surrendered in 1945 were out of
ammunition and weapons. The Germans had all the disci-
pline in the world, but guys don't fight when they don't
have any weapons and ammunition. It's the main reason
why there was no last climactic battle over the ruins of the
Third Reich.
Lucasfilm: Are there other strategic or important resources
that the U.S. should have gone after?
Murray: Yes. The target that was initially on the list and then
got dropped for the wrong reasons was the German electric
supply. In retrospect, it could have been as damaging earli-
er to the Germans as oil. When the Germans in 1943 began
to think, "How can we damage the Russian economy?" the
one thing the Germans went to, because they were looking
at the Russian economy in terms of their own vulnerabili-
ties, was the electric supply. But the U.S. looked at the Ger-
man economy and said, "Well, electric, that's nice, but
Britain and America have all this excess capacity, so hitting
the German electric would not do any appreciable dam-
age." We were analyzing German targets in terms of our
own strengths and weaknesses, and the electric industry
was something we clearly missed. In fact, one of the reasons
why oil was a relatively low priority for so long was that we Reichsmarschall Hermann
had an excess of oil in Texas and the Caribbean that virtual- Goring, a World War I
ly nobody else had - enough surplus oil so that the Ameri- fighter ace and hero, rose in
can population, while on rationing, still got a huge quantity the Nazi ranks to become
head of the Luftwaffe and
of oil products to keep their cars running. the number two man in
Attacking the ball bearing industry could have also had a Germany. The Luftwaffe he
far more severe impact on the German economy had the had organized enjoyed a
U.S. been willing to make a more sustained effort. In the succession of victories at
the start of the war, but set-
summer of 1943, when the U.S. was attacking too many dif-
backs in the Battle of
ferent targets, the major priority target really was the Luft- Britain, in the
waffe, because the Luftwaffe was capable of inflicting Mediterranean, and on the
grievous harm on American bombing operations. That Eastern front undermined
didn't leave a great deal of excess capacity to go after any- his position. Blaming his
pilots for his own failures, he
thing else. So the ball bearing industry, while it was hit and gradually fell out of favor
hurt, didn't suffer the permanent damage that would have with Hitler and became
really put the Germans in a hard place. The Germans also increasingly unwilling to
had some options we didn't really think through - namely stand up to the Fuhrer. He
was also blind to the threat
the Swiss and the Swedes, who were more than happy to
posed by Allied bombing
produce ball bearings in huge numbers twenty-four hours a until it was too late.
day, and sell them to the Third Reich. Only in late 1944 Sentenced to death by
were we able to force the Swedes to substantially decrease hanging at the Nuremberg
their ball bearing sales to the Third Reich. (I believe there Trials, Goring committed
suicide with a concealed
was an American Air Force colonel on a negotiating team poison pill just before his
who implied to the Swedes that American B-17 formations scheduled execution.
could get lost over Europe and might hit the major Swedish
ball bearing factory by mistake, which he was severely repri-
manded for, because that was really undiplomatic behavior.)
We also miscalculated the fact that the Germans had some
options on the low end of the spectrum. For example, Tiger
tanks and Panther tanks were changed to roller bearings
rather than ball bearings, since roller bearings were much
easier to manufacture. The resulting tanks were harder for
the crew to turn, but the Tiger and Panther were still fairly
efficient weapon systems in 1944 and 1945.
lucasfilm: Why didn't the U.S. and the RAF cooperate
more fully by bombing more of the same targets day and
night, and how did this lack of cooperation hamper the
Combined Bomber Offensive?
Murray: I believe we cooperated with the British more than
they cooperated with us. And I think that reflects Harris,
who was an ideologue, a true believer, the man who saved
the British strategic bombing campaign. The problem is
that Harris was worn out by his success, and
the very qualities that made him an extraor-
During a fifty-plane raid on a German
dinary commander in 1942 and 1943 made
airfield near Brussels, the lead bom-
him a disaster at the end of 1943 and into
bardier decided to practice for the
bombing run by aiming for a large rect- 1944. One of the few quarrels I have with
angular park in a residential section of the British official history is that they claim
the Belgian capital. With their bombers' that the Americans hit Schweinfurt during
bay doors open, all the bombardiers a full moon period and, therefore, Bomber
adjusted their bombsights. Suddenly, the Command cou ldn't come over that night.
lead bombardier accidentally released his That's ridiculous, because that same night
own bombs over the park. Following his the RAF hit Peenemtinde, a much deeper
lead, the other bombardiers also target. They spoofed the night defenses so
dropped their bombloads, hitting many the Germans put up a huge number of
houses alongside the park. The pilots, fighters over Berlin, and the RAF got away
navigators, and bombardiers of the lead with minimal losses over Peenemtinde.
crews were later called to a meeting with
They could have done the same thing over
the commander of their bombardment
wing. Fearing that hundreds of innocent
Schweinfurt. If the raids had been com-
and sympathetic civilians had been killed, bined so that after the Eighth Air Force
the lead bombardier took full responsibil- started a large number of fires at Schwein-
ity for the accident. After noting how fu rt , the RAF Pathfinders could have
bombardiers had been warned repeated- dropped marker flares on these fires and
ly about such accidents, the commander 600 Lancasters and Halifaxes could have
informed the crews that through intelli- destroyed fifty-seven percent of the Ger-
gence sources it had been learned that man ball bearing industry. Unfortunately,
the houses around the park were occu- Harris obdurately refused to believe in
pied not by Belgians but by German what he called "panacea targets"; he was not
troops, some 1,200 of whom had been going to bomb precision targets. The irony
killed in the recent bombing. "Across the is that, by the summer of 1944, the RAF had
Channel," the commander stated, "this
better capabilities of hitting targets with
accident is being called a remarkable
exhibition of American precision bomb-
precision bombing than the U.S. did. In the
ing. Such are the fortunes of war, gentle- Transportation Plan attacks on France,
men. This meeting and the incident are Bomber Command did a better job than
now closed." the Eighth Air Force, because each RAF
bomber bombed its target individually, so

A key railway junction at
Falkenberg, fifty-five miles south
of Berlin, pulverized by U.S.
bombers.
that once the markers had gone down accurately, then the
target was dead. But Harris was such an ideologue that it
reached the point where he was ordered by the chief of air
staff at the end of 1944 to hit more oil targets and he basical-
ly said, "Not only no, but if you don't like it, fire me!" And
the air staff didn't fire him.
Lucasfilm: lt seems like early on, the U.S. took the high
moral road as far as bombing. The RAF bombed cities to kill
workers, whereas the U.S. tried to knock out industries.
Why did the U.S. position deteriorate as the war went on?
Murray: Well, the British position deteriorated as the war
went on, too. During the RAF Wilhelmshaven raid in De-
cember 1939, they didn't drop their bombs, even though
they saw German cruisers and maybe even a pocket battle-
ship tied up on docks, because bombing policy at that time
was that you could not drop a bomb onto a warship tied up
on a dock because you might kill a dockworker. Under the
pressures of war, all that changed. In 1941 and 1942, the
British are forced to go to area bombing because of the ca-
pabilities of the weapons and air crews - the cities are the
only target they can hit. So they're driven to it. And I think
they are also pushed to that by their own prewar doctrine
and proclivities. The two go hand-in-glove. But I think the
reason the U.S. went in that direction is because we discov-
ered that, while we could do precision bombing, there were
large numbers of days when there was a cloud cover over
Germany and we weren't going to do any precision bomb-
ing. So what did they do, seven out of ten days, do nothing
with their air force? This was one reason why the Eighth Air
Force gave far more support to the Transportation Plan, be-
cause whe'n it couldn't hit oil targets or precision targets,
then it could hit cities, because the railroad station is located
at the middle of every major German city. I think it was un-
realistic to believe that you could drop bombs on enemy
countries and not kill civilians. But in 1937 and I 938, the
U.S. Army Air Force could not advertise that to Congress
because the idea of killing civilians was anathema to the
American people.
Lucasfilm: Was part of this policy based on the fear that the
Germans would also let loose?
Murray: No, I think everybody understood in World War II
- they've forgotten since - that the Germans let loose
from the beginning. First in Rotterdam, then in London in
September of I 940, the Germans clearly tried to do what
the British were finally able to do to Hamburg; and, actual-
ly, the Germans created the first fire storm, at Belgrade,
which killed near I 7 ,000 people - that's up there with
Flak over Ludwigshafen punched
t his huge hole in the wing of
" Rum Runne r,'' a 8 - 17 which
neverthe less returned to its base
safe ly.
Hamburg and Dresden. And the difference is that Belgrade

was declared an open city and had virtually no industry.
When the war was over, the Germans said , "Oh , we never
did any strategic bombing, because we never thought of do-
ing it" - which, in fact, is completely wrong. The Germans
thought very long and hard about doing strategic bombing.
The thing was that the Germans never really developed the
capabilities or a large enough air force to do it. And that was
partially driven by two things. First, before the war, nobody
realized how large an air force you needed to do strategic
bombing; and second, once the war started, only Britain
and the United States, who were not involved in massive
continental fighting, had the luxury to spend the kinds of
resources necessary to turn out thousands of four-engined
bombers a month. Again, look at the huge numbers of B-
I 7s shot down in the summer of 1943, into the fall, and yet,

every month, the curve is going up in terms of available "We must never allow
number of aircraft. The Germans are trying to stop the tide.
They're shooting down the American and British bombers
the record of this war to
in huge numbers, but, in fact, there are more and more . convict us of throwing
The force structure grew every month! the strategic bomber at
Lucasfilm: What were the great lessons learned from the air the man in the street."
war over Europe?
Murray: In the larger sense, the air war underlined lessons U.S. Anny Air Force Brigadier
General Ira Eaker
of World War I and the American Civil War: that there is no
short, decisive solution to war in the modern age. Industri-
alized societies are capable of ginning out armies and navies
and air forces and men to fight and fly and sail ships, almost
ad nauseam. Massive war between industrialized states ends
up in attrition of national wealth and humanity. So in World
War II, the results of the air war were exactly the same as on
the ground - attrition.
LOADING INSTRUC T IONS
nside the box that this manual came in, you'll find
an envelope with several floppy d isks labeled Se-
cret Weapons of the Luftwaffe. You'll also find a Code
Wheel, along with a Reference Card. Turn to the
Loading Instructions section of the Reference Card,
which tells you how to start up the program from
the floppy disks, plus how to install it on a hard disk drive.
When you've finished loading the program, see the Game
Controllers section below.
Game Controllers (Mouse/joystick/Keyboard)
Your mouse, joystick, or keyboard cursor (arrow) keys
will be referred to as the controller in this manual. Controller
buttons will refer to the buttons on the mouse or joystick, as
well as several keys on the keyboard .
To find out which controllers you can use with your com-
puter, see your Reference Card.
If your computer doesn't support a mouse or a joystick,
you can use the keyboard to control all of the game func-
tions. However, flying an aircraft is easier and more enjoy-
able with a joystick or mouse. The joystick allows you to pi-
lot the U .S. and German planes much the way you would in
actual flight. The mouse gives you very precise control,
which is helpful for positioning a fighter to attack and for
aiming your guns.
Using the Controller to Select
from Menus and Directories
After you've loaded Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe, you'll
need to make selections from several menus, often by
choosing icons from those screens. You 'll also need to make
selections from a number of directories consisting of long
lists of names, not all of which are displayed at once.
Whenever you're at a menu or screen that has a list of
choices or icons, look for a floating arrow. Use your con-
troller to move the arrow over the desired choice or icon,
and then click your controller button. This procedure will
be referred to as "clicking on" in the manual.
To select an item from a directory, click on its name.
Sometimes, the list of names will be longer than what is dis-
played. To look down all the names in the directory, move
the floating arrow over the down arrow icon at the bottom
of the vertical bar that is located on the lefthand side of the
list, and press and hold the controller button . To look back
up the list, pass the floating arrow over the up arrow icon,
Preceding page: With its massive and p ress and hold the controller button. There is also a
industrial strength, the United small slider box inside the vertical bar, and you can use it to
States tumed out tens of thou-
scan the directory: Position the floating arrow over the box,
sands of heavy bombers during
World War II. Courtesy of the press and hold your controller button, and move the con-
United States Air Force troller up or down. Release the controller button when

you're at the desired location in the d irectory. You can also "Do not needlessly
click on the space in the bar above or below the box to move
the directory list up and down .
endanger your lives
This procedure for clicking on the arrow icons will be until I give you the
used on many screens, including the Flight Briefing Map signal."
and the In-Flight Map (see below), both of which have a
General Dwight D. Eisenhower
horizontal as well as a vertical bar.
Choosing Sides
After you start up the game, you'll go to a menu which
will allow you to choose between flying as an American and
flying as a German. Make your choice by clicking on either
"United States Eighth Air Force" or "German Luftwaffe."
This decision is critical, since it restricts all of your selections
and options to the side you've chosen . (In the manual, any
notations which have a U.S. insignia next to them will be
more relevant if you're fighting on the American side. Like-
wise, any selections which have a German insignia will be
more useful if you're fighting on the German side.)
If you choose the U.S. side, your missions will largely in-
volve strategic daylight bombing of various ground targets
in western Europe, and providing fighter escort for these
bombing raids . Other missions will involve trying to destroy
Luftwaffe fighters in air-to-air combat, as well as utilizing
fighter-bombers in the ground attack role.
As an American, you'll be flying for the U.S. Army Air
Force. This was a branch of the U.S. Army at the time of
World War II , and was divided into separate air forces, which
commanded certain geographic areas. The Eighth Air
Force was responsible for air operations against targets in
western Europe from bases in England. (The chart below
Luftwaffe crew prepares a
Bf I09G for the day's mission.
Mission Instructions: Pre-Flight 85

details the organization of the Eighth Air Force, and how it
compared to the Luftwaffe.)
If you choose the German side, your missions will largely
involve defending German-occupied western Europe from
American bomber attacks, and preventing these bombers
from pulverizing key German factories, airfields, and other
installations. As a fighter pilot you'll be trying to destroy the
U.S. bombers, along with any fighter escort or fighter-
bombers, in air-to-air combat.
The German Luftwaffe was organized into self-con-
tained Luft.flatten, or "air fleets," each of which covered the
air operations for a given geographic area. The following
chart shows how aircraft of the Luftwaffe and its Luftflotten
were organized, as compared to the way the U.S. Army Air
Force organized its aircraft:
U .S.A .A .F. Number of LUFTWAFFE Number of

Aircraft A ircraft
Air Force 1,000-3,000 Luftflotte 1,000
Wing 140-180 Geschwader 80-120
Group 48 Gruppe 36
Squadron 16 Staffel 12
Flight 4 Schwarm 4
Element 2 Rotte 2
Whether you're fighting on the U.S. or on the German

side, these terms will be used frequently to describe the
units you're flying with.
MAIN MENU
After you've chosen which side you want to fly on, you'll
go to the Main Menu. There you'll see a large list of choices
yo u can make:
FLIGHT SCHOOL Lets you learn and practice your
aerial skills, including flying, takeoffs, landings, and firing
weapons. The results of these practice mis-
The Allied bombing offensive so infu-
sions will not count on any Combat
riated German civilians that U.S. airmen Records.
who were forced to bail out of their HISTORICAL MISSIONS Allows you
stricken aircraft were sometimes beaten to fly a historically based mission, the results
and killed. Even Luftwaffe pilots who of which will count on your Combat Record .
bailed out over their own country would CUSTOM MISSIONS Lets you create
be rudely treated if they were mistaken and fly customized missions. (See your Ref-
for Americans. On one occasion, a Ger- erence Card for information on how to use
man fighter pilot was hanging from a the Mission Builder.)
tree in his parachute when a civilian TOURS OF DUTY Challenges you to
approached him with a shotgun. "Help survive a given number of missions under
me down, you fool," the pilot yelled. But
the same circumstances that World War II
the civilian stood his ground, raised his
pilots were required to serve.
shotgun, and replied, "So! The pig even
CAMPAIGN BATTLES Allows you to
speaks Germani"
command various large-scale campaign
86 Secret Wea/1ons of the Luftwaffe

battles on either the U.S. or the German side, so that you "The [Bj) 109G and
may alter the historical outcome of the air war over Europe.
COMBAT RECORDS Lets you look over the records of
the P-51 D were fairly
the pilots and crews who have flown on your missions. evenly matched in level
FILM VIEWING ROOM From here you can watch the maneuvering flight, but
combat action you've recorded with the gun camera. the '51 could climb and
SWITCHING SIDES Allows you to switch between the
German side and the U.S. side. dive faster, although the
EXIT FROM PROGRAM Lets you leave the simulation 109 had an advantage
and return to your computer's operating system. in initial acceleration in
FLIGHT SCHOOL a dive-which was of-
Going to Flight School is the best way to learn and ten sufficient to allow
practice the skills that will make you more successful in air
combat. The mistakes you make in Flight School won't
the 109 to get away."
count on any Combat Records, so use it to practice aerial U.S. Anny Air Force Colonel
Jesse Thompson
maneuvers and sharpen flying skills.
When you choose FLIGHT SCHOOL from the Main
Menu, you'll be presented with an Aircraft Selection menu.
There you'll see a list of either U.S. or German aircraft that
you can choose from. Click on the name of the aircraft you
wish to fly.
Next, you'll be shown a Flight School Selection menu.
This is a list of training flights to help you master particular
air combat skills. After you've selected a trainin g flight,
you'll go to Flight Briefing.
HISTORICAL MISSIONS
These missions duplicate historically authentic flights
that took place at different times during the air war over Eu-
rope (see the Historical Overview chapter for more informa-
tion). As an American pilot or crew, you'll be flying B-l 7s, P-
47s, and P-5ls in an attempt to seize control of the sky from
the Luftwaffe. As a German pilot, you'll be flying the "secret
weapons," including the Me 262 and the Me 163 Komet,
against large formations of U.S. aircraft, as well as flying the
formidable piston-engined Bf 109 and FW 190. The Go 229
is the only aircraft in the simulation that did not see any
combat action during the war, although its prototypes were
flight-tested in late 1944 and 1945. We've created several
speculative missions for this innovative "flying wing," so
that you can experience how it might have performed in
combat.
To fly any of these missions, you can select from a roster
of pilots you've created for the side you're flying on. Each of
your pilots and crew will have a Combat Record , which
keeps track of their successes, fai lures, medals, and promo-
tions.
Click on HISTORICAL MISSIONS to select this type of
mission. You'll then move to an Aircraft Selection menu,
with a list of either German or U.S. aircraft. Click on the
Mission InstructUm.s: Pre-Flight 87

name of the plane you want to fly. This will send you to a
Historical Mission Selection menu, where you can choose
from several missions appropriate for the type of aircraft
you've selected. These choices are ranked in increasing or-
der of difficulty, with the first choices being the easiest. To
select a mission, click on its name.
If you're flying on the U.S. side, the terms listed below,
commonly used during the war, will be used to describe the
general types of missions you '11 be flying:
Circus A mission in which a small group of up to six
bombers was used to lure the Luftwaffe into the air, where
the heavy U.S. fighter protection could pounce on them .
The P-47C Thunderbolts of the Rodeo A fighter sweep without bombers . The U.S.
56th Fighter Group, the fighters would simply fly over enemy territory looking for
"Wolfpack."
Luftwaffe fighters to engage. Often they were ignored by
the Luftwaffe, since they posed no threat to their fighters,
until the U.S. fighters began strafing airfields and other tar-
gets.
Ramrod A bombing mission in which U .S. bombers,
with heavy fighter escort, would try to knock out a specific
ground target. The Germans, not knowing the difference
between a Circus and a Ramrod , would usually attack the
bombers in either case.
Sweep Differed from a Rodeo in that the U.S. fighters
would be flying ahead of a bomber formation, where they
could "sweep" the sky of Luftwaffe fighters before a target
was bombed.
After you've selected a mission, you 'll go to the Flight
Briefing Map. Or, to leave the Historical Mission Selection
menu altogether, click on EXIT.

CUSTOM MISSIONS
This is where you can create and fly in those missions
that you've built yourself with the Mission Builder. Choos-
ing this brings up three menu choices:
CREATE OR CHANGE CUSTOM MISSION

FLY CUSTOM MISSION
EXIT
CREATE OR CHANGE CUSTOM MISSION Sends you

to the Mission Builder, where you can build or modify a
mission (see your Reference Card for more information
about using the Mission Builder to create your own mis-
sions).
FLY CUSTOM MISSION Displays a directory of all the
missions you've previously created with the Mission
Builder, along with a menu that contains the following
choices:
FLY MISSION Use to select and fly a mission you've al-

ready created. To do this, click on a selection in the direc-
tory, then click on this button.
RETRY Use to search a new flopp y disk for custom mis-
sions if you aren't using a hard drive.
EXIT Sends you to the main Custom Missions menu .
EXIT Returns you to the Main Menu.
Click on any of these menu items to make your selection.

Once you've chosen a custom mission from the directory,
you'll go to Flight Briefing.
TOUR OF DUTY
In World War II, pilots and crew had to fly a set number
of missions before they could be taken off of active combat
duty. This was known as a tour of duty. The number of "I knew some of
missions an airman had to fly to complete a tour of duty var- them would that day die.
ied, depending on the side he flew on, the circumstances of Still, I was certain I
the war, and the type of aircraft he flew. When the U.S. first would survive ... , but
began bombing western Europe, a B-17 crew had to fly only if I followed my pri-
twenty-five bombing missions to complete their tour of vate ritual. Only if I went
duty. The crew of the Memphis Belle, a B-l 7F, became the out and found a poppy
to put in my buttonhole.
first Eighth Air Force bombing crew to reach this mark, in
I had worn poppies
June 1943. Later, the minimum number of missions in a before. I am a reason-
tour of duty for bomber crews was raised to thirty, then to able man, but in matters
thirty-five. U.S. fighter pilots generally had to fly a hundred of life and death, I do not
missions to complete their tour of duty, since the majority of exclude talismans.
their missions did not involve contact with the enemy. On U.S. Anny Air
the other hand, Luftwaffe pilots did not have a fixed num- Force navigator
ber of missions to fly during their careers; however, they Elmer Bendiner
were sometimes taken off active duty for outstanding air

"Our one hope is that combat achievements, such as downing large numbers of
enemy aircraft.
the other si,de has an air With the Tour of Duty option, your pilot or crew can fly a
force General Staff as series of connected missions that make up a tour of duty.
scatterbrained as ours." You'll be able to select the general type of mission for your
pilot or crew to fly, but during their tour of duty the individ-
German Minister of Armaments
Albert Speer, in 1944 ual missions will vary tremendously, and will have a sense of
the unexpected as random factors come into play. Just as in
World War II, if your pilot or crew is killed in action or cap-
tured, their tour of duty will not be completed.
Starting, Continuing, and Viewing
Records of a Tour of Duty
When you select TOUR OF DUTY from the Main
Menu, a Tour of Duty menu will appear, with the following
choices listed at the center of the screen:
START NEW T OUR O F DUTY

CONTINUE TOUR O F D U TY
VIEW TOUR OF DUTY RECORD
EXIT
START NEW TOUR OF DUTY Displays a series of menus

that allow you to decide what kind of Tour of Duty you'll
serve. The first asks you to choose the combat unit you're
going to be a member of. This will determine the type of
airplane you'll be flying, and the kinds of missions you'll
be taking part in. After you've selected your combat unit,
you'll see a directory of available pilots and crews, plus
another menu with four choices:
SELECT PILOT/CREW FOR TOD

CREATE PILOT/CREW FOR TOD
RETRY
EXIT
SELECT PILOT/CREW FOR TOD Allows you to select

an existing pilot or crew to fly a Tour of Duty. First, click
on the name of the pilot or crew from the directory, then
click on this button.
CREATE PILOT/CREW FOR T O D Click on this to
bring up a cursor. Type in the name of a pilot or crew you
want to create to fly a Tour of Duty, then press RETURN .
RETRY Use to search a new floppy disk for Tours of
Duty if you aren't using a hard drive.
EXIT Returns you to the main Tour of Duty menu .
Once you've chosen a pilot or crew to fly a Tour of Duty,

you'll be asked to select the time period that you want them
to fly in , along with the mission emphasis. These choices are
listed in order of difficulty.
90 Secret Weap011S of the Luftwaffe

CONTINUE TOUR OF DUTY Brings up a directory of
the names of pilots and crew currently serving tours of
duty, plus three menu choices:
CONTINUE TOD
RETRY
EXIT
CONTINUE TOD Use to select a Tour of Duty pilot or

crew that you want to continue flying with . First, click on
the name of a pilot or crew from the directory, then click
on this button.
RETRY Use to search a new floppy disk for pilots/crews
serving Tours of Duty if you aren't using a hard drive.
EXIT Returns you to the main Tour of Duty menu.
VIEW TOUR OF DUTY RECORD Brings up a list of pi-

lots or crews who have served or are currently serving a
Tour of Duty, so you can examine how the Tours are pro-
gressing. You'll also see three menu choices:
VIEW TOD
RETRY
EXIT
VIEW TOD Use to view the progress of a Tour of Duty.

First, click on the name ofa Tour of Duty pilot or crew,
then click on this button.
RETRY Use to search a new floppy disk for Tours of
Duty if you aren't using a hard drive.
EXIT Returns you to the main Tour of Duty menu .
The FW 190, equally effective
against U.S. bombers and
EXIT Sends you to the Main Menu . fighters.

"On the days you flew, Tour of Duty Length
they'd let you go back If you're flying on the U.S. side, you can choose between
flying as a fighter pilot, as a bomber pilot, or as a bomber
through the kitchen,
crew. Your Tour of Duty as a fighter pilot will be from twenty-
and you could tell the five to thirty-five combat missions, and you'll engage the en-
cook how you wanted emy in all of these missions. This is roughly equivalent to a
your eggs fixed for historical tour of duty, since fighter pilots, who had to fly a
hundred missions on a tour of duty, usually only engaged
breakfast. It was a 'last the enemy in about a third of their missions. As a bomber pi-
meal' kind of thing." lot or crew, your Tour of Duty will be either twenty-five,
U.S. Army Air Force Pilot thirty, or thirty-five missions, depending on the time of war
Officer Robert Davila and the level of difficulty you select.
If you're flying on the German side, your Tour of Duty
will be longer and more difficult, and you' ll need to com-
plete at least fifty missions or shoot down at least two hun-
dred aircraft.
Each of your pilots or crew on either side can fly a maxi-
mum of five Tours of Duty. However, a pilot or crew can
only fly one Tour of Duty at a time. A Combat Record will be
kept for each pilot or crew that takes part in a Tour of Duty.
Flying a Tour of Duty accelerates the process by which a pi-
lot or crew earns medals and promotions, and will help
them to move to the top ten list faster.
Before flying each mission in a Tour of Duty, you'll go to
Flight Briefing.
FLIGHT BRIEFING
After you've selected a training flight from Flight School,
a Historical Mission, a Custom Mission, or a mission in a
Tour of Duty, you' ll go to Flight Briefing. This is where
you'll learn about your mission in greater detail and make
any last-minute modifications to it. You'll also be able to se-
lect pilots or crews to fly in your mission.
The Flight Briefing screen depicts a typical flight
briefing scene on either a U.S. or a German airbase before a
mission , with a map of western Europe on the wall. This
Flight Briefing Map resembles the In-Flight Map that you
can access during a mission.
You can view the Flight Briefing Map at various scales,
and can move it around by clicking on the controls at the
bottom and righthand edges of the map. These map scale
controls are: ZOOM IN, which en larges the map size, and
ZOOM OUT, wh ich reduces the map size. You can also
move the map up, down, left, and right by clicking on the
up, down, left, or right arrows inside the horizontal and
vertical bars at the bottom and righthand edge of the map,
by moving the slider box, or by clicking on the space inside
the two bars.
On the Flight Briefing Map, you'll find many icons rep-
resenting airfields, factories, and other installations. There
will also be icons representing the aircraft on your side. To

get information about any of the installations or aircraft,
click on an icon. A window will open over the map and dis-
play the relevant facts.
The course you'll fly during your mission will also be in-
dicated on the map. If you're flying on the U.S. side, your
bombing target will be highlighted .
On the bottom of th e screen yo u'll find a horizontal
menu , with these choices listed from left to right:
MAP Brings the Flight Briefing Map back after you've
made another choice from this menu.
BRIEFING Brings up a detailed text description of your
mission which will replace the Flight Briefing Map. This de-
scription may be larger than what is displayed in the win-
dow, so dick on the up or down arrows, move the slider box,
or click on the space inside the vertical bar to scroll the text
up and down.
WEAPONS Lets you modify the armament of yo ur air-
craft. (See the Weapons Load Options section below.)
ROSTER Lets you create pilots and crew, and assign
them to fly in your mission. (See the Flight Roster section be-
low .)
ABORT "Scrubs" your mission and sends yo u back to
the Main Menu, where you can choose a different mission if
you want.
START Lets you begin your mission.
Weapons Load Options
When you choose WEAPONS from the Flight Briefing
Map screen, the map will be replaced by a display headed
by the name of the aircraft you're flying, along with a list of
its standard armament. You'll also see up to three lists that
indicate the various locations at which specific weapons and
equipment - including a variety of guns, cannons, bombs,
rockets, and fuel tanks - can be attached to your aircraft.
T hese locations include:
BOMB BAY/CENTER RACK Lists all the armament
and equipment that can be carried in the bomb bay or at-
tached to the fuselage rack. You'll only be
able to add one from the list. His formation under attack by Me
INNER WING RACKS Lists all the ar- I09s, Colonel Beirne Lay noticed a bright
mament and equipment that can be at- metal object, which he recognized as the
tached to the wing racks near the fuselage. main exit door of a B-17, tumble past the
OUTER WING RACKS Lists all the ar- wing of his bomber. Then, he saw a
mament and equipment that can be at- "black lump" fly through the bomber
tached to the wing racks near the wing tips. formation, nearly striking several pro-
From each of these lists yo u can also pellers. When the lump got closer to his
plane, Lay saw that it was a man, who
choose NO ATTACHMENT, which re-
had grabbed both of his knees and
moves any weapons or equipment you want tucked them under his chin. The man
from their location on the aircraft. came so close to Lay's bomber that he
Click on any armament and equipment saw a piece of paper fly out of his jacket.
from these lists. Your choice will then ap-

''Aeronautics opened up pear next to the headings for these three lists.
While it may be tempting to load up your aircraft with
to men a new field of every type of gun, cannon, bomb, rocket, or fuel tank it can
action, the field of the carry, keep in mind that the more items you add to your air-
air. In so doing, it of craft, the less maneuverable it will be in flight, which will af-
necessity created a new fect its performance in combat.
Below the weapons load options are three choices you
battlefield; for wherever can make to modify your aircraft settings for these missions.
two men meet, conflict is If you change any of these settings, however, the results of
inevitable." your mission will not count in any Combat Record . (If you
add armament and equipment from the weapons load op-
Italian General Giulio Douhet
tions, the results of your mission will still count.) Whenever
you select a mission to fly, the aircraft settings you'll see will
reflect the values for that particular mission.
The aircraft settings you can alter are:
DAMAGE Use to toggle between STANDARD and UN-
LIMITED amounts of damage your aircraft can sustain in
combat. In the STANDARD mode, your aircraft can be
damaged and even shot down . In the UNLIMITED mode,
your aircraft can't be damaged or shot down, and it can't
even crash.
AMMO Use to toggle between STANDARD and UN-
LIMITED amounts of ammunition . In the STANDARD
mode, your aircraft will carry the same number of machine
gun rounds, cannon rounds, rockets, and bombs that
World War II aircraft carried. In the UNLIMITED mode,
you'll have an endless supply of ammunition.
FUEL Use to change between STANDARD and UN-
LIMITED fuel capacity. In the STANDARD mode, your
plane will carry a finite supply of fuel, and use it up at the
same rate as World War II aircraft. In the UNLIMITED
mode, you'll never run out offuel.
FLIGHT ROSTER
The ROSTER button below the Flight Briefing Map
allows you to create pilots and crews, and assign them to fly
in your missions. If you don't create or select a pilot or crew
to fly your mission, you can still fly it, but the results won't be
kept in any Combat Records and you won't earn any medals
or promotions.
You can also create pilots and crews to fly in any other
aircraft that are taking part in a mission. As you create a ros-
ter of pilots and crew, and as they gain mission experience,
they will become more proficient in battle, and you can se-
lect these experienced personnel to help you achieve more
successful mission results.
When you click on the ROSTER button, a Flight Roster
appears in place of the map. On the right will be a list of ei-
ther U .S. or German aircraft, under the heading AIR-
CRAFT FOR MISSION . The aircraft that you're going to
fly will be highlighted. Next to each aircraft will be the name

of the pilot or crew assigned to it, or a blank if no assignment
has been made. If you've flown a previous mission with a
certain pilot or crew, they will be automatically reassigned to
your aircraft if they have survived. This way, you won't have
to create or select a new pilot every time you fly a new mis-
sion. If you're serving a Tour of Duty, your pilot or crew will
be automatically scheduled to fly your aircraft. On the left
will be a directory of all the pilots and crews you've already
created, under the heading AYAH.ABLE PILOTS: This list
will give their names and their status (whether they're alive,
dead, captured, or retired). For U.S. pilots, the list will note
if they are fighter or bomber pilots. If this list is long, click
on the up or down arrow keys, move the slider box, or click
on the space inside the vertical bar to scroll the list up or
down .
Creating and Deleting Pilots and Crews
Below the Available Pilots menu, you'll see three menu
choices which allow you to manage your roster:
CREATE Lets you create a new pilot or crew. When you
click on this button, a text cursor will appear. Type in the
name of a pilot or crew, then press RETURN. If you're on
the U.S. side, you'll be asked if you want that person to be a
fighter pilot or a bomber pilot.
DELETE Lets you remove a pilot or crew from the direc-
tory. To do this, first click on this button, then use the text
cursor to type in the name of the pilot or crew you want re-
moved from the list, and press RETURN .
RETRY Use to search a new floppy disk for pilots or
crews if you aren't using a hard drive.
Assigning Pilots and Crews
To assign a pilot or crew to a particular plane, first click
on their name from the directory of available pilots or
crews. Then, click on the slot next to the name of the aircraft The adaptable Bf 109G.

"When I saw Mustangs that you want to assign that pilot or crew to fly. The pilot's or
crew's name should appear next to the aircraft name. If
over Berlin, I knew the you're flying on the U.S. side, you won't be able to assign a
war was lost." fighter pilot to fly a bomber, or assign a bomber pilot to fly a
Reichsmarschall fighter.
Hermann Goring To replace a pilot or crew with another pilot or crew, first
click on the name of the new pilot or crew from the directo-
ry. Then, click on the name of the old pilot or crew, which
will be next to the name of their assigned aircraft. This will
remove their name. Clicking on a second time will put the
new pilot or crew in that airplane. (Note: The pilot or crew
serving a Tour of Duty cannot be replaced.)
To deactivate a pilot or crew, click on their name when it
appears next to the name of their assigned aircraft.
How to Have More Successful Missions
Whenever you complete a mission, the Combat Records
for all pilots and crews that fly in that mission will be updat-
ed. The more experience that each pilot or crew assigned to
fly in your mission gains, the better they'll perform in future
missions. When you select proven, experienced pilots or
crews for your missions, they'll usually repeat their success-
es while flying with you. This will help you to achieve the
goals of your missions more often, and earn more medals
and promotions as a result.
To see the Flight Briefing Map again, click on the MAP
button at the bottom of the screen.
CAMPAIGN BATTLES
If you'd like to control the "big picture" of World War II,
you can choose to direct a Campaign Battle, and have a
chance to change the historical outcome for either the U.S.
or the German side. You'll fly a sequence of Eighth Air
Force or Luftwaffe missions, starting from the summer of
1943. The outcome of your side's entire campaign rests to a
large extent on what you accomplish, or fail to accomplish,
in each mission you fly. Moreover, the gains and losses of
each mission affect your ability to fly and direct future mis-
sions. For example, if you're playing the German side and
you fail to defend German aircraft factories that are then
destroyed by U.S. bombing, you may later find that you
won't have enough aircraft left to mount an effective de-
fense. After you've finished each mission, a scoring screen
will let you know how your side is doing in the campaign.
(See the Post-Flight chapter.)
The conditions for winning a campaign will vary, de-
pending on which side you choose. For example, if you're
flying a U.S. campaign, your winning conditions can in-
clude bombing key German industries until production
drops below levels necessary to continue supplying the war
effort. If you're directing the German side, you'll win by

protecting vital installations such as oil refineries and facto-
ries, and by making critical decisions regarding the German
war economy. (For more information about the actual U.S .
and German campaign strategies used in the war, see the
Historical Overview chapter.)
Starting a Campaign
Choose CAMPAIGN BATTLES from the Main Menu to
begin your campaign. You'll then see a menu with the fol-
lowing choices:
START NEW CAMPAIGN

CONTINUE CAMPAIGN IN PROGRESS
EXIT
START NEW CAMPAIGN Creates a new campaign, to be-

gin in the summer of 1943. Type in the name of your
campaign at the text cursor, and press RETURN .
CONTINUE CAMPAIGN IN PROGRESS Displays a new
menu. On the right will be a directory of the names of the
ongoing campaigns of either the U.S . or the German
side. On the left will be three buttons:
CONTINUE CAMPAIGN Click on after you've selected

a current campaign from the directory.
RETRY Use to search a new floppy disk for Campaign
Battles in progress if you aren't using a hard drive.
EXIT Click on to go back to the main Campaign Battle
menu.
EXIT Returns you to the Main Menu
The Campaign Map

Once you've started a new campaign or chosen an
existing one, you'll go to a special Campaign Map . At the
top of this map will be displayed the name of your cam-
paign, plus the historical date on which you'll direct your
forces into combat. After organizing your aircraft into flight
groups, moving them around to different
airfields, and giving them orders, you'll be- "In the briefing room, which was just
gin that day's mission by taking the controls a big old room with chairs, there was a
of one of the planes. If you're on the Ger- curtain, and when they'd pull that curtain
man side, you can also control portions of back, there was a map, with a tape
the German economy to affect production pointing to where you were going. When
of war materials. everybody saw that tape, they would
The Campaign Map displays icons rep- moan. If that tape had gone around the
comer to London and back, you would
resenting the locations of different German
have heard the same moan."
ground installations, such as factories,
U.S. Army Air Force
refineries, railroad yards, and Luftwaffe
Pilot Officer Robert Davila
airfields around western Europe. It also

shows U.S. airbases in England. Clicking on any of the icons
on the map will open a pop-up window containing informa-
tion relevant to your side. The Campaign Map also displays
aircraft icons for the flight groups you've created (see Creat-
ing and Modifying Flight Groups below). You may see aircraft
icons that represent enemy aircraft positions, as well.
At certain times in the campaign, this map may have a
line through it, which represents the battle line between the
Allied and German forces. This line may fluctuate, depend-
ing on whether the campaign decisions you make are
beneficial to your side.
"You had to wear so much junk you'd At the bottom of the screen, you'll see
hope you didn't have to go use the tube. several choices:
You'd have your longjohns on, pants on, MAP Will bring the Campaign Map
electric suit on, then you'd have your back after you have made a different choice
summer flying coveralls or your winter from this menu .
flying stuff on top of that, and then you STATUS Will bring up a text descrip-
had your Mae West and your parachute tion of how well or how poorly your cam-
harness." paign is faring.
U.S. Army Air Force WEAPONS Lets you modify the arma-
Pilot Officer Robert Davila
ment of the plane you will be flying in this
campaign (see Weapons Load Options in the
Flight Briefing section above for more information).
ROSTER Lets you create pilots and crew, and assign
them to fly in your campaign (see the Flight Roster section
above for more information).
ABORT Cancels this mission of your campaign and
sends you back to the Main Menu.
START Lets you begin the day's mission of your cam-
paign.
Directing the German Fighter Defense
If you're directing a German campaign, you'll be
marshaling Luftwaffe fighters from various airfields to
mount a defense against U.S. bombers and fighters . You'll
be in charge of:
(1) Launching interceptions: creating flight plans a nd
deciding which U.S. aircraft you're going to intercept in an
incoming raid.
(2) Assigning the alert status to those Luftwaffe airfields
within range of a U.S. attack, so that additional fighters can
intercept.
(3) Moving air units between different airfields.
You'll use the Campaign Map to do all this.
On each day of your campaign battle, the Campaign
Map for the German side will highlight the ground targets
that are most likely to be attacked that day by the Eighth Air
Force (This does not necessarily mean that the U.S. will ac-
tually bomb all those targets, but German intelligence be-
lieves that some or all will be hit.) Icons representing the
Luftwaffe airfields that are near these targets will also be

highlighted, designating that they have automatically been
put on alert. Finally, any incoming U.S. bombers that have
been spotted will be displayed, to show which direction the
attack is coming from.
At the bottom of the Campaign Map screen will be the
same choices discussed above: MAP, STATUS, WEAPONS,
ROSTER, ABORT, and START, plus a new one, UNIT
TRANSFERS. This shows all the transfer orders you've giv-
en to move various Luftwaffe air units to new airfields so
that they can be used to defend particular installations. The
process of moving these air units will require a certain num-
ber of days (see Making Aircraft Unit Transfers below).
To set up flight groups and flight plans, as part of your
fighter defense, click on any airfield icon that is near incom-
ing U.S. bomber forces (see Creating and Modifying Flight
Groups below). To cover other targets, as well as to set up an-
other line of defense, you can also change the alert status for
each airfield (see below). These additional forces may defeat
the incoming raid if none of your flight groups succeed in
intercepting it.
Clicking on the desired airfield icon to set up a flight
group or to change an airfield's alert status will open a pop-
up window, whose selections include:
AIRCRAFT Shows the type of aircraft stationed at that

airfield.
CREATE FLIGHT GROUP Allows you to build a flight
group to intercept U.S. raids, and to create a flight plan
that you yourself will fly. (See Creating and Modifying
Flight Groups below.)
ALERT STATUS Sets the number of flight groups that will
automatically take off from that airfield to intercept in-
coming U.S. aircraft (in addition to the flight groups you
create). Toggles through the different alert status set-
tings, so that either all, some, or none of the aircraft will
respond.
MAKE AIRCRAFT TRANSFER Allows you to move your
aircraft between different fighter bases. (See Making Air-
craft Unit Transfers below.)
EXIT Closes the airfield window.
Changing Production in the German Economy

On the German side, in addition to directing the fighter
defense, you control those sectors of the economy that pro-
vide war material for the Luftwaffe. You'll be able to choose
exactly what is produced at aircraft assembly plants, aircraft
engine factories, oil refineries, and even research and de-
velopment facilities, where "secret weapons" are emerging.
These decisions can affect what kind of aircraft will be avail-
able to fly later on in the campaign.

To command German war production, click on any fac-
tory icon on the Campaign Map. This opens up a window,
which tells you the type of factory it is. If it is an aircraft fac-
tory, an aircraft engine factory, an oil refinery, or an R & D
facility, you can convert it to the production of other
products.
Below the factory heading is a list of production figures:
% CAP Displays the percentage of total capacity that the fac-

tory is currently operating at.
% OF INDUSTRY TOT Indicates the amount of produc-
tion that this factory is contributing to the industry as a
whole.
PRODUCTION Clicking on this cycles through and selects
the different types of war material that this factory can
produce. If you're examining an aircraft factory at the
beginning of the campaign, it will be able to produce
only Bf 109s or FW 190s, but will later be able to produce
Me 262s, Me 163s, or Go 229s. Aircraft engine factories
can produce standard piston engines, jet engines, or
rocket engines. Oil refineries can produce regular fuel ,
jet fuel, or rocket fuel. The R & D facilities can research
and produce the V-1 flying bomb, the V- 2 rocket, the Me
262, the Me 163, or the Go 229.
DISPERSE Allows you to scatter production for certain in-
dustries into hidden facilities that are impossible for the
Eighth Air Force to locate and bomb effectively. This op-
tion has the side effect oflowering production. Click on a
second time to reconsolidate production in one central-
ized location.
There will be other sectors of the economy whose pro-

duction you will not be able to control, such as power plants,
munitions factories, and railroad marshaling yards. Howev-
er, you may still need to provide fighter protection for these
installations.
Flying at altitudes of Directing the U.S. Bombing Campaign
20,000 feet and higher,
where temperatures On the U.S. side, your main concern will be to select
often dropped to -40 strategic targets to bomb, so that you can cripple German
degrees, U.S. bomber war production. To do this, you'll command a main raid by
crews had to wear many creating and selecting flight groups and making a flight
layers of clothing to plan for that raid, which you yourself will fly in (see Creating
avoid freezing. When and Assigning Flight Groups below).
Luftwaffe planes You'll also create a series of secondary raids against as
attacked, the gunners many German targets as you want. The more effective your
removed their gloves to main raid, the more likely the secondary raids are to suc-
fire their machine guns, ceed. To create a series of secondary raids, click on a Ger-
and some lost their fin-
man ground installation icon on the Campaign Map. A win-
gers to frostbite as a
dow will display information about the target, plus the
result.
following list of choices:

#OF BG Lets you choose how many bombardment groups
"The Americans are
are going to bomb the target. good at making fancy
# OF FG ESCORT Lets you choose how many fighter es- cars and refrigerators,
cort groups are going to protect the bombers en route to but that doesn't mean
the target.
# OF GROUND ATTACK Lets you choose how many that they are any good at
fighter-bomber groups are going to attack the target. making aircraft. They
are bluffing. They are
To choose how many of each type of group to send
against a target, dick on one of these selections. Pressing the excellent at bluffing."
left controller button increases and pressing the right con- Reichsmarschall Hennann
troller button decreases the number. Goring, in early 1942
C reating and Modifying Flight Groups

Before you begin any German or U.S. Campaign Battle,
you'll need to assign the aircraft under your command to
various flight groups. A flight group is a given number of
aircraft that fly together as a unit. Using the Flight Group
menu (see below), you'll determine the number and type of
aircraft in each flight group and then assign mission objec-
tives by creating a flight plan. Flight groups are created
from airfields, so you'll need to open an airfield window
and select the CREATE FLIGHT GROUP button, to bring
up the Flight Group menu.
The Flight Group Menu
Following the words PLANES AVAILABLE on the
screen is a number which indicates how many total aircraft
are available to be placed in all of the flight groups that you
wish to create. Below the words PLANES AVAILABLE are
five buttons which you'll use to determine the composition
of each group:
YOU Allows you to select whether or not you are going
to fly as a member of this flight group.
PLANE TYPE Click on to cycle through the different
types of aircraft you can allocate to a particular flight group
from the airfield. Each flight group must be made up of the
same type of aircraft.
# OF PLANES Lets you determine the number of air-
craft in the flight group you're creating. A flight group must
have at least one plane before it can fly in your mission.
Press the left controller button to increase the number, and
the right controller button to decrease it.
FORMATION Click on to cycle through and set the
flight formation for the current flight group you're creat-
ing.
ORDERS Click on to cycle through and set the mission
orders for your current flight group. If you're directing the
Luftwaffe, you can choose to have your fighters attack ei-
ther bombers or fighters . If you're directing the Eighth Air
Mission Instructions: Pre-Flight IOI

"The fighter is simply a Force, the choices vary depending upon the type of plane
you choose. American fighters can fly in a bomber escort
flying gun, and its basic role, a free-ranging role , or a fighter-bomber role , but
qualities ofspeed and American bombers can fly only bombing missions.
surprise should always Creating a Flight Plan
be used to the greatest After you've created a flight group, you must implement
advantage." a flight plan for it. To do this, you'll plot a course on the map
RAF Group Captain Johnnie identifying a series of navigational points that this group
Johnson will follow . A flight plan is composed of up to six locations,
including its starting point (BEGIN) , four rendezvous
points (WAY POINTS 1-4), and an airfield to return to
(LAND) .
Below the flight group buttons, you'll see a chart which
looks like this:
FLIGHT PLAN ALT ATK

BEGIN
WAYPTl
WAYPT2
WAYPT3
WAYPT4
LAND DELETE
To choose the starting point of your flight group's mis-

sion , click on BEGIN. The word BEGIN will be highlight-
ed, and a large circle will be drawn around the airfield. Click
on a location inside the circle where you want the flight
group to start its mission. A starting point icon will appear
on the Campaign Map. To change the starting point, click
on a different location inside the circle.
Now, look for the ALT heading on the chart. The first
number in this column indicates the current cruising alti-
tude for this flight group in thousands offeet. Click the left
controller button to increase and the right controller button
to decrease the altitude at which the flight group begins
your m1ss1on.
To set the locations of the four Way Points, first click on
WAYPT 1, and click on the desired location. An icon will ap-
pear on the map to represent the location of that Way Point.
Click on the second number in the ALT column to adjust
the altitude for the flight group flying toward Way Point I .
Repeat this procedure for Way Points 2, 3, and 4 if you
want. You can use these different Way Points to plot a course
that may confuse or divert the enemy.
In fighter sweeps, fighter patrols, and fighter escort, the
flight group repeats the flight plan until it runs low on fuel
and returns to base. In fighter-bomber and bomber mis-
sions, the flight group follows the flight plan only once.
If you're flying a U .S. campaign, the bomber or
fighter/bomber flight groups will automatically bomb a tar-

get if it is located where you've placed a Way Point icon. If
you don't want to attack this target, locate the ATK (attack)
column on the chart. The word YES will appear if an attack
is to occur. Click on YES to call off the attack.
To assign each flight group to a landing area after you
have assigned them different Way Points, click on LAND,
then click on the desired airfield.
To remove one or more of the Way Points after you've
created a flight plan, click on the Way Point you'd like to re-
move, then click the DELETE button, which is located to
the right of the LAND button.
To cancel the creation of a flight group, click on CAN-
CEL. When you're finished creating all of the elements ofa
flight group and its flight plan, click on EXIT
As you create flight plans for all of your flight groups,
their starting points will be marked by icons on the Cam-
paign Map. To modify a flight group that you have already
created, click on its icon on the Campaign Map and repeat
the above-outlined procedures.
Making Aircraft Unit Transfers
In both the German and the U.S. campaigns, you can
transfer air units to different airfields. On the German side,
this is vital for defending factories, airfields, and other in-
stallations from U.S. bombing raids. On the U.S. side, you
may not find it as critical to move your forces around, ex-
cept after D-Day, when you may want to move them from
England to the Continent.
To transfer air units, click on an airfield on your side that
you want to transfer aircraft from. A window will appear
with the airfield name on the top. On the lower part of the
window will be a button labeled MAKE AIRCRAFT
TRANSFER. Clicking on this button will open a window la-
beled TRANSFER ORDER. T he volatile Me 163 Komet.
Mission Instructions: Pre-Fliglu 103

Beneath the name of the airfield, the following choices
will be displayed:
TYPE Cycles through the kinds of aircraft that you may

want to transfer.
# Cycles through the number of Gruppen or Groups that
you may want to transfer.
TO Sends the Gruppen or Groups to a different airfield.
First click this button, then click the desired airfield icon
on the map. Below TO will be a heading, # OF DAYS,
showing how many days it will take to transfer that unit.
EXIT Click on when you've finished issuing your transfer
order. The lengthy process of transferring will then be-
gin. To see the status of the transfer, use the UNIT
TRANSFERS option on the Campaign Map screen.
CANCEL Stops the transfer order from being issued.
In addition to moving units between airfields, you can

also move units from the reserves to the airfields. A window
labeled RESERVES, in the upper righthand corner of the
Campaign Map screen, will display all the different aircraft
units produced by aircraft factories and waiting to be deliv-
ered to the airfields. Click on the button labeled MAKE
AIRCRAFT TRANSFER, which will open a window just
like the Transfer Order window you accessed from the
airfield icons, with all the same transfer choices.
Campaign Results
Perhaps the best piston-engined

Even thoug h your mission involves flying just a few
fighter of the war: the P-5 ID aircraft, the success of those few aircraft will be used to
Mustang. gauge the success of the secondary raids that you set up for

that day. Whichever side you command, the decisions you "Things don't look rosy
make will have a direct influence on the outcome of your
campaign as well. On the U.S. side, choosing key targets to
for our big cities."
bomb is vital to success. On the German side, your decisions Feldmarschall Erhard Milch,
in March 1943
about fighter defense and wartime production will deter-
mine whether or not your side can come out on top .
At the end of each mission, the Campaign Map will ap-
pear and display various icons representing targets that
may have been hit. Click on any of these icons to learn the
status of these installations, including whether they have
been destroyed or damaged . If you open a factory icon,
you'll also see at what percentage of capacity that factory is
now operating. The map will show icons representing
downed aircraft, as well. Click on any of these icons to learn
the type ofaircraft, and who downed it.
COMBAT RECORDS
To look over the records of various pilots and crew on
the part icular sid e you've chosen, click on COMBAT
RECORDS from the Main Menu .
In the middle of the Combat Records screen, a list of all
the pilots and crew you've created will be displayed . On the
right will be a list of the top ten pilots and crew, based on
their mission performance. On the left will be four menu
choices:
VIEW Brings up the Combat Record for a particular pilot

or crew. To view, first click on the name of a pilot or crew,
then click on this button. You'll then see detailed infor-
mation about the pilot or crew you've chosen, including
rank, status, number of missions flown, number of aerial
victories, and various bombing statistics.
DELETE Lets you remove a pilot or crew from the list by
first clicking on this button , then typing in the name of
the pilot or crew you wish to remove.
RETRY Use to search a new floppy disk for Combat
Records if you aren't using a hard drive.
EXIT Returns you to the Main Menu .
Choosing COMBAT RECORDS only lets you look at pi-

lot and crew records, and doesn't allow you to create addi-
tional pilots and crews. To do this, select the ROSTER op-
tion, which you can access from Flight Briefing after you've
chosen a mission (see the Roster section above for more in-
formation).

107
his chapter details the different controls
and instruments you'll use while you' re
flying Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe. Except
where noted, these instruments and con-
trols have the same function in all the air-
craft. For an instrument panel screen shot,
with call-outs indicating the exact instruments and controls
for the particular aircraft you 're flying, look up your air-
plane in the German and U.S. Aircraft and Weapons chapter.
The midsection of this chapter, titled Aircraft Operating
Instructions, will give you a n overview of how aircraft are
flown. And at the end of the chapter, you'll find instructions on
how to use the Film Viewing Room and the In-Flight Map.
When flying an airplane from the pilot's position, you'll
always see a cockpit interior, with various instruments and
gauges displayed on the bottom. You'll also survey the view
from the cockpit window, which you can change with the Pi-
lot View Controls. And on the bottom of the screen a mes-
sage line will flash important information throughout your
mission.
The controls and instruments discussed in this chapter
are grouped in the following order:
Simulation Controls Let you stop, adjust, and exit the
program.
Pilot View Controls Give you the different views avail-
able from your cockpit.
Captain Robert Johnson, one of
the leading U.S. fighter aces of
World War II, with twenty-eight
"kills."
Maneuvering Controls (including advanced mode) Al-

low you to move your airplane up, down, left, and right
while in flight.
Airplane Controls and Equipment Many of the critical
functions you 'll need to use while flying a mission .
Engine Controls Determine the power of your aircraft's
engine or engines.
Preceding page: B-17s of the 92d
Bomb Group leave trails in the
Weapons Controls Allow you to drop bombs and fire
sky as they head out on a bomb- machine guns, cannons, or rockets, depending on how the
ing raid. airplane you're flying is equipped.

Crew Position Controls (bomber only) Allow you to "I learned firsthand
move to different crew positions in a bomber such as the B-
17.
that a man can resign
Gunner Position Controls (bomber only) Let you himself to the certainty
move and fire the different machine guns you can man in a of death without becom-
bomber. ing panicky."
Bombardier Controls (bomber only) Allow you to use
your Norden bombsight to drop a bombload accurately. Unidentified U.S. ailTtlan who
survived the raid on Schweinfurt
Cockpit Instruments The various gauges and levers
on August 17, 1943
you'll see in the cockpit of the aircraft you're flying.
SIMULATION CONTROLS
These controls can be used at any time during flight to
stop, adjust, and exit the simulation:
Keys Function
, . ~ Pauses flight; press any key to continue
,.p Turns all sounds off and on
~ ~ Turns only the engine sound off and on
~p Displays version number of program
mm Changes amount of ground detail, to

, _ . , . . smooth out your flight if program is
running slow
, . ~ Turns accelerated time mode on and off
ma
1iii111
Toggles between advanced and
standard flight control modes
IS Exits the program; returns you to your
1iii11 computer's operating system
PILOT VIEW CONTROLS

You can look completely around your airplane in any of
seventeen different directions by using either the numeric
keypad or the number keys on the top of your keyboard.
For a lateral, or "wing-level," view in any direction around
your aircraft, press one of the eight view keys displayed be-
low. To look up at a 45-degree angle from your aircraft, you
can switch to the "high" view mode by pressing the 0 key;
while in this mode, as well, you can use the eight view keys
to look in any direction around your airplane. Pressing 0
again switches you back to the "wing-level" view. From ei-
ther view mode you can look straight up at a 90-degree an-
gle from your aircraft by pressing the 5 key.
You can look around your aircraft in any direction by
pressing the S key for the scan mode and moving your con-
troller (this will not affect your flight path). To find out your
Mission Instructions: In-Flight 109

"When caught by the view angle coordinates, refer to the two numbers that ap-
pear in the cockpit panel. The first number shows where
enemy in large force, the you are looking in vertical terms, starting at 0 degrees (level
best policy is to fight like flight), and ranging from -90 degrees (straight down) to
hell until you can decide +90 degrees (straight up) . The second number gauges
what to do." your view from side to side. If you're looking to the right,
the number ranges from 0 degrees (straight ahead, your
U.S. Anny Air Force Colonel flight path) to +90 degrees (directly right) to 180 degrees
Hubert Zemke, P-47 pilot and
leader of the "Wolfpack"
(behind you). If you're looking to the left, the number
ranges from 0 degrees to -90 degrees (directly left) to -179
degrees (nearly straight behind you).
To help you orient yourself when in the "high" view
mode - and in certain aircraft at other times - the cockpit
view panel at the top of your screen will indicate what direc-
tion you're looking in clock face terms . U.S. fighter and
bomber crews used the clock face system during World War
II to note the direction from which enemy aircraft were ap-
proaching or attacking. To understand this system, imagine
that a giant clock face is superimposed on your airplane
from above, with the 12 at the nose, the 3 on the right wing,
the 6 on the tail, and the 9 on the left wing. Therefore, if a
fighter were to attack your airplane at" 12 o'clock high," it
would be diving on your nose at a 45-degree angle. On the
An FW 190 dodges a stick of
bombs during a U.S. raid on
Gennan railroad yards.
I I0 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

numeric keypad, each of the following eight view keys occu-
pies the clock face position to which it corresponds. (For
more information, see View Indicators in the Cockpit Instru-
ments section below.)

Left forward
I 0 to 11 o'clock
Forward
llo'clock
Right forward

I to 2 o'clock
Over left wing Straight up Over right wing

9 o'clock 3 o'clock
Over left shoulder Rearview mirror Over right shoulder

7 to 8 o'clock 6 o'clock 4 to S o'clock
a,iii Toggles you between "wing-level" view
and 45-degree "high" angle view
a,iii Scan view (to look completely around
without altering your flight path)
If you're piloting a bomber, you'll only be able to use the
five forward view keys, to look over each of your wings,
straight ahead, ahead left, and ahead right, respectively. To
command any other view from your bomber, you'll need to
move to the gunner positions, by pressing the G key. To find
the gun position you want, consu lt the Gunner Position Con-
trols section below.
MANEUVERING CONTROLS
An aircraft can be maneuvered in three different
directions. A pilot can make the aircraft pitch, or move its
nose up and down, by controlling the eleva-
tors; yaw, or swivel left and right, by con- "We had a completely different sys-
trolling the rudder; and roll, or tilt left or tem from the American pilots. They nor-
right, by controlling the ailerons . (For a mally went home after one hundred mis-
more detailed discussion of flight funda- sions. If I would have been sent home
mentals, see the Aircraft Operating Instruc- after one hundred missions, I wouldn't
tions section below.) have had any victories at all. There were
There are two flight control modes you some of us who had a second tour of two
can choose from in Secret Weapons ofthe Luft- hundred missions and some who had
waffe. In the standard mode, the rudder is three hundred missions. As long as you
were able to fly and as long as you were
automatically coordinated with the ailerons
willing to fly, you could fly. But on the
and is not controlled separately. To maneu- other hand, you saw them die - all of
ver your airplane in this mode, simp ly them, slowly they disappeared and that
move your controller up or down to control was very difficult. So you also had the
pitch, and right and left to control roll. In feeling - It's just the time, to die very,
the advanced mode, however, you can con- very young."
trol the rudder separately in order to make Luftwaffe General Walter Krupinski
the airplane yaw, so that you can perform

Luftwaffe Major Walter Nowotny different kinds of maneuvers that require more sophisticat-
piloting an experimental night ed flying skills. To select this advanced mode, press Alt-X.
fighte r with Kurt Tank, the
designer of the FW 190. Courtesy Then, to maneuver in this mode, press the function keys
of the Galland Collection and move the controller right and left to control yaw and
roll, and move the controller up and down, as in the stan-
dard mode, to control pitch . (For more information , see
Flight Instruments in the Cockpit Instruments section below.)
Controller
Direction Function
Forward Pushes down the nose of the plane
(away from you)
Backward Pulls up the nose of the plane
(toward you)
Right Banks the plane to the right
Left Banks the plane to the left
Advanced mode only

Key Function
~ Moves rudder hard left
~ Moves rudder partially left
~ Moves rudder partially right
~ Moves rudder hard right
112 Secret Weapons of the Luf twaffe

AIRPLANE CONTROLS
AND EQUIPMENT
These keys control many of the important functions of
your aircraft during a mission. (For more information, see
Airplane Control Indicators in the Cockpit Instruments section
below.)
Key Function
~ Lowers and raises landing gear or skid
a Cycles through the three settings for your flaps:

, . . up, partially down, and down
~ Turns automatic pilot on and off
a Cycles through the different fuel tank settings on

, . . your aircraft (the status of the active tank will be
displayed on the fuel gauges)
~ Releases drop tanks (fighters only)
Turns gun camera on and off
Q Sends you to Filn:1 Viewing Room to watch your

, . . gun camera movie
~ Sends you to the In-Flight Map
m Lets you jump from your aircraft and parachute

, . . to safety
~ Ends mission ; sends you to post-flight evaluation
ENGINE CONTROLS
All of the aircraft in Secret Weapons of the Crews of the two main U.S. Eighth
Luftwaffe are powered by either jet, rocket, Air Force heavy bombers, the B-17 Fly-
or propeller-driven engines. The following ing Fortress and the B-24 Liberator,
keys control the th rottle or power settings developed a less-than-serious rivalry. B-
of the engines of all aircraft, with the func- 24 crews touted their plane's superior
tion keys app lying only to multi-engined bombload capacity and speed. B-17
aircraft. On twin-engined aircraft, if you're crews, on the other hand, bragged that
facing forward in the cockpit, the left en- the Fortress could fly at higher altitudes
gine is numbered 1, and the right engine is and was better able to withstand battle
numbered 2. On fo ur- engined aircraft, damage. Noting the B-24's large, ungain-
when you're facing forward in the cockpit, ly fuselage, they cracked that the Libera-
tor was really the crate that the B-1 7 was
the engines from left to right are numbered
shipped in. Since the B-24s were forced
1, 2, 3, and 4. If you're fl ying a fo ur-en-
to fly several thousand feet below the
gined aircraft, pressing the E key will let you Fortresses, where they were easier tar-
view a set of engine instruments for two en- gets for German fighters, the B-17 crews
gines only, on either the left or the right also joked that the Liberator was the
wing. To turn off an engine, decrease its best fighter escort they could ask for.
throttle until its RPM indicator reads 0. (For
Mission Instructions: ln-Flight 113

more information, see Engine Indicators in the Cockpit Instru-
ments section below.)
Key Function
e Increases throttle for all engines

(shift key not needed)
~ Decreases throttle for all engines
~ Decreases the throttle for Engine# I
fiD ~ I ncreases the throttle for Engine# I
~ Decreases the throttle for Engine #2
~ ~ Increases the throttle for Engine #2
~ ~ Increases the throttle for Engine #3
re~ Increases the throttle for Engine #4
B Toggles between left and right set of engine

,iii instruments (four-engined aircraft - instruments
for only two engines displayed)
Even after being rammed by a Bf
109, this B-17 still managed to
drop its bombload on the oil
storage tanks at Buchen and
return to its base. The vertical
gashes on the left were ripped by
the spinning propeller of the
German fighter. Surprisingly, the
tail gunner did not know that the
collision had occurred until after
the bomber had landed.

WEAPONS CONTROLS "I stay with the enemy
All the aircraft in Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe can carry until he is destroyed, I'm
and deploy a wide variety of weapons, including fuselage-
out of ammunition, he
and wing-mounted machine guns, cannons, and bombs,
plus wing-mounted rockets. The following keys and con- evades into the clouds,
troller buttons allow you to select, aim, adjust, and fire these or I'm too low on gas .. .
formidable weapons. (For more information, see Weapons to continue."
Indicators in the Cockpit Instruments section below.)
U.S. Army Air Force Colonel
Key Function
a Lets you choose which controller buttons will fire
, . . machine guns or cannons
Hubert Zemke
m Cycles through the different bombload

, . . configurations, and arms and selects those bombs
which are to be dropped. (On bombers, this key allows you
to toggle between dropping only one bomb at a time and
automatically dropping them consecutively when you press
RETURN )
Q Cycles through the different rocket
,iiil configurations, and arms and selects those rockets
which are to be fired
m
,iiil
Turns automatic shoot mode on and off if you're
manning a machine gun position on a bomber
Controller Button Function
Left controller button Fires primary guns or cannons

or SPACE BAR
Right controller button Fires secondary guns or cannons
or CTRLkey
RETURN Drops armed bombload

and/or rockets
CREW POSITION CONTROLS

(Bomber Only)
In a bomber, you can fly as a pilot, a bombardier, or in a
variety of gun positions. These keys allow you to move to all
the different crew stations.
Key Function
a
,iiil
Sends you to a gun position
(see Gunner Position Controls below)
a (Period) Switches you between pilot's position
, . . and last gun position manned
~ Sends you to bombardier's position
~ Sends you to pilot's position
Mission /nstrnctions: In-Flight 115

GUNNER POSITION CONTROLS
(Bomber Only)
When you're flying a bombing mission and you're in the
pilot's position, you can move to any gun position by first
pressing G , then pressing one of the keys in the chart below.
The bomber will continue to fly with the controls left where
you set them, unless you press A to turn on the autopilot be-
fore you leave the cockpit; press P to return to the pilot's po-
sition, or press B to move to the bombardier's position. If
you go back to the pilot's position and then press G again,
you'll be returned to the last gunner position you manned.
To move from any gun position to a different gun position,
press one of the appropriate number keys, as follows:

Right cheek
gun
Chin turret or
nose gunner
Left cheek
gun
"
Left waist
gun ner
Top turret
gunner
Right waist
gunner
Tail turret or

tail gunner
Ball turret Toggles between

gunner pilot and last gun
position manned
Key Function
Q Switches automatic shooting mode
'iii in machine gun position on and off
To position your machine gun when you're manning
any of these gun stations, move your controller up, down,
left, and right. Press your controll er button to fire. The
number displayed on the machine gun indicates how many
rounds of ammunition remain . To set the machine gun so
that it automatically aims and shoots for you, press A. A red
light will turn on to indicate that the gun is in the auto-shoot
mode. You won't be able to manually aim and shoot the gun
until you turn off the auto-shoot mode by pressing A again.
In all gun positions you'll also see Gunner Indicator Lights,
similar to those in the cockpit, which indicate the status of
every gun position.
116 Secret Weapons of th Luftwaffe

BOMBARDIER CON TR O LS "The bombing attacks
(Bomber Only) on German oil produc-
When you press B from the pilot position of a bomber, tion, begun in 1944,
you'll find yourself in the bombardier's position looking
straight down through the Norden bombsight. Your bomb- were the largestfactor
sight is hooked up to the automatic pilot of the bomber, so of all in reducing
you'll actually fly the bomber and maneuver it into the ideal German war potential."
position for precision bombing. To do this, simply move the
General major
controller as though you were piloting the bomber from the Albrecht von Massow
pilot's position. From the bombardier's position, you'll still
be able to use the Maneuvering Controls, Engine Controls,
and, of course, those Weapons Controls that relate to drop-
ping bombs.
In the bombardier's position, you 'll find four instru-
ments to help you position your aircraft for your bombing
run: an Altimeter, an Airspeed Indicator, a Compass, and a
Bank Indicator. These instruments function identically to
their counterparts in the cockpit. You'll also find the same
set of Gunner Indicator Lights that you have in the cockpit
and at each gun position, so you can be aware of enemy
fighter attacks and the status of all of your machine gun po-
sitions. See the Cockpit Instruments section below for more in-
formation about these instruments and lights.
When you want to learn the status of your bombload ,
check your Bomb Indicator Panel for the number ofbombs
remaining in your bomb bay. The two lights correspond to
the two different settings for dropping your bombs. If the
green light on the left is lit, only one bomb will drop every
time you press RETURN . If the red light on the right is lit,
all of your bombs will drop consecutively when you press
RETURN . Press W to alternate between these two settings.
Using the Norden Bombsight
Your Norden bombsight can pinpoint any ground target
along the fl ight path of your bomber, and can calculate the
precise instant a bombload needs to be dropped in order to
hit this target. T he bombsight is used during the final phase
of the bombing run when the bomber is being flown level at
a constant speed directly at the target. It's important that
you position your bomber correctly during the bombing
run before activating, or "synchronizing," the bombsight.
When your bomber is flying a steady course, and is ap-
proaching the target area, press the 8 (up arrow) key to
move the sighting mechanism of the bombsight forward
and bring the center of the crosshair directly on the target .
Press the 2 (down arrow) key to move back in the opposite
direction. Press 5 to reposition the sighting crosshairs of the
bombsight directly below your bomber. When the center of
the crosshair on the bombsight is lined up on the desired
target, press the S key. The Norden bombsight will then cal-
culate when your bombload should be dropped to hit the
Mission lnstrnctions: In-Flight 117

target. T he green indicator light in the control box labeled
"NORDEN" will illuminate to show that a calcu lation has
been made, and the digital timer below will begin counting
down the number of seconds until your bombload needs to
be dropped to hit the target. When this timer reaches 0,
press the RETURN key to drop your bombload. Between
the time of synchro ni zation and the release of your
bombload, any speed, altitude, or heading changes will
cause bombing inaccuracies.
COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS
The fo llowing is a description of all the instruments
you' ll find in the cockpits of the aircraft you'll fly in Secret
Weapons of the Luftwaffe. All the aircraft have these instru-
ments except where noted. For a cockpit screen shot with
call-outs for the exact instruments of a specific aircraft, see
the German and U.S. Aircraft and Weapons chapter.
VIEW INDICATORS (See the Pilot View Controls section
above for more in formation.)
D View Panel At certain times when you're using the Pi-
lot View Controls - and always when you're in the "high"
view mode - this panel will indicate the direction in which
you're looking from the cockpit of your aircraft, based on
the clock face system of direction. When you press the S key
to change to the scan mode, this panel will display two num-
bers. The first number shows how many degrees you're
looking up or down, while the second number shows how
many degrees you're looking to either side.
Several older-model B-17s were used FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS (See the Ma-
in Project Aphrodite, which was an neuvering Controls section above for addi-
attempt to knock out the -weapons tional information.)
launching sites on the coast of France. D Airspeed Indicator Shows how fast
These "Fortresses" were filled with your aircraft is flying, in tens of miles per
explosives and flown toward the target
hour. For examp le, if the hand on the
by the crew, who then bailed out. As the
gauge is pointing to "30," you're fl ying at
unmanned drone flew on, it was guided
by remote control by another B-17 and
300 miles per hour.
put into a steep dive to crash on the tar- D Altimeter Displays the number of
get. This project proved to be a disaster, feet yo ur aircraft is flying above sea level.
as the drones sometimes blew up before T he digital number in the center of the dial
the crew could get out. Since the B-1 7 indicates thousands of feet, the small hand
was very stable in flight, it would resist on the dial indicates hundreds of feet, and
going into a dive and usually missed the the big hand tens offeet. For example, if the
target altogether. One crewless B-17 digital display reads "8," the big hand is on
that had flown past the target actually the "2," and the small hand on the "7," your
made a wheels-up landing in Germany. It altitude is 8,720 feet.
was surrounded by German soldiers, who II Rate of Climb Indicator Shows the
ordered the crew to surrender. When
rate your airplane is climbing ( +) or diving
they got no response, the soldiers
(-),in thousands offeet per minute.
opened fire on the bomber, which
exploded, leaving a crater twenty feet
D Banking Indicator Shows the roll of
deep. your aircraft as you bank (see the Aircraft
Operating Instructions section below for a de-

scription of roll and banking). The large horizontal bar indi- Cockpit of an FW I 90A-5 and
cates the attitude, or the position of the wings of your air- FW 190A-8
craft relative to the ground , whi le the small vertical bar

shows the direction your tail is pointing. As you bank left or
right, the horizontal bar will rotate in the same direction.
D Rudder Indicator Shows the position of your rudder:
left, center, or right. If you're flying in the advanced mode,
you'll need this information to steer your p lane properly,
since the rudder will be controlled separately from the
ailerons. (See the advanced mode controls under Maneu-
vering Controls above.)
0 Compass Gives you the direction your a ircraft is
headed: north, south, east, or west.
AIRPLANE CONTROL INDICATORS (See the Air-
pwne Controls and Equipment section above for additional in-
formation.)
Ill Landing Gear Lever Shows the position of your land-
ing gear. If the lever is up, your landing gear is up; if the
lever is down, your landing gear is down. You'll always need
to lower your landing gear by pressing L when landing, and
raise it by pressing L after takeoff. If you're flying a fighter
and are engaged in a dogfight, it may be useful to lower
your landing gear to slow your airspeed, but always check
the performance data beforehand for the maximum speed
you can safely fly with the landing gear lowered. (See the
German and U.S. Aircraft and Weapons chapter for aircraft
performance data.)
II Flaps Lever Indicates the position of your aircraft's
flaps, which you can change by pressing F. If the lever is in
the up position, the flaps are up; if it is in the middle posi-
tion , the flaps are partially lowered; ifit is in the down posi-

"The [enemy] fighters tion, your flaps are down . You should keep your flaps up
during normal flight, but lower them partially or fully for
had much more speed takeoffs and landings, to increase lift and lower the stalling
than we did, and you speed. Lowering your flaps partially will slow your airplane
had to try to fallow the and give you greater maneuverability in combat. However,
your flaps can be damaged when lowered at high speeds, so
plane, and between the
be sure to check the performance data for the aircraft
speed and the evasive you're flying first. (See the German and U.S. Aircraft and
action and the rolling of Weapons chapter for aircraft performance data.)
the airplane and every- IIiJ Automatic Pilot Light (bombers only) Will be illu-
minated if you've turned on your automatic pilot by press-
thing, it was awfully ing the A key. If you're flying a bomber, be sure to turn on
hard to get what you'd the automatic pilot before moving to the bombardier posi-
call a decent shot." tion or any gunner positions, or else the bomber will fly with
the controls set where you left them .
B-17 waist gunner John Doherty
m Fuel Gauges Are found on the upper and lower sec-
tions of a circular dial, and give you two readings. The top
gauge indicates the amount of fuel pressure remaining in
the tank your aircraft is currently drawing fuel from, while
the bottom gauge shows the amount offuel remaining. The
needle will point to the right when the tank is full and to the
left when the tank is empty. A group of lights next to this
gauge indicate which fuel tanks are currently in use on your
airplane, including drop tanks. If a given light is black,
there is either no tank attached or no fuel remaining in the
tank. Ifa light is red, a tank offuel is available but you're not
using it at the moment. If a light is green, you're currently
drawing fuel from that tank.
On the fuel pressure gauge, ifthe needle moves into the
red zone, the tank has low fuel pressure. This indicates that
you are losing fuel, which is a highly dangerous condition,
since a leaky fuel tank that is still attached to your airplane
could explode.
m Gun Camera Indicator Shows the percentage of film
remaining in your gun camera after you have switched it
on. The number displayed will steadily decrease until the
camera is out of film. The light above the indicator will go
on when you press C , and will stay on until you have turned
your camera off, or have used up all the film.
m Hydraulic Pressure Gauge Indicates the amount of
pressure in your airp lane's hydraulic pressure system,
which is needed to raise and lower landing gear, flaps, and
other controls. If you have no hydraulic pressure, you may
not be able to use these controls.
m Clock Displays the time of day of the mif.sion.
ENGINE INDICATORS (See the Engine Controls section
above for additional information.)
ID RPM Indicator (one per engine) Gives you two read-
ings. The dial shows the number of revolutions per minute
(RPMs) the engine is delivering, in units of one hundred.
The dial will move farther to the right as you increase your

RPMs; ifit moves into the red area, you're using up fuel at a
high rate and causing wear and tear on the engine. Extend-
ed usage at this level may damage the engine. The white
number at the bottom of the gauge displays the throttle or
power setting of the engine. For example, if it reads "90,"
the engine is set to operate at 90 percent of its capacity. If
the number is in gray, it means that the engine has either
been shut off or destroyed .
ll':1 Manifold Pressure and Temperature Gauges (one
per engine) A circular instrument divided into two gauges
by a horizontal bar. The gauge on the top shows the amount
of pressure in the manifold of a given engine, and the gauge
on the bottom indicates the temperature of the manifold.
The needles of these gauges will be in the black when you
begin your mission , but will move to red if the manifold
pressure drops and the manifold temperature increases. If
either needle moves into the red, that engine may catch fire
and explode, and you may have to reduce power or shut it
off by using the function keys.
ID Oil Pressure and Temperature Gauges (one per en-
gine) A circular instrument divided into two gauges by a
vertical bar. The gauge on the right shows the amount of oil
pressure remaining in a given engine, and the gauge on the
left indicates the oil temperature. At first, the needles of
these gauges will be in the black, but ifthe engines are dam-
aged , the needles will move into the red as the oil pressure
decreases and the oil temperature increases. If either nee-
dle moves into the red, the engine is in the danger zone and
could start smoking, burst into flames, and explode. You
may need to reduce power or shut it off by using the func-
tion keys.
IIll Engine View Selector Allows you to view either the
left-wing or the right-wing set of engine instruments on any
four-engined aircraft by pressing the E key. These instru-
ments are the RPM ind icator, the manifold temperature
and pressure gauge, and the oil temperature and pressure
gauge.
WEAPONS INDICATORS (See the Weapons Controls
section above for additional information.)
11) Cockpit Gunsight (fighters only) Used to aim for-
ward-firing machine guns and cannons at enemy aircraft.
The small dot in the center shows where the bullets will hit
enemy aircraft if you're flying straight and level. (See the
Combat Tactics chapter for a discussion of how to use the gun-
sight.)
Em Cockpit Ammunition Round Indicator (fighters
only) Displays up to three numbers. The top number indi-
cates the number of rounds remaining in the gun you 're
firing with the left controller button, which is normally a
machine gun. The bottom right number shows how many
rounds you have remaining in the gun you're firing with

Cockpit of a B-17F the right controller button, which is normally either a sec-
ond set of machine guns or a cannon. On some aircraft
there will be a third number, on the bottom left, which
shows the number of rounds in a second set of cannons that
will fire simultaneously with the first.
ED Bomb Indicator Panel This shows the status of your
bombload, if you're carrying one. On a bomber, there will
be a number on the panel showing how many bombs you
have left to drop. Next to this number, you' ll see two lights,
one marked " l ," the other marked "A." If the light next to
the " l " is on, one bomb will drop every time you press RE-
TURN . If the ligh t n ext to the "A" is on, your entire
bombload wi ll drop consecutively when yo u press RE-
TURN . To toggle between these two lights, press the W key.
On a fighter, as many as three lights will be illuminated
on the panel. The two outer li ghts indicate the status of
wing-mounted bombs, and the inner light refers to the fuse-
lage-mounted bomb. These lights will be black if you have
no bombs to drop , or have already dropped them. When
any or all of these lights are illuminated red, bombs are be-
ing carried but are not armed to be dropped, which you can
do by pressing W . When any of the lights are illuminated
green, they are armed to be dropped. Pressing W cycles
you through all the possible configurations for dropping
the bombs you carry. (Note: wing-mounted bombs are al-
ways carried in pairs.) When you press RETURN , all bombs
symbolized by the illuminated green lights on the panel will
be dropped.
EB Rocket Release Indicator (fighters only) Certain
fighters can be optionally fitted to carry rockets. The Rocket
Release Indicator shows the status of the rockets that are
122 Secret Wea/Jons of the Luftwaffe

mounted under each wing. Two lights will be displayed on
the instrument panel, one for the rocket pack under each
wing. If a light is black, there is no rocket pack on that wing,
which indicates that you're either not carrying rockets or
have already fired them. If a light is red, a rocket pack is
available but has not yet been armed to fire . You can arm it
by pressing the R key. If a light is green, a rocket pack is
armed and is ready to be fired . All active rockets can be fired
by pressing the RETURN key.
m Gunner Indicator Lights (bomber only) Give you
the status of each of your bomber's machine gun positions.
From the top light down, these eight lights represent the
nose gun or turret, the two cheek guns, the top turret, the
ball turret, the left and right waist guns, and the tail gun or
turret. The location of each light corresponds to the actual
machine gun position on the bomber. At each gun position,
and in the bombardier's position, you'll find the same group
of lights. The chart below tells you how to read these lights
while you're flying your bomber, so that you can switch to
those threatened gun positions and mount a defense.
Color
of Light Gun Status
Gray Gun idle
Yellow Enemy fighters approaching the field of
fire of that gun; an attack from that direction
could occur
Black Gun is either out of ammunition or has been
destroyed.
Red Gun has been switched on to automatic
shoot mode
Green Gun is firing at enemy fighters in automatic
shoot mode
These colors may be different on some computers. Con-

sult your Reference Card to see which colors your computer
uses.
No guns will shoot at enemy aircraft automatically when
your bombing mission begins. To ward off first attacks by
enemy fighters, you must move to each individual gun posi-
tion and either fire the machine guns manually or set each
gun to fire automatically. To put the guns into this auto-
shoot mode, press G, then press the number of the gun po-
sition you want to move to (see the Gunner Position Controls
section above to choose a particular gun position). When
you've moved to that position, press the A key. A red light
on the machine gun barrel will illuminate, indicating that
the gun has been set for the auto-shoot mode. As long as the
machine gun is in this mode, you won't be able to manually
Mission lnstmctions: In-Flight 123

move and shoot the gun. Pressing A again will turn off the
auto-shoot. Return to yo ur pilot's seat by pressing P, or
move to the bombardier's position by pressing B. T he Gun-
ner Indicator Lights in the cockpit, in the bombardier's po-
sition, and in each gu n position will be red for every gun po-
sition that you've switched to the auto-shoot mode. When
enemy fighters attack, these lights will flash green as your
machine guns fire back.
AIRCRAFT OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS
The following discussion covers the dynamics of flight
and how they pertain to operating and maneuvering your
aircraft. T hose sections that will be useful to you in the simu-
lation are in italics.
Flight Fundamentals
An airplane is affected by four fundamental forces:
Gravity, lift, drag, and thrust. Gravity is the force that nor-
mally keeps the plane on the ground or pulls it toward the
earth while it is in flight. Lift is the force which acts against
gravity and pushes the aircraft upward . As air flows around

an airplane's win g, hi gh- and low-pressure zones form
around it to create lift. The amount oflift an airplane's wing
creates must be more powerful than the opposing force of
gravity, or the plane will not fly. The wing needs to have a
streamlined shape, so that there's always a smooth flow of
air around it. Otherwise, it will produce too much wind re-
sistance, or drag, and the amount of lift will be reduced.
Drag is the force which acts against the forward movement
of the airplane.To create a smooth flow of air around the
wing of an airplane so it can remain in the air, an engine is
used to push the aircraft through the air by providing for-
ward thrust, or movement. Thrust is the force that opposes
drag, and the greater the forward thrust, the more lift is cre-
ated. As a result, even a large and heavy airplane will fly as
long as it is equipped with a powerful engine.
Aircraft Engines
There are three main types of engines used to provide
the power that allows an airplane to fly: reciprocating en-
gines, jet engines, and rocket engines. Of these, the recip-

rocating engine is the most widely used . This is the engine
used by propeller-driven aircraft, and is similar to an auto-
mobile engine. The reciprocating engine burns a mixture
of gasoline and air, which forms a fine spray and then ex-
plodes inside cylinders, causing pistons inside the cylinders
to move up and down . The motion of the pistons rotates a
crankshaft, which in turn spins the propeller, creating for-
ward movement. Reciprocating engines are heavier, slower,
and less powerful than jet and rocket engines, but they op-
erate better at low speeds. Their power is measured in
horsepower.
For higher-speed aircraft, jet engines are used. The first
successful jet engine was developed by the Germans in the
1930s and is known as a turbojet. A jet engine is shaped
roughly like a cylinder and operates by taking in air
through a large opening in the front. The oxygen in the air
is then burned with fuel in a combustion chamber, and the
exhaust formed by this combustion escapes out the rear of
the engine with tremendous force. This escaping exhaust
causes the engine to move in the opposite direction, thus
providing forward thrust. Most jet engines today are turbo-
fan engines, which differ from turbojets in that they have a
large fan at the opening, which draws in large amounts of
air, part of which is burned with the fuel wh ile the remain-
der is added to the exhaust to create even greater thrust.
The power of a jet engine, as well as that of a rocket engine,
is measured in pounds of thrust.
The most powerful of the three engines is the rocket en-
gine, which utilizes many of the same principles as the jet
engine. However, unlike ajet engine, which burns oxygen
in the atmosphere, a rocket engine carries its own supply of
oxygen and therefore has no opening in the front to draw in

air. Rocket engines are much more dangerous than jet en-
gines, since they can, and do, explode. The two main types
of rockets used in World War II were solid-fuel rockets and
liquid-fuel rockets. A solid-fuel rocket burns a plasticlike
material called a grain, consisting of a fuel and an oxidizer,
in a combustion chamber. The gas created by this combus-
tion escapes through the rear of the rocket, creating for-
ward thrust. The German R4M air-to-air missile was a solid-
fuel rocket. A liquid-fuel rocket burns liquid fuel and liquid
oxygen, which are stored in separate tanks. The fuel is first
cooled and then ignited with the oxygen in the combustion
chamber, creating exhaust gas and
thrust. Both the German Me 163
and the V-2 rocket
~~wer e powered by
~-4&!B~ !~quid-fu e l rocket
..,;,_' engines.
-. If you're flying a multi-engined
' ;et aircraft, such as the Me 262 or the
Go 229, one or both ofyour;et engines
may experience what is known as a
''flame-out." If this happens, the engine will not be operational,
and the throttle setting for that engine will be at 0. To restart it, in-
Roll right push control crease the throttle setting for that engine by using the function keys
column right. when your aircraft is below 13,000 feet and your airspeed is below
186 miles per hour. At altitudes and speeds greater than these, you
may have difficulty restarting the engine and it may even catch fire.
(See the Engine Controls section above for more information.)
Regardless of the type of engine that powers your aircraft, you
should always monitor your RPM indicators and your manifold
temperature and pressure and oil temperature and pressure gauges
to prevent engine damage. Operating an engine frequently at
maximum RP Ms, a condition U.S. pilots referred to as "war emer-
gency power," is a major cause of engine overheating and damage,
so try to avoid leaving your engines set for maximum RPMs. If the
needles for any of your engine gauges begin to move into the red,
look out the window to see if the corresponding engine is smoking or
flaming, and decrease the power to that engine. If the condition of
the engine is severe, turn it off altogether by using the function keys
to set the throttle for that engine at 0. If you switch off a propeller-
driven engine, it will automatically disconnect itself from the pro-
peller and will be 'feathered." Your fuel supply should be constantly
monitored, too. Watch for any drops in fuel fmssure, which could
indicate a leaky fuel tank that could soon explode, and keep an eye
on your fuel consumption. Ifyou 're flying a fighter and are carrying
drop tanks, your fighter won't be as maneuverable, so you should al-
ways jettison your tanks before engaging enemy aircraft. Also, ifyou
fail to jettison your drop tanks and are hit by enemy gunfire, your
tanks could explode. If you're flying an Me 163, your fuel supply is
extremely volatile, so you should make an extremely smooth landing.
Otherwise, your remaining fuel could explode as you touch down.

Stalling
If an airplane is climbing upward at too steep of an
angle, the smooth flow of air around the wing will be inter-
rupted and the aircraft will lose its lift.
This dangerous situation is known as a
stall. An airplane can also stall if it is
flying too slowly. Unless the pilot re-
gains lift by dropping the nose of
the aircraft and allowing the
aircraft to build up enough
speed, th e plane wi ll go
Pitch down: push control
out of control and crash. column forward .
Your aircraft may stall if
you let its airspeed drojJ below what
is called the "stalling speed." Stalls can also occur if
you pull your nose up at too sharp an angle. If you stall,
push the nose of your aircraft down by moving the controller for-
ward, until the message STALL RECOVERED appears on the
screen. Then, quickly pull back on the controller until your aircraft
is flying level again. Beware of stalling when you're trying to en-
gage an aircraft that's at a much higher altitude, and always gain
altitude gradually. Also, keep an eye on your airspeed indicator, and
listen for the distinctive sound that your aircraft makes when it is
about to stall.
Maneuvering
As discussed earlier, a conventional aircraft can pitch, or
move up and down; yaw, or swivel left and right; and roll,
or tilt left or right. A control stick or column is used to con-
trol pitch and roll, and the pilot steps on rudder pedals to
control yaw. To make an aircraft dive, or pitch down, the pi-
lot pushes forward on the control stick. This moves the trail-
ing-edge (or rear), horizontal portions of the tail, called ele-
vators, down . To climb, the pilot makes the plane pitch up
by pulling back on the stick, wh ich moves the elevators up.
To turn, the pilot moves the control stick either left or right,
which creates roll by raising and lowering the small, trailing-
edge sections of the wing near the wing tips, called ailerons.
At this time, the pilot will also step on either the left or right
rudder pedal, which creates yaw by moving the trailing-
edge vertical segment of the tail, called the rudder. This will
swing the nose of the plane either left or right. As a plane
rolls, its wings will tilt more and more to the side it is turning
toward . T his is called a bank, and the more steep ly the
plane banks, the sharper the turn will be, up to a full ninety
degrees, when the wings wi ll be pointing straight up and
down. The more a plane banks, the more lift is lost, so a pi-
lot will usually increase the throttle setting while making a
turn. The German Go 229 and the Me 163 were both tail-
less aircraft that relied on elevons to maneuver. As its name
suggests, an elevon is a control surface that combines the

functions of the elevator and the ailerons of a conventional
Yaw right: pull control

column right, then back.

Takeoffs and Landings "When they peeled off to
Flaps are the large, trailing-edge sections of the wings attack, they came in so
that allow an aircraft to gain lift for takeoffs, and slow it
down for landings. When they are extended downward,
close together that by the
the added lift lowers the stalling speed of the airplane; when time one ship had shot
they are partially extended, they can slow an airplane down us up and banked away,
in flight. The wheels of the aircraft and their supports, the next one in line had
called landing gear, are retracted and extended during
takeoffs and landings.When taking off, a pilot brings the his sights on us."
airplane to its maximum speed , in order to create lift. As the U.S. Army Air Force pilot
plane moves down the runway at ever-increasing speed, the Charles W. Paine, describing
pilot will move the elevator up, to pitch the nose up, and will Luftwaffe fighter tactics
also lower the flaps, to create even more lift. When the
plane gains enough lift to counter the force of gravity, the
plane will take off and fly. Once the plane is airborne, the pi-
lot will raise the flaps and move the elevator to a neutral po-
sition. When landing, the pilot will make what is known as
an approach glide by pushing the nose of the plane down
and reducing the power of the plane during its descent so
that it is nearly gliding toward the runway. However, reduc-
ing power too much will decrease the amount oflift, so the
pilot must lower the flaps, to increase lift and reduce the
stalling speed. At this time , the pilot will also extend the
landing gear. As the plane nears the runway, the power will
be nearly off, and the pilot will level the plane out. When the
plane touches down, the pilot will turn the power off.
To take off from an airfie/,d, partially lower your flaps and in-
crease your throttle until the white digital number at the bottom of
the RPM indicator reads "100%." As your aircraft moves down the
runway, wait until the airspeed exceeds 100 miles per hour for
propeller-driven aircraft, 135 miles per hour for jet aircraft, and
180 miles per hour for the rocket-powered Me 163. Then, pull back
on your controller to become airborne. Retract or jettison your /,and-
ing gear, raise your flaps, and decrease your throttle setting to con-
serve fuel. When approaching an airfie/,d to /,and, slow your air-
speed l7y decreasing the throttle setting as you begin your descent.
Gradually flatten your descent, then line up your aircraft with the
airstrip. As you continue to descend, lower your
flaps and your landing gear, and decrease the
throttle setting until it is just above the stalling "A B-17 turned gradually out of the
formation to the right, maintaining
speed of your aircraft. (lf you're flying an Me
altitude. In a split second, the B-17
163, you must land very gently on its landing
completely disappeared in a brilliant
skid, or the airplane will explode.) When you explosion from which the only remains
touch down, decrease the throttle setting to 0 and were four balls of fire, the fuel tanks,
let your aircraft taxi until it has come to a com- which were quickly consumed as they fell
plete stop. earthward."
U.S. Army Air Force
Lieutenant Colonel Beirne Lay, Jr., who
flew in the August I 7, 1943, bombing
mission on Regensburg
Mission lnstructions: ln-Flight 129

FILM VIEWING ROOM
You can use the gun camera to record your aerial action
on film, and then watch this film in the Film Viewing Room
anytime during a mission. You can also save these film clips
and view them in the Film Viewing Room at any future
time, except during a mission.
To turn on the gun camera, press the C key. The Gun
Camera Indicator light in your cockpit will illuminate, and
the number beside the camera, which indicates the percent-
age of film remaining to be shot, will begin to decrease. To
turn off the gun camera, either press C again or wait until
the film runs out. To view the film you've just recorded ,
press V, which will send you to the Film Viewing Room
screen. To view a film clip you've already recorded and
saved, choose FILM VIEWING ROOM from the Main
Menu. The name of the previously recorded film will ap-
pear after the heading FILM .
Film Controls
In the upper righthand corner of the Film Viewing
Room screen, under the heading FILM CONTROLS ,
you'll see several buttons - similar to those on a VCR -
which control the playback of your film. The first letter of
the name on each button indicates the keyboard key you
must press to activate that button. When you press the ap-
propriate key, the corresponding button on the screen will
be illuminated.
If you've interrupted a mission to watch your latest
footage, your film will automatically be loaded and ready
when you arrive in the Film Viewing Room. If you want to
watch a film you've already recorded and saved, you'll need
to load it first (see below). Press the P key to play, and press it
again to pause the film. Press the A key to advance, .and
press it again to stop the film. Rewind the film to its begin-
ning by pressing the R key. To leave the Film Viewing
A P-47 Thunderbolt shoots at a
twin-engined Bf I I 0 fighter, strik-
ing it on the left wing. Major
Everett Stewart, the pilot whose
gun camera recorded this pic-
ture, was forced to cease fire for
fear of hitting Lieutenant john
Coleman's P-47 ahead of him.
Moments later, the Bf I I 0 went
down in flames.

Room, press the E key. Pressing E will return you to your "Those poor bomber
aircraft if you were flying a mission; otherwise, you'll go to
the Main Menu.
pilots had it the tough-
Key Name Function
est, they had to just sit
.PLAY Starts and stops playback of film
there and sweat through
it. And when your
~ ADVANCE Turns film advance on and off bomber went down,
that was you and nine
~ REWIND Rewinds film to start other guys."
U.S. Army Air Force Captain
~DISK Moves you to Disk Menu (see below) James Finnegan
.EXIT Returns you to mission or to

Main Menu
Disk Menu
Pressing the D key will bring up the Disk Menu, which
allows you to save a film clip, load or delete a film clip you've
already saved, and allocate disk space so that you can record
longer films. On the righthand side of the screen will be a
directory listing all the film clips you've previously saved,
and on the lefthand side of the screen will be a menu dis-
playing the following disk menu selections:
LOAD Lets you load a film clip. To do this, first click on a
film clip name from the film clip directory, then click on the
LOAD button. (The LOAD selection is not available during
flight.)
SAVE Brings up a text cursor. Type the name of the film
clip you're currently viewing, then press RETURN to save
it.
DELETE Brings up a text cursor. Type the name of the
film clip you want to erase, then press RETURN to delete it.
RETRY Lets you search a new floppy disk for film clips if
you aren't using a hard drive.
DISK CACHE Toggles between on and off settings.
When the disk cache is turned off, the film is saved to system
memory, and the length of the film clip is limited to the
amount of memory available. When the disk cache is turned
on, the film is periodically saved to disk and the length of
the film clip is determined by the film disk cache size.
SET FILM DISK CACHE SIZE Limits the amount of
disk space to be allocated for the film disk cache, allowing
you to record as long a film as you'd like. Click on this selec-
tion, then type in the maximum number of bytes you want
to set aside on your disk drive.
View Modes
Below the Film Controls buttons are three View Modes
buttons. The CHASE view mode, selected by pressing the C
key, is the one you'll always start out in. In the CHASE
Mission Instructions: In-Flight Ill

"The enemy knows that mode, the camera looks at an object from directly behind it
and moves along with it. To zoom in on the object the cam-
he must wipe out our era is chasing, press the left controller button. To draw back
fighters. Once he has from the object, press the right controller button. You can
done that, he will be able "chase" different objects by repositioning the camera with
to p!,ay football with the the FI through F4 keys (see below).
In the FREE view mode, selected by pressing the F key,
German people." the camera is free-floating and suspended in space. To pan
Feldmarschall Erhard Milch, this "eye-in-the-sky" left, right, up, or down.just move your
in 1943 controller. To move the camera forward, press the left con-
troller button. To move the camera back, press the right
controller button.
The TRACK mode, selected by pressing the T key, works
in conjunction with either the CHASE or the FREE mode.
In the TRACK mode, the camera follows an object that is
moving independently within your camera's view, automat-
ically panning to keep it in the center of the screen. For ex-
ample, if you're watching a film in the CHASE mode from
behind your fighter and you see an enemy fighter fly by,
you can select the TRACK mode to have the camera lock
onto the enemy fighter, and it will automatically follow the
enemy fighter from your fighter's vantage point. Keys FS
through F8 allow you to track different objects. (Note: you
cannot track an object you're currently "chasing.") If you're
tracking an object in the FREE mode, you can press the left
and right controller buttons to zoom the camera in on the
tracked object or away from it .
Key Function
a CHASE mode; positions camera directly
,iii
behind an object
~ FREE mode; allows camera to be free-floating
a
,iii
TRACK mode; automatically pans camera to
follow an object in either CHASE or FREE mode
Left controller Moves camera forward
button
Right controller Moves camera back

button
Selecting Camera Positions and Tracked Objects

Of the eight buttons below the View Mode buttons, the
first four, CAMERA POS, allow you to select different cam-
era positions, and the latter four, TRACK OBJ, allow you
select different objects to be tracked.
To position the camera behind your aircraft when in
CHASE mode, or at your aircraft when in FREE mode,
press FI . To position the camera behind or at any other air-

craft that was flying when your film was taken, press Fl. If
you press Fl repeatedly, it will cycle through all the differ-
ent aircraft in your film . If any aircraft dropped bombs or
fired rockets while your film was being made, press Fl to
have the camera positioned at or behind these bombs or
rockets, and press it repeatedly to cycle through all the dif-
ferent warheads. To position the camera at ground installa-
tions attacked or used in your mission, press F4.
Press FS to have the camera track your aircraft. To track
any other aircraft, press F6, and press it repeatedly to cycle
through all the aircraft. To track a warhead, press F7. Press
F8 to track any of the ground installations attacked or used
in your mission .
Key Function
~ Positions camera at or behind your aircraft
~ Positions camera at or behind other aircraft
~ Positions camera at or behind any active warheads
m Positions camera at or behind any ground

,iii
installations
~ Tracks your aircraft
~ Tracks other aircraft
~ Tracks active warheads
~ Tracks ground installations
This gun-camera photo was tak-

en by a P-51 Mustang as it
opened fire on an Me 262 that
had just slipped into an excellent
attack position behind another P-
51 . The dogfight took place dur-
ing a U.S bombing raid on an oil
refinery.

The View Window
The action recorded by your gun camera will be shown
in the large view window in the center of the screen. As you
view your fi lm, you'll see two lists running horizontally
across the bottom of the screen. In the list marked CHASE
will be displayed the name of the aircraft that the camera is
positioned behind while in the CHASE mode. The CHASE
list will also display flight information for that aircraft, in-
cluding its current speed in miles per hour, its heading in
degrees, and its altitude in feet. When you're in the TRACK
mode, the TRACK list will display the name of the aircraft
that is currently being tracked, plus its ongoing speed,
heading, and altitude, as well as the camera's distance from
the object being chased.
IN-FLIGHT MAP
To acquire information about the location of various
enemy and friendly aircraft and ground installations dur-
ing your mission, examine the In-Flight Map by pressing M.
This map also allows you to change the or-
"So far as the German jets were con- ders for different groups of fighters on your
cerned, you'd got to be above them, by side. The In-Flight Map depicts continental
at least three thousand feet, because all Europe and the eastern part of England,
we could do was open up everything and and has controls that let you move the map
dive. But as soon as they knew you were around and examine different portions of
there they were off... , so we just had that it. These controls are much the same as
moment when you could catch that those for the Flight Briefing Map.
chap, when he couldn't see you, when To the upper right of the map, you'll see
you came down, going like the clappers two buttons: ZOOM IN enlarges the map
hoping to get close enough to get in a size, and ZOOM OUT reduces it. To zoom
burst before he saw you. He just had to
the map in or out, either click on these con-
open his throttle and he was gone! And
that really was the name of the game."
trols or use the keyboard keys: the Z key to
zoom the map in, and the X key to zoom it
RAF Wing Commander John Wray
out. To move the map up, down, left, and
right, click on the up, down, left, or right ar-
rows inside the horizontal and vertical bars at the bottom
and on the righthand side of the map window, or move the
slider box, or click on the space inside the two bars.
Getting Information from the In-Flight Map
On the map, you'll see various aircraft icons and ground
target icons located throughout western Europe. To get in-
formation about any aircraft or ground target, click on an
icon. A pop-up information window will display a text de-
scription of the aircraft or ground target. If you select an
aircraft icon, the description will include the name of the
aircraft, its altitude in feet, its heading in compass points, its
speed in miles per hour, its bearing (relative to you and your
aircraft), and its distance from your aircraft. Ground targets
include aircraft factories, ball bearing factories, oil refiner-
ies, railroad marshaling yards, electric plants, munitions

plants, airfields, and secret weapons sites. If you click on an "Men who walked
icon for an industrial target, the window will display what
the target is producing and what kind of condition it is in
through the rain to their
(whether it has been damaged or destroyed) . If you select aircraft; who slept in
an icon for an airfield or secret weapons site, the window heated suits; who played
will display what kind of aircraft or secret weapons are locat-
ed there, as well as the condition of the airfield or site. If
sweaty games in their
you're flying on the U.S. side, information on ground in- flying clothes, were wet
stallations may not be accurate or p recise, owing to poor when they took off They
weather, lack ofreconnaissance flights, or inaccurate intelli- were casualties when
gence. The more U.S. missions are flown over a certain tar-
get in good weather, however, the more accurate subse- they came back."
quent information will be. If you're flying on the German Unidentified U.S. Anny Air
side, the information will always be accurate and up-to- Force flight surgeon, on why so
date. many bomber crewmen con-
tracted frostbite in the below-
If you have selected a fighter or a fighter-bomber on freezing flying conditions
your side, the bottom of the information window wiil dis-
play, beside the EX IT button , a small button marked
CHANGE ORDERS. Click on CHANGE ORDERS to reas-
sign the selected fighters on your side to attack a different
aerial target (see below). Click on EXIT to close the window
altogether.
Changing Orders
When you click on CHANGING O RDERS, the Orders
Window opens, displaying a menu that allows you to con-
trol which targets are attacked in air-to-air combat by select-
ed fighters or fighter-bombers on your side.
When the Orders Window is opened, various air icons
on the In-Flight Map will be lit in different colors. If an icon
is lit green, that icon is the primary air target that your se-
lected fighter is either trying to attack or will be attacking.
Icons lit red represent any other air targets that your select-
ed fighter could go after. (Your selected fighter can only be
reassigned to go after alternative air targets, and cannot be
reassigned to attack ground targets.)
Inside the Orders Window, you'll see four choices:
SET AIR TARGET Click on this, then click on any of the
red secondary air target icons to change the primary air tar-
get for the selected fighter. The red icon you click on will
turn green, designating the new primary air target.
IGNORE CURRENT TARGET Click on th is to order
the selected fighter not to attack its current target.
MISSION ABORT Click on this to order the selected
fighter to go home. Beware: orders to abort a mission can-
not be reversed.
EXIT Click on this to close the Orders Window.
To leave the In-Flight Map and return to your flight, ei-
ther click on the EXIT button below the map or press M or
E on your keyboard to exit.

ENDING YOUR MISSION
our mission can end several different ways:
Crashing If your plane impacts into the
ground or into a body of water at a steep
angle before the pilot or crew can bail out,
they are considered killed in action.
Crash Landing If your plane comes
down to earth at a shallow angle, lands with the landing
gear up, or lands poorly, it will be completely demolished,
but the pilot or crew will survive. If this crash landing occurs
on enemy territory, however, the pilot or crew will be cap-
tured and will be lost for the war, unable to fly any more
missions. (If you're flying on the U.S. side, there's a slight
chance that your pilot or crew will avoid capture, return to
England, and will be able to fly another mission.)
Ditching If your plane lands at a shallow
angle in a large body of water, such as the
English Channel, it will be lost. However,
the pilot or crew will be picked up by a pass-
ing ship or a rescue seaplane from their
own side, and can fly a new mission .
Bailing Out over Land If your plane is
uncontrollable and cannot be flown back to
your base, and you press Jbefore it crashes,
the pilot or crew will parachute to safety. Be
sure to bail out before your aircraft reaches
too low of an altitude. If the pilot or crew
bail out over enemy territory, they will most
likely be captured, and will be unable to
take part in any more missions. If they bail
out over friendly territory, they will be tak-
en to their home airfield and can fly anoth-
A Bf I09 pilot bails out of his er mission. (Keep in mind that the boundaries for friendly
fighter over France. territory and enemy territory may change, depending on
what time period of the war you fly in.)
Bailing Out over Water If the pilot or crew parachute
from their plane over a major body of water, such as the En-
glish Channel, they will be rescued and can fly again.
Landing at Your Home Airfield When you fly back to
your home airfield, land safely, and press Q, your mission
will end.
Pressing Qin Midflight If you'd rather not make a land-
ing, you can press Q to end your mission at any time while
your plane is in the air. Doing this will not affect the Combat
Record score for your pilot or crew unless you lose your
plane, which can happen if you:
Preceding page: This B-17 was Press Q while flying over enemy territory. This will
forced to ditch in the English
Channel. Some of the crew wait
cause the pilot or crew to be captured, and the plane will be
for rescue in the life raft. lost. (On the U.S. side, there's a slight possibility that the pi-
Courtesy of the National Film lot or crew can escape capture.)
Board

Press Q while flying over water. This will cause the
plane to be lost, but the pilot or crew will be rescued .
If you're a U .S. Pilot, try to make it back to the airspace
over England or any Allied-held territory in western Eu-
rope before pressing Q , to avoid being penalized on your
Combat Record score for losing your plane. If you 're a Luft-
waffe pilot, try to reach the airspace over Germany or Ger-
man-held territory in western Europe before pressing Q .
MISSION AND CAMPAIGN RESULTS
After your mission has ended, a Post-Flight Debriefing
Map wi ll appear, displaying icons representing various
airfields and industrial targets in western Europe. Click on
any of these icons to learn if the targets have been damaged
or destroyed. You'll also see icons representing aircraft that
have crashed at various locations. Click on any of these icons
to learn what kind of aircraft crashed and who shot it down.
At the bottom of the screen are three menu choices - MAP,
STATUS, and CONTINUE. Click on STATUS to view a
chart displaying the total number of victories and losses
both for your side in the mission and for the airplane you
were flying . If you're directing a Campaign Battle, this
chart will display additional information summarizing the
impact of your last mission on the air war over Europe, and
will let you know how both sides are faring, and which side
is closer to victory.
UPDATING COMBAT RECORDS
From the Post-Flight Debriefing Map, click on
CONTINUE to view a screen displaying the updated Com-
bat Records for the pilot or crew you've chosen, based on
the res ults of this latest mission. The Combat Records ofany
additional pilots or crews that you selected from the Flight
Roster to fly the mission will also be updated. The numeric
score displayed on the screen ranks how well the pilot and
"On missions when
crew performed during the mission. This cumulative score everybody came home
will be updated after every mission, and you can use it to OK, we'd fly tight,
compare different pilots and crews. wingtip-to-wingtip on
Your pilots and crews will achieve higher scores if they the way back. I'd come
accomplish the main objectives of their missions. If you're a up on my wingman and
Luftwaffe pilot, your main mission objective is to prevent in- I'd say, 'Hey, Palmer, we
dustrial targets, Luftwaffe airfields, and other German were successful,' and get
fighters from being destroyed by U.S. bombers and my wing under his, and
fighters. If you're flying a U.S. bomber, your main mission tip him. He'd yell, 'You
objective is to bomb your assigned target accurately. Knock- son of a bitch, knock it
ing out a target is a group effort, so if other bomber crews off,' and we were just
laughing like hell all the
also score direct hits on a target, your individual score will
way home. Those were
improve. If you're flying a U.S. fighter on an escort mission, the joyous times."
your main mission objective is to protect the bombers from
U.S. Army Air Force
enemy fighter attack so they can drop their bombloads over
Captain James Finnegan
the target. The more bombs that hit the target, and the

"We were fighter boys. more bombers that survive, the higher your score will be. If
you're flying a U.S. fighter in a free-ranging role, your main
Fighter boys fight." mission objective is to shoot down as many Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe General Walter fighters as you can. The lower the ratio ofU .S. fighter losses
Krupinski
to Luftwaffe fighter losses, the higher your score will be.
No matter which mission you choose to fly, the more you
help your fellow pilots and crews to survive and complete
their missions, the better your score will be.
MEDALS AND PROMOTIONS
Whether you're flying on the American or the German
side, medals and promotions in rank will be awarded if you
and your fellow pilots or crews successfully fulfill your main
mission objectives. The medals listed below were awarded
to courageous U.S. Army Air Force and Luftwaffe airmen
throughout the Second World War.
U.S. Army Air Force Medals (in order of rank)
Congressional Medal of Honor
This medal is the highest award in the U.S . military, and
was originally established by the Congress of the United
States in December 1861 and signed into law by President
Abraham Lincoln. The Medal of Honor is
the on ly medal awarded in the name of
Congress by the president, and is given to
officers and enlisted men for an individual
act of heroism that involves extraordinary
bravery in combat "above and beyond the
call of duty. " Only an individual who con-
spicuously distinguishes himself in action
against an armed enemy at the risk of his
own life without harm to his mission can be
eligible to win the Medal of Honor, and it is
only awarded after thorough investigation .
This medal may only be given once; if a sec-
ond medal for valor is warranted, a gold
star is awarded instead, and is worn on the
ribbon of the Medal of Honor.
Major General Carl Spaatz, the Distinguished Service Cross
commander of the U .S. Eighth This decoration was first instituted in January 1918 and
Air Force, pins a medal on
Brigadier General Ira Eaker, the
is given in the name of the president. It is awarded for ex-
leader of the Eighth's bombing traordinary heroism against an armed enemy when the cir-
offensive against Germany. cumstances do not warrant awarding the Medal of Honor,
making it the second-highest award for valor in the U.S .
military. A bronze oak cluster is awarded if the individual
performs a second such act of bravery, and it is worn on the
ribbon.
Distinguished Service Medal
Instituted on the same day in 1918 as the Distinguished
Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal is given in
the name of the president for "exceptionally meritorious
140 Secret Weapom of th Luftwaffe

service to the government in a duty of great responsibility in
time of war, or in connection with the military operations
against an armed enemy of the United States." It is the
highest medal for achievement in the U.S. military, and can
be awarded for service in either combat or noncombat posi-
tions of duty. If a person has already received the Distin-
guished Service Medal, they are awarded a bronze oak leaf.
Silver Star
Based on a World War I badge of honor, the Silver Star is
awarded for "gallantry in action" when the circumstances
do not warrant awarding the Medal of Honor or Distin-
guished Service Cross.
Distinguished Flying Cross
Established by Congress in July 1926, the Distinguished
Flying Cross is awarded for an act of heroism or extraordi-
nary achievement performed while in flight. This medal of
valor can be awarded for both combat and noncombat situ-
ations, and if a second medal is warranted, a gold star is giv-
en.
Air Medal
Created to award "meritorious achievement while par-
ticipating in an aerial flight, " the Air Medal is given for ac-
tions that do not justify the awarding of the Distinguished
Flying Cross. Generally, it is awarded for missions that do
not involve contact with an armed enemy, although a pilot
or crewman can earn one for destroying an
enemy plane. Bomber crews were awarded On his first mission, ball turret gunner
this medal after flying five missions of at Sergeant Maynard "Snuffy" Smith was
least two-and-a-half hours' length, while busy firing at FW I 90s as his B-17
fighter crews were awarded it after ten mis- bombed the submarine pens at Saint-
sions of under two-and-a-half hours, except Nazaire. When he heard no other gun
for escort missions. positions firing, he crawled out of his ball
Purple Heart turret to find out why. What he saw was
a badly wounded tail gunner, two empty
Originally instituted by George Wash-
waist gun positions, and a radio compart-
ington when he was Commander in Chief ment engulfed in flames. After giving first
of the Continental Army during the Revo- aid to the gunner, he tried to put out the
lutionary War, the Purple Heart is awarded fire by stomping on it and, in despera-
to those who are wounded in action against tion, even urinating on the flames. When
an enemy of the United States, and require FW I 90s began firing at the damaged
medical attention. It is given to wounded bomber, Smith manned both waist guns
personnel before or immediately after they and fired back. When the fighters broke
arrive at the hospital. An oak leaf cluster is off their attacks, he managed to put out
awarded to previous Purple Heart recipi- the flames with his bare hands. Because
en ts. of his efforts, his B-17 was able to make it
back across the English Channel to
Luftwaffe Medals (in order of rank) Britain, and Smith was later awarded the
Congressional Medal of Honor. His
Grand Cross
actions were confirmed by the crew of
This was the highest class of the Knight's
another bomber, who could actually see
Cross of the Iron Cross, and was truly the him through the numerous bullet holes
most elite award ever given in the German tom in the B-17's fuselage.
military. The Grand Cross was awarded for

actions that decisively influenced the course of the war, and
only one person, Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring, was
ever given this medal. He received it after France surren-
dered to Germany in 1940.
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Instituted by Adolf Hitler on September 1, 1939, the
Knight's Cross of the I ron Cross was established to take the
place of the order "Pour le Merite," which had been abol-
ished after World War I. The Knight's Cross was given for
gallantry in action, and was awarded to those in the Luft-
waffe and the Wehrmacht, as well as in civilian branches
such as the police and fire departments. Luftwaffe fighter
pilots could be awarded this medal for shooting down a set
number of enemy planes, although this number changed as
the war progressed. One pilot was awarded
"One time I got a bullet in the cooling the Knight's Cross for shooting down 20
system, and I saw the temperature was planes in 1941, while by 1943 another pilot
going up, so I turned my Bf I09 around had to shoot down 123 planes to receive this
and made a belly landing. At the award.
moment when I was on the ground I Several upgraded classes of the Knight's
heard an explosion and I thought that Cross appeared during the war (listed in in-
soldiers were shooting at my crippled air- creasing order of importance):
craft. I thought, 'You have to get out Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves This
fast.' I was opening the canopy and was was created on June 3, 1940, and was first
just trying to pull out, when I saw two
awarded to Luftwaffe fighter pilots Werner
German soldiers ten or fifteen meters in
Molders and Adolf Galland for recording
front of me who were crying and waving
with their arms. I looked around at my forty aerial victories each.
aircraft and saw that it didn't have a tail Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and
anymore. Then I looked around and saw Swords I nstituted by Hitler on July 15,
that there were a lot of black boxes. I 1941, this award was first given to Adolf
had come down in a minefield! And to Galland for reaching the sixty-nine-victory
cross the ten or fifteen meters to get me mark.
out, the minesweepers needed two hours Knight 's Cross with Oak Leaves,
to reach me! They were lying on the Swords, and Diamonds Also instituted on
ground and feeling with their fingers and July 15, 1941, this was first given to Werner
pulling the mines away, and then they Molders for downing twenty-eight Russian
came to my aircraft and got me out. aircraft in twenty-four days . There were
Two hours I was left in a minefield!
only twenty -six other recipients of this
Luftwaffe General Walter Krupinski award, which was commonly referred to as
"the Diamonds."
Knight's Cross with Golden Swords, Oak Leaves, and
Diamonds T his award, intended to be the highest award
for gallantry, was established on December 29, 1944, and
was to be given only to the twelve bravest soldiers of the
Third Reich. However, it was only awarded once, to Luft-
waffe pilot Hans-Ulrich Rudel, for flying 2,530 sorties and
destroying some 500 Russian tanks in a Ju 87 Stuka dive
bomber. T he Golden Swords, Oak Leaves, and Diamonds
award differed from the other Knight's Cross awards in that
it was made of gold , instead of silver.
142 Secret Weapons of the Luftwtiffe

German Cross in Gold "People say that things
Created by Hitler on September 28, 1941, as a bridge be-
tween the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Iron
were getting better after
Cross First Class, this medal was awarded for "continuous D-Day. Well, I can give
military achievement." A recipient needed to have already you a long list of names
been awarded the Iron Cross First Class; however, it was not
necessary to win the German Cross in Gold before being
offellows that were
awarded the Knight's Cross. buried in the cemetery
Iron Cross First Class after that time."
This award was first established by Friedrich Wilhelm I I I
U.S. Army Air Force Pilot
in 1813, and reinstated for the Franco-German War in 1870 Officer Robert Davila
and the First World War in 1914. It was the only major
award given by the Nazis during World War II that they
themselves did not create. The Iron Cross First Class was
awarded for outstanding heroism, and a Luftwaffe pilot was
usually awarded one after shooting down four or five ene-
my aircraft.
Iron Cross Second Class
This medal was given for acts ofbravery or distinguished
service, and over two million Germans were awarded it dur-
ing World War II.
Wound Badge
Given to an individual who was wounded in action, this
medal had three different colors, or classes. A person receiv-
ing one or two wounds earned a black badge. For three or
four wounds, or the loss of an eye, a hand, a foot, or his
hearing, he was given a silver badge. For five or more
wounds, or blindness, brain damage, or total disability, he
was awarded a gold badge.
Ranks and Promotions
For both the U.S. Army Air Force and the Luftwaffe,
promotions in rank were awarded to those pilots who
demonstrated success in battle and exhibited qualities of
leadership. New Luftwaffe pilots began their careers with
the rank of Leutnant, while new U.S. pilots started out with
the rank of Pilot Officer.
World War II Commissioned Officer's Ranks
Luftwaffe U.S. Army Air Force
Generaloberst General
General Lieutenant General
Generalleutnant Major General
Generalmajor Brigadier General
Oberst Colonel
Oberstleutnant Lieutenant Colonel
Major Major
Hauptmann Captain
Oberleutnant First Lieutenant
Leutnant Second Lieutenant
Pilot Officer

144
GERMAN SECRET
WEAPONS PROJECTS
oth before and during the war, German
scientists and engineers developed an awe-
some array of advanced weapons to be used
against the Allies. T hese weapons included
the V-2 liquid-fuel rocket, whose develop-
ment can be traced to research performed
by an American, Robert Goddard, who fired his first liquid-
fuel rocket in 1926. Goddard's work inspired two Germans,
Hermann Oberth and, later, Wernher von Braun, who de-
veloped the first V-2 rocket in 1942 (von Braun went on to
develop the Saturn 5 rocket for the U .S. space program).
There was no defense against this enormous supersonic
missile, which was 46 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 27 ,000
pounds. It also had no launching sites that
"They're still trying to pump 'soup' the Allies could destroy, as it had a mobile
into the superman. Becoming more fre- launching system and could be carried on
quent are the appearances of these special truc ks and launched from any
hopped-up go-buggies, and they're one of cleared space. However, the V-2 had several
the last-ditch hopes of the Nazi over- problems: its warhead would sometimes ex-
lords. plode when the rocket reentered the earth's
Suffice it to say if they become promi- atmosph ere; it consumed many valuable
nent, we'll have adequate countermea- German resources; and it was squandered
sures for them. Tests already show they'll in a futile terror-bombing campaign against
walk away from conventional aircraft. London and Antwerp. Albert Speer consid-
Which from the bomber's point of view ered his su pport of the V-2 program to be
means only one thing: You have less time
one of the biggest mistakes he made during
to hit him, and he has less time to shoot
his tenure as minister of armaments.
at you."
The alternative program that Speer, in
U.S. Air Force newsletter article, titled,
hindsight, would have backed fu lly was Pro-
"Warm Your Guns for Jerry's Final
Brainstorm," warning crews about the
j ect Wasserfall, or "waterfall. " T his was a 25-
Me 262 and the Me 163 foot-long antiaircraft missile whose devel-
opment, in 1942, had paralleled that of the
V-2. The Wasserfall rocket could be guided
to its aerial target by a directional beam that was not affected
by weather or darkness. The rocket could carry 660 pounds
of explosives up to altitu des of 50,000 feet, and was ex-
tremely accurate. Speer reasoned after-the-fact that pro-
ducing several thousand a month of these smaller, less ex-
pensive rockets in 1944, instead of hundreds ofV-2 rockets,
might have prevented the devastating Allied air strikes on
German industry.
One of the more successful German weapons programs
was the V-1 flying bomb. Powered by an early-model jet en-
gine, the 27-foot-long V- 1 weighed about 4,800 pounds and
had a range of 250 miles. It was less expensive to produce
than the V-2, and could be manufactured in a much shorter
Preceding page: A close forma- time. It also used cheaper, lower-grade fuel than the alco-
t ion of B- 17s during a bombing hol-and-liquid-oxygen-propelled V-2, and carried a 2,000-
raid on March 12, 1945.
pound payload, the same as the V-2. Its d isadvantages were
that it was much slower than the V-2, and could be shot out
of the skies or even tipped over by Allied fighters. These
flying bombs were also unreliable: nearly a quarter of the V-
ls launched failed en route to their targets. Finally, the V-ls
needed elaborate launching ramps, which were not mobile,
and many that were located on the French coast were cap-
tured by the Allies after D-Day.
One weapon which arose out of German desperation
was the BachemNatter, or "Adder." This was a manned rock-
et interceptor which was to be launched straight up and
then guided to the Allied bomber formations by the pilot.
When the Natter was a few hundred yards from the
bombers, the pilot was to fire twenty-four 73-mm rockets at
the aircraft, and then speed away. The pilot would then jet-
tison the forward part of the Natter and pull a lever which
wou ld open a parachute attached to the rear. This action
would catapult the pilot out of the compartment, and he
would parachute to safety while the rear part of the Natter
and its Walther roc ket engine would be recovered and
reused again. Several unmanned versions of the Natter
were tested, but the only pilot who ever went up in the rock-
et was killed when the Natter crashed before he could eject
himself. Additional tests were canceled as the Allied armies
neared the test site, and the Natter never saw action against
Allied bombers.
Many other "secret weapons" were designed, tested, and
in some cases deployed against the Allies. One which sank
several Allied ships was an air-to-ground glide bomb that
was launched from German aircraft and then radio-guided
A V-2 rocket ready to be
to t h e target using a joystick. Another weapon, the launched from its mobile launch-
Hochdruckpumpe, or "high-pressure pump," was partially ing platfonn. Courtesy of
completed before the Allies captured it in 1944. It had a Aeroplane Photo Supply
Gemwn arul U.S. Aircraft arul Weapons 147

The development of these three barrel 150 feet long and was to fire 150-mm shells from
gliders, the Horten Ho II, Ill, Calais across the English Channel to London. Other mis-
and IV, led to the "flying wing"
design of the Go 229. Courtesy of siles were developed, including an unmanned version of
Peter Bowens the Me 163, a two-stage antiaircraft rocket, and a rocket that
was fired underwater by a U-boat. A wide array of delta-
winged, swept-wing, and tailless aircraft were designed, and
as part of designer RudolfSchriever's "Project Saucer," sev-
eral "flying disk" prototypes were actually built. In fact, the
wealth of ideas generated by German scientists and engi-
neers during this period actually hurt the overall war effort,
as German resources were spread thin over a vast array of
projects, and few could be evaluated correctl y as to their
worthiness in combat.
"Sometimes, when we were flying across the Channel to

Europe in the morning, we could see the contrails of V-2s flying
across the other way, and we'd report them. They left streaks,
contrails, just like a jet plane does today. There was a warning,
but there wasn't anything anybody could do about it, because
they didn't know where it was going to land. It would take out a
whole block. I was in a hotel in London once when a V-2 hit, and
I forget how far away it was, but it flushed all the toilets. V-1 s
used to come over our base all the time, at three or three-thirty
in the morning, coming practically down the runway, about 2,500
to 3,000 feet off the ground, going toward London. It sounded
like a model A automobile engine until it would cut out, which
was when it would explode."
U.S. Army Air Force Pilot Officer Robert Davila

GERMAN AIRCRAFT
Messerschmitt Bf I 09G-6
and Bf I 09G- I 0 Gustav Fight er
The most formidable fighter aircraft in the world at the
start of World War II, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 had been
surpassed by the Focke-Wulf 190 and later versions of the
RAF's Spitfire by the time the United States entered the
war. Its planned successors, the Me 209 and the Me 309,
were plagued by development problems, and as a result,
the Bf 109 was kept in production at a time when it perhaps
should have been phased out. Later models were fitted with
larger, more powerful engines, which increased its speed.
However, extra speed came at the expense of maneuver-
ability, since the added weight of these engines reduced its
handling ability, and made it more difficult to fly, especially
during takeoffs and landings.
The Bf 109G was built in larger numbers than any other

109. It was the first 109 to be fitted with the more powerful
Daimler Benz DB 605A engine, and later versions featured
a supercharger for better high-altitude performance. One
of these versions, the Bf 109G-6, was designed to accept var-
ious field conversion sets, or Riistsiitze, which meant that it
could be modified with a variety of fuel tanks, bomb racks,
and armament to suit different tactical situations. The Bf
109G-6 could also accept the MW 50 methanol-water injec-
tion system, which boosted the engine horsepower by about
German and U.S. Aircraft and Weapons 149

four percent for some ten minutes. This system was activat-
ed by a cockpit switch that forced the methanol-water mix-
ture to flow from a tank behind the pilot's seat through a
tube leading into the supercharger. Once the cycle was
completed, the pilot had to wait at least five minutes before
the next activation. Though the MW 50 system gave the Bf
109G-6 a quick burst of speed, it used up fuel rapidly, and
thus cut back on the fighter's endurance. Another new fea-
ture of the Bf 109G-6 was the MK 108 cannon, which was
fired through the propeller spinner in the nose, but the
short supply of this formidable weapon meant that the G-6
models were usually fitted with the MG 151 cannon. This
extra armament gave the 109G-6 a dead ly punch for
attacking bombers, but the added weight hampered it dur-
ing dogfights with Allied Mustangs and Thunderbolts .
In the spring of 1944, the Bf 109G-6 was replaced by the
Top Speed, Fighters Bf 109G-10. This featured the even more powerful
DB 605D engine, with a larger supercharger. The
Bf I 09G-l 0 was the fastest of the G-series
fighters, but its speed was degraded when the
various Riistsiitze were added to it.
Despite the fact that it was
overmatched by the time of
the U.S . bombing offensive,
the Bf 109 was still the most
widely used Luftwaffe
fighter aircraft of the war ,
with over 35,000 produced.
Many of the Luftwaffe's top
aces continued to rack up high kill totals in Bf
109s right up until the defeat of Germany.

"I flew every model we had of the Bf I09, from the B-model
to the K-14. The I09 was a very bad aircraft as far as takeoff and
landing was concerned if you were not familiar with it. In the air,
it was much better, but I'd have to say the Spitfire was a superior
fighter aircraft to the I09. For a fighter aircraft there are three
parameters which are absolutely the 'ne plus ultra,' as we say, and
they are: speed, climbing speed, and turning rate. And there was
no doubt that the Spitfire was the best one in these three param-
eters. I had the chance in 1944 to fly a recovered Spitfire and also
to fly both the P-47 and the P-51 and the German types. So, I can
absolutely state that the Spitfire was the best one.
"The I09 was not bad at diving, but the Thunderbolt was
much better at diving. In climbing, if you compared it with the
Mustang and with the Spitfire, it depended on what height you
started to climb. In the altitude between 5,000 and I0,000
meters, I think the I09 was much better at climbing than all the
other types. The version of the I09 that I flew in 1944 and 1945
as a commander of a high-cover fighter group for our FW I90s
was a very good one at 8,000 to I0,000 meters, as it had a special
engine for high altitude, but it was very bad at low levels. Of
course, it had a special tank for injections in the fuselage and so at
a lower altitude your turning radius was not so good as that of a
normal I09 and not even as good as that of an FW 190. So we
normally didn't attack Mustangs or Thunderbolts at low altitudes
because it was bad for our type of aircraft."
Luftwaffe General Walter Krupinski
"I always thought that the I09 could go faster on the initial
dive than a P-47, I guess because we didn't throw everything to
the wall. But overall, the I09 was not as fast as the P-47."
U.S. Anny Air Force Captain James Rnnegan
German and U.S. Aircraft. and Weapons ISi

Bf I09G-6 and Bf I09G-10 Maximum speed with flaps
Performance Data (figures fully lowered: 200 miles
identical for two versions per hour
except where noted) Rate of climb (G-6): 3,346
Powerp/,ant: (G-6): one feet per minute, 6 minutes
Daimler Benz DB 605A 12- to 18,799 feet; (G -10):
cylinder liquid-cooled en- 3,500 feet per minute, 5.8
gine; (G-10): one Daimler minutes to 19,685 feet
Benz DB 605D 12-cylinder Ceiling: 37,890 feet
liquid-cooled engine Range: 350 miles; 620 miles
Horsepower (G-6): 1,475 at with drop tank
takeoff, 1,800 with MW 50 Crew: one
methanol-water system; Dimensions
l ,355at 18,700feet, 1,700 Wingspan: 32 feet 6 l/ 2
at 13,500 feet with MW 50 inches
methanol-water system; (C- Wing area: 172.75 square
Optional Field Con-
l 0): 2,000 at takeoff with feet
versions (Riistsatze)
MW 50 methanol-water Length: 29 feet 7 inches
One 551-pound
system; 1,800 at 16,730 feet Height: 11 feet 2 inches
bomb, with delayed
Top speed (G-6): 340 miles Weights
time fuse , mounted un-
per hour at sea level with Empty: 5,953 pounds
der the fuselage
MW 50 methanol-water Loaded: 6,945 pounds
Four 110-pound
system, 386 miles per hour Standard Armament
bombs, mounted in
at 22,640 feet; (G-10): 342 Two 13-mm MG 13 1 ma-
pairs under each wing
miles per hour at sea level chine guns, with 300
One 79-gallon auxil-
with MW 50 methanol-wa- rounds per gun, mounted
iary drop tank, mount-
ter system, 426 miles per on the upper cowling
ed under the fuselage
hour at 24,280 feet (G-6 only): one 20-mm
Two 20-mm MG 151
Maximum diving speed: 500 MG 151 cannon , with 200
machine guns, with 120
miles per hour rounds per gun, mounted
rounds per gun,
Maximum speed with /,anding through the propeller spin-
mounted under the
gear extended: 225 miles ner in the nose
wings
per hour (G-10 o nly): one 30-mm
Two 30-mm MK 108
Maximum speed with flaps MK 108 cannon, with 60
cannons, with 60
partially lowered: 325 miles rounds per gun, mounted
rounds per gun,
per hour through the propeller spin-
mounted under the
ner in the nose
wmgs
Two 21-cm Wfr. Gr.
rocket-fired mortars,
mounted under the
wings
152 Secret Weapons of the Lujlwaffe

D Cockpit Gunsight ID Oil Pressure and Cockpit of a Bf I 09G-6 and
Bf 109G-10
DViewPanel Temperature Gauge
D Cockpit Ammunition ID Hydraulic Pressure
Round Indicator Gauge
DCompass ID RPM Indicator
D Airspeed Indicator III Clock
D Banking Indicator m Fuel Gauges and Fuel
D Rate of Climb Indicator Tank Indicator Lights
D Flaps Lever llll Rudder Indicator
IJ Bomb Indicator Panel n=J Gun Camera Indicator
II!JAltimeter Em Rocket Release
m Landing Gear Lever Indicator
m Manifold Pressure and
Temperature Gauge
Cennan and U.S . Aircraft and Weapom 153

Focke-Wulf FW I 90A-S and FW I 90A-8 Fighter
The best mass-produced German piston-engined
fighter of the war, the FW 190 was a masterpiece of innova-
tive design. It was powered by an air-cooled radial engine,
which many designers predicted would not match the per-
formance of liquid-cooled inline engines, since this engine
created drag. Yet at the time it first saw action in mid-1941,
the FW 190 proved to be superior to all inline-engined
fighters of the day, including the Spitfire V and the Bf 109F,
The pilot of this FW 190 acciden- while using an engine that was in far less demand from the
tally landed his fighter in
German aircraft industry. Lightweight, extremely maneu-
England, giving the Allies a valu-
able prize. Courtesy of the United
verable, and formidably armed, the FW 190 quickly re-
States Air Force placed the Bf 109 as the Luftwaffe's deadliest fighter, al-
though it never supplanted the 109 in production totals. Its
wide-track landing gear proved to be far superior to the no-
toriously weak, narrow landing gear of the Bf 109. And
since the FW 190 was smaller than the Bf 109 and most oth-
er fighters of its day, it had the added advantage of being a
smaller target for Allied fighters and gunners. A superb
daylight fighter, the FW 190 also saw service as a night
fighter, fighter-bomber, dive bomber, ground attack, and
photo reconnaissance aircraft.
The FW l 90A-5 began to roll off the assembly lines in
April 1943. This model could accept a wider variety of
bombs, armament, and fuel tanks than earlier versions. The
FW l 90A-8, which began to appear in late 1943 and early
1944, was the last and most numerous A-model to be pro-
duced, and offered improved performance over earlier
models, along with a larger fuel tank. Like the Bf 109G-6,
the FW l 90A-8 could accept the MW 50 methanol-water in-
jection system, which gave it ten minutes of increased speed
and climbing power. Heavy armament, including a 20-mm

Courtesy of the Boeing Aircraft
Company
cannon, was standard on the A-8, and other versions fea-

tured different types of30-mm cannons, for attacking tanks
and bombers. One version, the Rammjiiger, was designed es-
pecially for ramming U.S. bombers, and had an increased
amount of frontal and cockpit armor.
"I only flew the late model of the FW 190, what we called the
'long nose,' for about a month, in February 1945. It was a mar-
velous aircraft, I must say, but if you had over 1,000 missions in a
I 09, you didn't like the 190 too much. There were a lot of Ger-
man pilots who flew the 190 from the very beginning who very
much favored it over the I 09, but personally I didn't like it too
much . In 1944, the I 90s normally attacked the American
bombers, and were much better at it than the I 09s because they
had a radial engine that was very good protection against the rear
gunners of the bombers." Luftwaffe General Walter Krupinski
"In my opinion, the Focke-Wulf and the Thunderbolt were

equal in terms of maneuverability and speed."
U.S. Army Air Force Captain James Finnegan Courtesy of the United States
Air Force
Gernum and U.S. Aircrafl and Weapons 155

FW I90A-5 and FW I90A- Dimensions
8 Performance Data (fig- Wingspan: 34 feet 5 '/2
ures identical for two ver- inches
sions except where noted) Wing area: 196.98 square
Powerpl,ant: one BMW 80 1D feet
14-cylinder radial air- Length: 29 feet
cooled engine Height: 13 feet
Horsepower: l ,700 at takeoff Weights
with MW 50 methanol- Empty: 7,000 pounds
water system Loaded: 9,750 pounds
Top speed: 355 miles per Standard Armament
hour at sea level; (A-5): 407 (A-5)
Optional Field
miles per hour at 19,685 Two 7.9-mm MG 17 ma-
Conversions (A-5)
feet; (A-8): 408 miles per chine guns, with 1,000
Two Wfr. Gr. 21 mor-
hour at 20,670 feet rounds per gun, mounted
tars beneath wings
Maximum diving speed: on the upper cowling
Optional Field
525 miles per hour Two 20-mm MG 151
Conversions (A-8)
Maximum speed with /,anding cannons, with 200 rounds
One 551-pound
gear extended: 230 miles per gun, mounted in the
bomb, with delayed
per hour wing roots
time fuse, mounted un-
Maximum speed with flaps Two 20-mm MG FF
der the fuselage
partially lowered: 350 miles cannons, with 55 rounds
Four 110-pound
per hour per gun, mounted in the
bombs, mounted in
Maximum speed with flaps outer wings
pairs under each wing
fully lowered: 210 miles Standard Armament
Two 79-gallon auxil-
per hour (A-8)
iary drop tanks, mount-
Rate of climb: (A-5): 2,830 Two 13-mm MG 13 1
ed under the wings
feet per minute, 12 minutes machine guns, with 400
Two 30-mm MK 108
to 26,250 feet; (A-8): 2,450 rounds per gun, mounted
cannons, with 60
feet per minute, 9.1 min- on the upper cowling
rounds per gun,
utes to 19,685 feet Two 20-mm MG 151
mounted under the
Ceiling (A-5): 34,400 feet; cannons, with 250 rounds
wings
(A-8): 3 7 ,400 feet per gun, mou nted in the
Two 30-mm MK 103
Range: 497 miles at 298 wing roots
cannons, with 60
miles per hour at 23,000 Two 20-mm MG 151
rounds per gun,
feet cannons, with 125 rounds
mounted under the
Crew: one per gun, mounted in the
wings
outer wings
Two 21-cm Wfr.
Gr. rocket-fired mor-
tars, mounted under
the wings

D Cockpit Gunsight mOil Pressure and Cockpit of an FW I90A-5 and
FW 190A-8
DViewPanel Temperature Gauge
D Cockpit Ammunition mHydraulic Pressure
Round Indicator Gauge
II Compass ID RPM Indicator
II Airspeed Indicator ml Clock
D Banking Indicator mFuel Gauges and Fuel
D Rate of Climb Indicator Tank Indicator Lights
Ill Flaps Lever IEJ Rudder Indicator
D Bomb Indicator Panel la Gun Camera Indicator
IIll Altimeter Ell Rocket Release
m Landing Gear Lever Indicator
ID Manifold Pressure and
Temperature Gauge
Cennan and U.S. Aircrafl and Weapons 157

Messerschmitt Me 1638-1 a Komet Fighter
The most radical aircraft to see action in World War II,
the Me 163 coupled innovative design features with a futur-
istic powerplant to produce a bold new type of short-range
interceptor. The rocket-powered Komet featured a short
fuselage and a tail with no horizontal section. After takeoff,
the landing gear assembly, which was mounted on a trolley,
was jettisoned at an altitude of twenty to thirty feet. Once it
was airborne, the Komet
was put into a very steep
climb to intercept enemy
aircraft. It could climb ex-
tremely fast, but since it had
only about eight minutes '
worth of fuel, it could only
make a few passes at enemy
aircraft. The high speed of
the Me 163 was often a
detriment to Luftwaffe pi-
lots trying to score hits on U.S. bombers, since it left them
with only about three seconds to get off shots with its slow-
firing cannon. The Me 163 had evolved from a glider de-
sign and handled extremely well as a glider after its fuel was
used up, although this was when it was most vulnerable to
Allied fighter attack. The Komet would land on an extend-
able skid with a shock-absorbing leg.
The chief drawback of the Me 163 was the volatility
Ceiling, Fighters
caused by its two rocket propellants, called "T-Stoff' (hy-
drogen peroxide and water) and "C-Stoff' (hydrazine hy-
drate, methyl alcohol, and water). These two propellants re-
acted violently when mixed, and if a Komet had any
residual amounts of propellant in its tanks when landing, it
would often explode if the touchdown was too rough.
Sometimes a Komet would explode while merely sitting on
a runway! Pilots wore acid-resistant suits to pre-
vent being dissolved by the two corrosive rocket
fuels in the event of a leak. Another disadvantage
was the landing skid, which made landings ex-
tremely rough, causing several pilots to break
their backs . A pilot had to be extremely
proficient at precise, high-speed landings, for if
he overshot the runway and landed on rough
ground, the Me 163 would flip over and ex-
plode. Many pilots died while test-flying this
rocket fighter, and although the Komet was occa-
sionally successful at downing Allied aircraft, its
high speed made this difficult.
The Me 163A was the prototype version of
the Komet, and the Me 1638 was the model that
saw the most service. An improved model, the

Taken from an issue of Mechanics
Illustrated, this drawing depicts
the Me 163, including its pro-
posed ejector seat and detach-
able landing gear. Actually, few
Komet pilots would ever get
nearer to a U.S. bomber than
500 yards, since the tremendous
speed of the Me 163 left little
time to avoid a collision at short
distances. Courtesy of Mechanics
Illustrated
Me 263, with retractable landing gear and a longer fuse-

lage, was tested but never saw action.
"A good friend, Wolfgang Spate, flew the Me 163. I heard that
the problem was that it would explode if the two types of fuel
came together. They had a lot of losses out of this one. It was
only used as what we called an 'object fighter.' You could only let
it take off when you saw the enemy bombers, and it went up very
fast over them. The main tactic I know about was attacking from
above, without any fuel in the tanks, if possible.
"I don't know anyone who liked flying it, since it was a very
dangerous thing to fly. I would say it was a crazy idea - that's my
opinion. If you have a fighter and you have to burn out your fuel Frontal view of an Me 163. As its
sleek design indicates, it had
first, attack, and then make a glider landing, it doesn't seem to excellent handling characteristics
make much sense." Luftwaffe General Walter Krupinski as a glider once it ran out of fuel.
Courtesy of the United States
Air Force
German and U.S. Aircraft and Weapom 159

Me 1638-la Komet Dimensions
Performance Data Wingspan: 30 feet 7 inches
Powerplnnt: one Walther Wing area: 211 square feet
HWK 509A-l or A-2 bi-fuel Length: 18 feet 8 inches
rocket motor Height: 9 feet 2/3 inch
Thrust: 3,750 pounds Weights
Top speed: 515 miles per Empty: 4,191 pounds
hour at sea level, 596 miles Loaded: 9,042 pounds
Rate of per hour at 20,000 feet Standard Armament
Climb, Maximum diving speed: 615 Two 30-mm Rheinmetall
Fighters, miles per hour Borsig MK 108 cannon,
Per Maximum speed with /,anding with 60 rounds each,
Minute skid extended: 300 miles mounted in the wing roots
per hour
Maximum speed with flaps
partially Lowered: 375 miles
per hour
fully Lowered: 250 miles
per hour
Rate of climb: 16,000 feet per
minute, 2.6 minutes to
30,000 feet
Ceiling: 39,500 feet
Range: 50 miles
Crew: one
Optional Armament
Two 20-mm MG 151
cannons, with 100
rounds per gun,
mounted in the wing
roots
Ten vertically
launched SG 500
Jagdfaust 50-mm high-
explosive rocket-
propelled shells,
mounted in vertical
tubes in the wings

D Cockpit Gunsight mGun Camera Indicator Cockpitofan Me 1638-la
DCompass m Flaps Lever
DView Panel mc1ock
IB Landing Skid Lever 19 Airspeed Indicator
D Hydraulic Pressure ID RPM Indicator
Gauge llJ Fuel Gauges and Fuel
DAltimeter Tank Indicator Lights
D Banking Indicator m Manifold Pressure and
D Rate of Climb Indicator Temperature Gauge
D Cockpit Ammunition IIlJ Rudder Indicator
Round Indicator ID Jagdfaust Vertically
IIlJ Oil Pressure and Launched Rocket
Temperature Gauge Release Indicator
Gemzan and U.S. Aircrafl and Weapom 161

Messerschmitt Me 262A-1 a and Me 262A-2a Fighter
The world's first jet aircraft to be used in combat against
other aircraft, the Me 262 was the premier fighter aircraft of
World War I I. (It saw its first action a few days after the
British introduced the world's first operational jet fighter,
the Gloster Meteor, which was used only against V-1 flying
bombs.) With its revolutionary swept-wing design, the Me
262 was much faster than any aircraft the Allies could
counter with. Though not as maneuverab le as piston-
engined fighters, the Me 262 more than made up for this
Li mitation with its superior speed, as it could sweep through
enemy formations faster than pursuing aircraft. It could
also hold its speed in tight turns for longer periods of time
than p iston-engined fighters. But by the time it saw its first
action in 1944, the Me 262 was hampered by a lack of
trained pilots, a fuel shortage, Allied attacks on airfields,
and the general collapse of the Th ird Reich. Desp ite these
overwhelming handicaps, the Me 262 dominated all other
aircraft at a time when the Allies ruled the sky above Ger-
many, and signaled the beginning of a new era in aviation.
While German bureaucratic bungling at the highest lev-
els kept the Me 262 from entering service as a fighter at an
earlier date, the jet also suffered from rushed development.
l tsj umo engines were "frozen" at an early stage, and the re-
This restored Me 262 is on
display at the National Air
sulting mass-produced engines required constant servicing.
and Space Museum in Still , the first prototype, fitted with a nose-mounted piston
Washington, D.C. engine, was flying a full six months before the jet engines

were ready. The first jet-powered Me 262 made its trial
flight on July 18, 1942, but production was delayed until
General Adolf Galland flew another one nine months later.
The early prototypes were fitted with a tailwheel, but this
meant that while taxiing down the runway the pilot had to
lightly tap the brakes to bring the tail up and allow the plane
to take off. Later prototypes were fitted with a tricycle land-
ing gear, which, like other Messerschmitt landing gear, was
prone to collapse. Tested as a fighter, it proved superior in
flight and excelled at the interceptor role. However, pro-
duction was held up again while completed Me 262 fighters
were converted to Sturmvogel bombers, at Hitler's insis-
tence. Not until October of 1944 did the first Me 262 jet
fighter unit become operational. But for the next seven
months, until the end of the war, the Me 262 proved to be An Me 262 Sturmvogel fighter-
outstanding in combat; it was simply too fast for Allied bomber. Although Hitler ham-
pered the development of the
fighters and bomber gunners. However, its superior speed Me 262 by ordering that it be
was sometimes a liability to its pilots, who found it difficult to equipped with bomb racks, tech-
hit targets at high speeds, and Me 262s were sometimes shot nical problems with the junkers
down after the pilot had slowed to attack. In fact, most of the jumo 004 jet engine also kept
this remarkable aircraft from
losses occurred when the pilot had to slow down to land . mass production until 1944.
The Me 262A-la was the main fighter version produced Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force
during the war, and was dubbed the Schwalbe, or "Swallow." Museum, Wright-Patterson Air
It was heavily armed, with four cannons in the nose, and lat- Force Base, Dayton, Ohio
er, as the Me 262A-1B, with twenty-four R4M air-to-air
rockets mounted under the wings. Other versions included
the infamous Me 262A-2a Sturmvogel fighter-bomber, with
bomb racks mounted under the fuselage for carrying one
or two bombs, and various two-seater night fighters and
trainers. Although some 1,430 Me 262s were produced,
only about 300 were ever used against the Allies.
German and U.S. Aircraft and Weaporu 163

"It felt as though angels " I received absolutely zero training in the Me 262. I was pulled
were pushing." out of our fighter recreation center in March of 1945 by General
Luftwaffe General Adolf Galland, Galland and Colonel Steinhoff who came at that time with their
describing his first test flight of squadron. Steinhoff asked me, 'What are you doing here?' and I
the Me 262 on May 22, 1943 said I had finished the war. He asked me if I would like to fly the
262. I said, 'Immediately' and the next morning Steinhoff gave me
the introduction to the aircraft. I was sitting in the cockpit and he
was explaining something to me and he said, 'The most difficult
thing about this aircraft is starting the engine. So I will do it for
you.'
"It was easy to take off in the 262 because the nose gear was
running real nicely and properly. The problem was that the engine
didn't bring the speed up very fast. You needed the whole base
before you came to a takeoff speed. For example, at Munich, that
strip where we took off was about eleven hundred meters long,
and only after about a thousand meters did you have the lifting
speed to come off the field. Landing was easy, but you had to kill
the speed at the right time and then make what you call a glider
landing. That means never touching the throttle again and coming
in at the right angle. The problem was, if you wanted to give a lit-
tle more power to the engine, you had to do it very carefully and
use the throttle millimeter by millimeter.
"I flew a lot of fighters in the air force, and flameout was the
biggest problem that you normally could have in a jet aircraft. But
I never experienced a flameout in a 262, and I never heard about
one. The reason may be that the fuel control system was so sim-
ple that you immediately could ignite the engine again.
"The main danger in flying the 262 was that there were a lot
of problems with the engine. After four or five years of war, the
material used in the engine was not the best. So after each flight,
you listened to the turbine blades to hear whether they were
scraping, which they normally did after ten or fifteen hours; they
told us that the engines should be good for twenty-five hours.
The other problem was that you didn't have an ejection seat, so if
Range, Fighters you had to bail out, you had to first kill the speed. The parachute
was good only at 550 kilometers per hour and you were flying at
l:!"'t*f161 :)I 800 or even more. And so you had to wait and pray every time
and then, when you were at the end of the prayer, pull the
parachute handle."
@;it.fl 50 miles 1> "Goring made the worst mistake with the 262 that ever
could have been made - it was our greatest error of all
Go 229 1,970 miles
164 Secret Weapons of the Luflwaf!e

times. They saw it - while it was still an experimental aircraft -
in 1943 and decided to make a bomber out of it. There were
nearly four air corps bomber wings that were changed to the
262, and they were to bomb the U.K. with 500-kilo bombs, which
was all they could carry. The fighter service had only one 262
wing, Number 7 Wing, and only the 262 squadron General Gal-
land commanded after they kicked him out of his position as a
fighter general.
"Every time the discussion comes up, I say the same thing -
that the Germans didn't have a chance to win the war with the
262. But if the 262 had come up, say at the end of 1943, or even
1944, the air war over Germany would have been a different pic-
ture. The Americans wouldn't have had a chance to fly in daylight
on every target, because the 262 would have given the American
bomber force so many losses; their fighters at that time were not
fast enough to fight against the 262. So the Americans would have
concentrated much more on special mi litary targets and not
destroyed all of Germany, or all the towns wherever they were
flying." Luftwaffe Genera/ Walter Krupinski
"We first got news of the 262 in October of '44. They said
that it was a jet and was the fastest one around. We weren't
afraid that if we hit it we were going to die. We knew we had
won the war by this time, and the pilots that we were running up
against were just kids, with the exception of this one squadron
led by Galland, who had all the aces on the western front. And
yet, the first time I saw the 262, I just couldn't believe it, I
couldn't figure out what the hell it was. I just saw the 262s as
specks, until we finally got closer to them; then I recognized them
as jets. We never got any instructions on how to go after the
262, other than, 'Watch out for these things.'
"Had the Germans done what Galland had continuously
harped on them to do, to use the 262s as defensive weapons
instead of offensive weapons, before the massive air raids t hat
started knocking out their manufacturing, their oil, their fuel, we
would have still won the war, but it would have been one hell of a
bitter time." U.S. Army Air Force Captain James Finnegan

Me 262A- Ia and Me 262A- Dimensions
2a Performance Data (fig- Wingspan: 41 feet I/s inch
ures identical for two ver- Wing area: 233.3 square feet
sions except where noted) Length: 34 feet 9 I/2 inches
Powerplant: two Junkers Height: 12 feet 6 3/4 inches
Jumo 004B- 1 or B-4 Weights
turbojets Empty: 8,820 pounds
Thrust: 1,980 pounds loaded: 14,938 pounds
per engine Standard Armament
Top speed: 515 miles per Four 30-mm Rheinmetall
hour at sea level, 540 miles Borsig MK 108 cannons,
per hour at 19,685 feet two with 100 rounds each
Maximum diving speed: 620 and two with 80 rounds
miles per hour each, mounted in the up-
Maximum speed with landing per and lower nose
gear extended: 250 miles
per hour
partially lowered: 400 miles
per hour
fully lowered: 300 miles
per hour
minute, 6.8 minutes to
19,685 feet
Range: 526 miles at
Optional Armament
19,685 feet, 652 miles at
(la)
29,560 feet
Twenty-four 5cm
Crew: one
R4M roc kets, twelve
clustered in each wing
Optional Armament
(la)
Two 551-pound
bombs, mounted under
the fuselage
One 1,102-pound
bomb, mounted under
the fuselage

DViewPanel m Manifold Pressure and Cockpit of an Me 262A- I a and
D Cockpit Gunsight Me 262A-2a
Temperature Gauges
D Hydraulic Pressure (one per engine)
Gauge ID Rocket Release
D Airspeed Indicator Indicator
D Banking Indicator el Flaps Lever
D Rate of Climb Indicator mciock
0 RPM Indicators ml Cockpit Ammunition
(one per engine) Round Indicator
Ill Landing Gear Lever ID Bomb Indicator Panel
II Compass IIiJ Gun Camera Indicator
ID Altimeter Ill Rudder Indicator
m Fuel Gauges and Fuel Elil Oil Pressure and
Tank Indicator Lights Temperature Gauges
(one per engine)

Gotha Go 229A-O Fighter-Bomber
Perhaps the World War II aircraft that was farther ahead
of its time than any other, the Gotha Go 229 went into pro-
duction much too late to see any action. It was designed by
Luftwaffe Major Walter Horten and Oberleutnant Reimar
Horten, two brothers who had been experime nting with
tailless gliders since 1931. The Hortens were convinced that
such a "flying wing" was an outstanding aircraft design,
since it caused the least amount of drag. They discovered
that if the wing had a bell-shaped curve, it would be both
stable and controllable. Their first powered prototypes
were built in the late 1930s and were equipped with two
rear-facing prop engines . During the early 1940s, they
found it difficult to generate much official financial support
for their projects until intelligence reports from the United
States revealed that the Northrop Corporation was devel -
oping its own "flying wing."
In 1943, the Hortens began working on a twin-jet-pow-
ered "flying wing" prototype, the Horten Ho IX V2. This
fighter-bomber was made to Goring's general specification
that all new aircraft should carry 1,000 kilograms of bombs,
fly 1,000 kilometers per hour, and have a "penetration
depth" (one-third the total range) of 1,000 kilometers. This
"l ,000/1,000/1,000" plane
was made of wood , since it
was lightweight and metal
, was in short supply. The
Hortens also believed that a
wooden wing hit by a can-
non shell would sustain less
damage than a metal one.
The wood construction,
covered with a special
radar-absorbing paint ,
made this "flying wing" vir-
tually undetectable by
radar. Since the Ho IX V2
was tailless, two drng brake
flaps above and below each
wingtip provided direction-
Courtesy of the United States al control. The pilot achieved lateral and longitudinal con-
Air Force
trol by moving outer and center-mounted surfaces on the
trailing edge of the wing. For better visibility, the pilot's
compartment was located as far forward as possible.
After its first flight, in f(bruary 1945, the Ho IX V2 pilot
reported that it had excellent flying characteristics; howev-
er, on its second flight, it crashed when its starboard engine
flamed out. Although the Ho IX V2 prototype had only
logged two hours of flying time, the design was put into pro-
duction at the Gotha factory for Luftwaffe evaluation, and
was designated the Gotha Go 229. Several production ver-
Artist's conception of a Go 229 in
flight. Had Gennany been able to
prolong the war for a few more
months, this fighter-bomber
could have seen action against
Allied aircraft.
sions, including two-seat all-weather fighters and trainers,

as we ll as single-seat A-0 fighter-bombe rs, were nearing
completion when the Gotha factory was captured by the
U.S. Army in April 1945. The Hortens had also been con-
tracted to develop a six-engine jet bomber with a range of
4,000 miles, and were work ing on a supersonic "fl ying
wing," and even a large passenger-carrying version. If Ger-
many had prolonged the war, the Go 229A-O would proba- A nearly completed Go 229 cap-
bly have entered Luftwaffe serv ice in late 1945 or early tured by the U.S. Anny at the
1946. Gotha factory.
Cemum arul U.S. Aircraft and Weapom 169

Go 229A-O Performance Dimensions
Data (Estimated) Wingspan: 45 feet 11 '/s
Powerplant: two Junkers inches
Jumo 004B-l turbojets Wing area: 376.6 square feet
Thrust: 1,962 pounds at length: 24 feet 6 'Is inches
takeoff Height: 9 feet 2 I/ 4 inches
Top speed: 590 miles per Weights
hour at sea level, 607 miles Empty: 10,140 pounds
per hour at 39,370 feet loaded: 16,550 pounds
Maximum diving speed: 640 Standard Armament
miles per hour Four 30-mm MK 108
Maximum speed with landing can nons, with 120 rounds
gear extended: 175 miles per gun , mounted in the
per hour wing roots
partially lowered: 500 mi les
per hour
per hour
Rate of climb: 4,430 feet
per minute, 6.1 minutes to
19,685 feet
Range: I, 180 miles at 393
miles per hour, 1,970 miles
with drop tanks
Crew: one
Optional Armament
and Attachments
Four 30-mm MK 103
cannons, with 120
rounds per gun ,
mounted in the wing
roots
Two 2,205-pound
bombs
Two 33 1-gallon auxil-
iary fuel ta nks

OViewPanel IB Flaps Lever Cockpit of a Go 229A-O
D Cockpit Gunsight DI Gun Camera Indicator
D Airspeed Indicator ID Clock
II Banking Indicator ID Landing Gear Lever
D Rate of Climb Indicator ml RPM Indicators (one
D Cockpit Ammunition per engine)
Round Indicator mHydraulic Pressure
D Rocket Release Gauge
Indicator IIiJ Manifold Pressure and
D Bomb Indicator Panel Temperature Gauges
D Fuel Gauges and Fuel (one per engine)
Tank Indicator Lights ID Oil Pressure and
II!J Compass Temperature Gauges
mAltimeter (one per engine)

UNITED S T ATES AIRCRAFT
Republic P-47C Thunderbolt Fighter ("Razorback")
The largest, heaviest single-engine, single-seat fighter of
World War II, the P-47 Thunderbolt was nicknamed "the
Jug," and was indeed a juggernaut. It was designed around
an enormous new air-cooled radial engine which, at 2,000
horsepower, was the most powerful available at the time and
Courtesy of Temple Press, Ltd. could withstand damage better than liquid-cooled engines.
The P-4 7 also had a huge propeller that measured twelve
feet in diameter. Despite its huge size and seven-ton weight,
the P-47 was fast and maneuverable ; since it weighed so
much, it could dive faster than any other fighter, reaching
speeds of600 miles per hour (several pilots actually report-
ed reaching supersonic speeds). And with eight machine
guns in the wings, it packed a deadly punch.
Tough and durable, the P-47 was the main
fighter of the Eighth Air Force until the arrival
of the P-51 Mustang. Its worthiness increased
with the development of external drop tanks, which ex-
panded its range and countered the limitations of its fuel-
guzzling engine. The P-4 7 was later used as a fighter-
bomber for ground-attack strafing and bombing missions,
where it excelled. The Thunderbolt had the distinction of
being built in larger num-
bers than any other U.S.
fighter.
The P-47C, as well as the
early D-models, were known as "razorbacks," be-
cause of the distinctive raised shape of the rear
canopy, which, unfortunately, obscured the pilot's vi-

-
sion to the rear. The C also featured a longer fuselage than
the previous models, plus racks for bombs or fuel tanks.
This model was the first to see service in Europe, and ar-
rived in England at the beginning of 1943, as the Eighth Air
Force was being established.
"The P-47 was designed for high-altitude fighting, period. The

Mustang was a derivative of the A-36, and the A-36 was built as a
dive bomber: it had dive brakes, the whole works. But the Mus-
tang was getting the hell kicked out of it in low-level attacks
because of its inline engine. If you got in a nick in it, it was good-
bye. With a. P-47, I came back one time with two cylinders shot
out, and you'd never be able to do that with a Mustang. Some-
body finally decided that, hey, this P-47 can really take a beating
and still stay in the air, and can do some fighting. Let's use that as
a fighter-bomber, and let's take the Mustang and put it up above,
where it does better at air-to-air."
U.S. Army Air Force Captain James Finnegan
"The P-4 7 shot down a lot more I90s and I09s than they
shot down P-47s. As a matter of fact, it was hard to shoot a P-47
down because it could come home with half the engine gone and
it would still run. It was a great plane, the safest one of all. For
combat, for ground support, air-to-air, anything, I'd take it any-
time over the P-51 . I flew P-80s and F-86s after the war, and I'd
still take the P-47 anytime."
U.S. Army Air Force Second Ueutenant Thomas Marsters

P-47C Thunderbolt Dimensions
Performance Data Wingspan: 40 feet 9 l/ 4
Powerpl,ant: One Pratt & inches
Wh itney R-2800-21 Double Wing area: 300 square feet
Wasp IS-cylinder radial Length: 36 feet J l/ 4 inches
engine Height: 14 feet 2 inches
Horsepower: 2,000; 2,300 at Weights
war emerge ncy power Empty: 9,0 I 0 pounds
Top speed: 255 miles per Loaded: 14,925 pounds
hour at sea level, 433 miles Standard Armament
per hour at 30,000 feet Eight .50-caliber Colt-
Maxi-mum diving speed: 600 Browning M-2 machine
miles per hour guns, with a maximum of
Maxi-mum speed with landing 425 rounds each, mounted
gear extended: 250 miles per in the wings
hour
M axi,mum speed with flaps
per hour
M axi,mum speed with flaps
per hour
Rate ofclimb: 2,800 feet per
minute, 14 minutes to
20,000 feet
Range: 475 miles; 800 miles
with 200-gallon belly tank
Crew: one
Optional Equipment
One 200-gallon
belly tank
Two 75-gallon
wing tanks
200-gallon "flat" belly tank.
Two-thousand-pound
bombload
174 Secrel Weapons of lhe Luflwaffe

D Cockpit Gunsight ID Rocket Release Cockpit of a P-47C
D Cockpit Ammunition Indicator
Round Indicator ID Flaps Lever
DViewPanel 19 Landing Gear Lever
II Gun Camera Indicator ID Altimeter
II Bomb Indicator Panel 11':1 Banking Indicator
II Airspeed Indicator ID Rate of Climb Indicator
DCompass ml Manifold Pressure and
El Rudder Indicator Temperature Gauge
DClock 111 Oil Pressure and
lllJ Fuel Gauges and Fuel Temperature Gauge
Tank Indicator Lights EiiJ Hydraulic Pressure
m RPM Indicator Gauge

Republic P-470 Thunderbolt Fighter ("Razorback")
When an improved Double Wasp engine was intro-
duced, the Thunderbolts that were built with it were desig-
nated the P-4 7D. This faster model saw its first action in late
1943, and featured improved armor plating and a better
engine cooling system. Later D-models also had a bubble
canopy, which gave the pilot 360-degree visibility, along
with a water injection system for extra power, and external
bomb racks and fuel tan ks, plus greater internal fuel capaci-
ty. The P-47D was the most widely produced subtype of
fighter aircraft ever, with 12,602 D-model Thunderbolts
rolling off the assembly lines.
Despite the fact that the P-51 Mustang eventuall y
usurped the P-47's role as the main air-to-air combat air-
craft, many of the leading U.S. aces in Europe, including
the top two, Lieutenant Colonel Francis Gabreski and Cap-
tain Robert Johnson, scored the majority of their kills in
Thunderbolts. They took advantage of the P-47's ability to
dive and climb fast, as well as of the fact that the P-4 7 was
faster than the Bf 109 or FW 190 at high altitudes, although
it did not have as tight a turning radius as these Luftwaffe
fighters .
When the P-47 began to be used in the ground attack
role in late 1943, many pilots who had survived months of
high-altitude warfare fell victim to the dangers of low-level
combat, with heavy ground fire and numerous obstacles to
maneuver around at 400 miles per hour. Nevertheless, the
durability of t h e P-4 7 made it an outstanding fighter-
bomber, and it provided invaluable support for Allied
ground forces from D-Day up until the end of the war. The
176 Secret Weapons of the Luflwaffe

Thunderbolt would go down in history as the one aircraft "The real importance of
that excelled at both roles it was assigned : air-to-air and
ground support.
the air war consisted in
the fact that it opened a
"The P-47, from takeoff, was a bitch for torque. All propeller- second front before the
engined planes have torque, if they're single-engined. When those
big paddle props went around, you had that right leg on that right
invasion of Europe.
rudder the whole way down the runway until you got up in the That front was the skies
air. Because of the weight, we always took off with flaps to get up over Germany."
quicker.
Gennan Minister of Annarnents
"A directive came out that when we'd go into a dive, we were Albert Speer
to try not to use all the power. Because the nose was so heavy,
you'd go so fast that the controls couldn't hold it; they were inef-
fective. So as a result, if you were going down, you'd just keep

going down, there was no way to pull it out.
"The P-47 flew like it looked, although maybe that's wrong,
because it was a good-flying airplane. When you got into trouble,
you could shove that left rudder and shove that stick over, and
make that thing turn. I'm not saying you couldn't do that with a
Mustang, but you could treat the P-47 rougher. When it was run-
ning slow, you had to do a lot of work at it, unlike a 5 I. But the
P-47 was a great ship to fly. It didn't look good, but Germans will
tell you, as Galland told me, that it was one ship they did not like
to take on, particularly one-on-one, because of the firepower
more than anything else. It couldn't outmaneuver a I 09 in a
dogfight close to the ground, but at high altitude you could always
go down faster than whatever was on your back. Nothing could
outdive a P-47." U.S. Army Air Force Captain James Finnegan
"The weaknesses of the P-47 were that they were low on

speed and low on climbing. But they were excellent on a dive, so
if they realized they were being attacked by German fighters and
they were diving, you couldn't catch them. You'd say, 'Come again
another day, and let's find out who is the better one."'

P-470 Thunderbolt Dimensions
Performance Wingspan: 40 feet 91/4
Powerplant: one Pratt & inches
Whitney R-2800-21 Double Wing area: 300 square feet
Wasp IS-cylinder radial Length: 36 feet l l/4 inches
engine Height: 14 feet 2 inches
Horsepower: 2,000; 2,300 at Weights
war emergency power Empty: 10,700 pounds
Top speed: 255 at sea level, Loaded: 19,400 pounds
426 miles per hour at Armament
30,000 feet Eight .SO-caliber Colt-
Maximum speed with landing Browning M-2 machine
gear extended: 250 miles guns, with a maximum of
per hour 425 rounds each, mounted
Maximum speed with flaps in the wings
per hour
per hour
20,000 feet
Range: 475 miles; 800 miles
with external drop tanks
Crew: one
Optional Equipment
One 200-gallon
belly tank
lwo 75-gallon
wing tanks
Two-thousand-pound
bomb load

D Cockpit Gunsight UI Rocket Release Cockpit of a P-470
Round Indicator 61 Flaps Lever
DViewPanel 19 Landing Gear Lever
II Gun Camera Indicator ID Altimeter
D Bomb Indicator Panel Im Banking Indicator
D Airspeed Indicator m Rate of Climb Indicator
&Compass IEJ Manifold Pressure and
11 Rudder Indicator Temperature Gauge
II Clock la Oil Pressure and
Im Fuel Gauges and Fuel Temperature Gauge
Tank Indicator Lights EI!J Hydraulic Pressure
Gennan and U.S. Aircraft and Weapons 179

North American P-5 I B and P-5 IC Mustang Fighter
The P-51 Mustang was one of the most successful
fighters in history, and proved its worth to the U.S. Army
Air Force as the aircraft that provided the badly needed
long-range fighter escort that permitted U.S. heavy
bombers to continue operations. Originally designed for
the RAF in 1940 as a reliable, inexpensive fighter, the Mus-
tang went from the drawing board to test flight in an un-
heard-of 117 days. Its development was headed and speed-
ed along by James "Dutch" Kindelberger of North
American Aviation, who utilized some ideas he had picked
up during a trip to the Messerschmitt and Heinke! factories
in 1938. However, at the time it was first developed, the U.S.
Army Air Force had no interest in the new fighter, although
they later ordered a dive bomber version of this aircraft, the

A-36 Invader. The airframe and design of the Mustang
were clean and highly advanced, and the P-51 featured a
unique laminar-flow wing design, with a thin leading edge,
a thick trailing edge, and similar curvature on the upper
and lower sections of the wing. This laminar-flow wing
greatly reduced drag and contributed to the Mustang's abil-
ity to fly long distances. The British initially used the Mus-
tang for reconnaissance and ground attack, since its perfor-
mance at medium and high altitudes was less than
satisfactory due to its underpowered Allison engine, the
same powerplant that gave the P-38 Lightning so many
problems in Europe. But when the British installed the
Rolls-Royce Merlin engine in October 1942, the potential of
the P-5 l's airframe was unleashed, and the faster Mustang
II proved to be outstanding at high altitudes. Unfortunate-
ly, the U.S. Army Air Force was slow to become interested in
180 Secret Weapons of the Luf twaffe

the Mustang, since it had already committed itself to mass-
producing other fighters . When the need for a long-range
escort fighter became critical after the disastrous U.S. raids
on Schweinfurt, P-51 production was stepped up, and the
first Mustangs arrived in Europe in late 1943. T he P-51
quickly made an impact
against the German fighters
as a fast escort with unsur-
passed maneuverability and
excellent range.
The first U.S. mass-pro-
d uced, Merlin-powered
Mustang was the B-series. It
featured a large, four-blad-
ed propeller, to maximize
the performance of the
Merlin. T he P-5 lB also had
wing racks for carrying up
to 2,000 pounds of bombs,
plus a bulged Malcolm canopy that the RAF had used on Courtesy of North American
the Spitfire, for increased visibility and headroom . The P- Aviation
51 C Mustang was identical in every way to the P-518 , ex-
cept that it was built at North American's newer plant in
Dallas, Texas.
"Flying the P-51 was very, very exciting; it was a really great
aircraft. I could do anything I wanted with it in flight. You could
make quick turns, things like that, although it wouldn't go any
faster than the P-47 once you got the old Jug going. The P-51 had
a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine in it that sounded just like a kitty
purring; it really ran smooth. There was only one problem with
the airplane itself in combat, which was if you got one bullet hole
in the coolant system, you had to abandon it right away because
the engine would freeze up because of the lost coolant. Also, like
all rear-wheeled aircraft, it was a little tough to taxi because you
couldn't see out the front, you had to do an S-curve when you
taxied. But it handled real nicely; we really didn't fly it, we wore
it." U.S. Army Air Force Second Ueutenant Thomas Marsters

P-S IB and P-S IC Mustang Ceiling: 42,111 feet
Performance Data Range: 1,300 miles with
Powerpfant: one Packard V- external drop tanks
1650 (Rolls-Royce Merlin Crew: one
61) 12-cylinder liquid- Dimensions
cooled engine Wingspan: 3 7 feet
Horsepower: 1,490 at take- Wing area: 233 square feet
off, 1, 720 at war emer- Length: 32 feet 3 inches
gency power Height: 13 feet 8 inches
Top speed: 375 miles per Weights
hour at sea level, 437 miles Empty: 9,800 pounds
per hour at 25,000 feet Loaded: 11,200 pounds
miles per hour Four .SO-caliber Colt-
Maximum speed with /,anding Browning M-2 machine
per hour 350 rounds for each in-
Maximum speed with flaps board gun and 280 rounds
partially lowered: 380 miles for each outboard gun,
per hour mounted in the wings
per hour
20,000 feet
Optional Equipment
Canopy of a P-51 B
Two 75-gallon
wing tanks
Two-thousand-pound
bomb load

D Cockpit Gunsight nJ Flaps Lever Cockpit ofa P-51 B
D Cockpit Ammunition mLanding Gear Lever
Round Indicator el Altimeter
DViewPanel ID Banking Indicator
II Gun Camera Indicator ml Rudder Indicator
II Bomb Indicator Panel mRate of Climb Indicator
D Airspeed Indicator lllJ Manifold Pressure and
DCompass Temperature Gauge
El Clock ID Oil Pressure and
D Fuel Gauges and Fuel Temperature Gauge
Tank Indicator Lights fI!l Hydraulic Pressure
lliJ RPM Indicator Gauge
m Rocket Release
Indicator
German arul U.S . Aircraft and Weapons 183

North American P-51 D Mustang Fighter
As the P-51 B and P-51 C models were being flown in
combat, the first pilot evaluation reports began coming in to
North American. Although pilots unanimously loved the
Mustang, they complained that rear visibility was ham-
pered by the cockpit and rear fuselage arrangement, and
the Malcolm hood was proving to be less than satisfactory.
To solve this problem, North American decided to fit a

Force
teardrop canopy onto the Mustang. This canopy, already in
use by the RAF, offered the pilot total 360-degree visibility,
and North American engineers redesigned the rear part of
the fuselage to incorporate it onto the Mustang. This model
was known as the P-5 1D, and also featured an improved en-
gine, reinforced wings, and two additional wing-
mounted machine guns with extra ammunition.
Maximum Firepower, Fighters Later D-models had a dorsal fin, to cor-
rect stability problems. With a produc-
tion total of 7 ,956, the P-5 1D was
produced in greater numbers
than any other Mustang.
The importance of the P-5 1 in
the U.S. aerial offensive in
Europe cannot be overstat-
ed. From late 1943 on, it was
a feared presence at both
high and low altitudes, es-
corting larger and larger
bomber formations to their
targets deep within t h e Third
Reich, and destroying German
aircraft in the air and on the ground. Of the
thousands of Luftwaffe aircraft lost during the
war, P-5ls destroyed some 4,950, or nearly 49

percent. After World War II , the Mustang was utilized for
ground support during the Korean War, and was also used
by fifty air forces around the world.
"The Mustang was delicate to the touch, a sweet airplane.

There are guys who fly jets today who say that the Mustang was
the purest airplane to fly."
U.S. Anny Air Force Captain James Finnegan
"The Mustangs were excellent in the altitude of 7,000 to 8,000

meters. That was also the altitude where they flew normally over
the bombers, but above that nearly every piston engine had a lot
of trouble. Only we in our I09s with our special engines were a
little bit better than the Mustang engines at higher altit udes, so
we'd try to attack them when we were higher than they were.
But we had to protect our fighters who were attacking bombers,

and normally the Mustangs were attacking us and that was very
bad if you were not an experienced pilot. Even I was shot down
once by a Mustang. I thought that I had my whole group of thirty
aircraft behind me, and I didn't realize that they were all gone.
The Mustang hit me and I bailed out at 8,000 or 9,000 meters."
Germfln and U.S. Aircraft and Weapons 185

P-5 1D Mustang Range: 950 miles, 1,650
Performance Data with external drop tanks
Powerplant: one Packard V- Crew: one
1650-7 (Rolls-Royce Merlin Dimensions
61) 12-cylinder engine Wingspan: 37 feet
Horsepower: 1,490 at takeoff, Wing area: 233 square feet
1, 720 at war emergency Length: 32 feet 3 inches
power Height: 13 feet 8 inches
7op speed: 375 miles per Weights
hour at sea level, 437 miles Empty: 7 ,368 pounds
per hour at 25,000 feet Loaded: 10,300 pounds
miles per hour Six .50-caliber Colt-
Maximum speed with landing Browning M-2 machine
per hour 270 rounds in each center
Maximum speed with flaps and outboard gun and 400
partially lowered: 380 miles rounds in each inboard
per hour gun, mounted in the wings
per hour
minute, 7 minutes 18 sec-
onds to 20,000 feet
Optional Equipment
Canopy of a P-51 D
Two 75-gallon
wing tanks
Two-thousand-pound
bombload

D Cockpit Gunsight mRocket Release Cockpit of a P-5 I D
Round Indicator m Flaps Lever
DViewPanel m Landing Gear Lever
ID Gun Camera Indicator ID Altimeter
D Bomb Indicator Panel ml Banking Indicator
II Airspeed Indicator m Rate of Climb Indicator
&Compass IIlJ Manifold Pressure and
Ill Rudder Indicator Temperature Gauge
DClock n:I Oil Pressure and
lllJ Fuel Gauges and Fuel Temperature Gauge
Tank Indicator Lights Ell Hydraulic Pressure
Gernum and U.S. Aircraft and Weapons 187

Boeing B- I 7F and B-17G Flying Fortress Bomber
Originally designed in 1934 as a long-range bomber, the
B-17 was largely outdated by the time of the U.S. bombing
offensive. Yet this heavy bomber was one of the most suc-
cessful combat aircraft of the war, renowned for its ability to
deliver bombloads over long distances, absorb unbelievable
amounts of damage, and still return to base, sometimes with
one, two, even three engines out. As a strategic bomber, it
operated well in large formations, and was a stable platform
from which to drop a bombload. B-l 7s dropped two out of
every five U.S. bombs used in the war and over l 00,000
more tons of bombs on European targets than B-24s, while
destroying more enemy fighters in combat. Aptly nick-
named the "Flying Fortress," it was the bomber upon which
U.S. air power advocates pinned their hopes for a heavily
armed plane that would not need fighter escort. But even
with all its armament, it was vulnerable to frontal attack and
suffered heavy losses in 1943 until the arrival of the P-51
Mustang long-range escort fighter.
The B- l 7F was the first true combat-worthy Flying
Fortress, and retained many of the design improvements of
the earlier B- l 7E, including a redesigned tail and a rear
turret. Other improvements included a large Plexiglas nose
and wider, paddle-blade propellers, which raised its service
ceiling and increased its speed. Later B-l 7Fs had extra fuel
tanks, called "Tokyo tanks," which increased its range, but
the weight of this extra fuel slowed its initial rate of climb. B-
The nose of a B-17G, clearly l 7Fs began rolling off the assembly lines in May 1942, and
showing the gun turret, which these Fortresses were the first to see action over Europe in
was installed after U.S. bombers the Eighth Air Force.
encountered deadly frontal
attacks from Luftwaffe fighters.
Since Luftwaffe fighter pilots were becoming increasing-
Courtesy of the United States ly successful at damaging and downing B-l 7s by frontal at-
Air Force tacks, the B- l 7G was introduced in 1943. It had a twin gun
turret in the nose, which
was developed to bring
more machine guns to bear
on the enemy fighters. Lat-
er models of the B- l 7G also
had staggered waist gun po-
sitions, to keep the waist
gunners from bumping
into each other while firing,
plus a redesigned rear tur-
ret with larger windows.
These were the only major
improvements, and the B-
l 7G was virtually identical
in performance to the B-
17 F. The B- l 7G saw its first
combat in September 1943
and was the Flying Fortress

produced in the largest quantities of any variant, with 8,680 Courtesy of the Boeing Aircraft
delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force. Company
There were ten crewmen aboard a B-17: a pilot, a copi-
lot, an engineer, a bombardier, a navigator, a radioman, two
waist gunners, a ball turret gunner, and a tail gunner. Some
of these crewmen were required to man machine guns as
well as perform their assigned duties. The engineer was re-
quired to have a detailed working knowledge of the B-17
and operate the top turret just behind the pilots' compart-
ment. The radioman worked a single .50-caliber dorsal-
mounted machine gun in the bomber's midsection on some
models. The bombardier sat in the extreme front of the
nose section and fired the nose-mounted machine gun or
chin turret. The navigator sat between the bombardier and
the pilot's compartment and worked a machine gun that
was mounted on one side of the nose. The crewmen whose
sole duties were to operate machine guns were the two waist
gunners, who operated the two machine guns in the middle
of the fuselage, the ball turret gunner (usually a small man),
who operated the Sperry ball turret located underneath the
fuselage, and the tail gunner, who operated the rear gun
turret.
'Taking off in a B-17 was like taking off in a Greyhound bus, or

an overloaded truck, because you had your bombload, your fuel
load, and your ammunition, and you'd just crank that thing up and
hold it there.
"The cockpit of a B-17 was the worst place to see anything up
there, because you're looking straight ahead and that's it. You
really couldn't see around or down. You got more information

from your navigator and bombardier who were out there in a
glass ball. I always felt sorry for the navigator and the bombardier.
In the cockpit, we had armored plate on the seat and on the back
and a little bit on the sides, but all they had around them was
Plexiglas. They were right in front, where they could get hit by
the shells.
"Once we'd lost a couple of engines on one wing over France,
a long ways from home. We had to feather the dead engines, so
the props didn't windmill on us, and the flat blades slowed us
down. We also cut back on the power to the two remaining
engines. Maneuvering with two engines out on one side is tough,
because the weight of the dead-side wing causes it to drop. We
were so concerned about keeping that wing up, and keeping the
airplane flying that we didn't stop to think that it could run right
into the ground.
" You monitored all your engines all the time, and checked
your oil pressure, your RPMs, especially when you were getting
hit by flak."
'The B-17 was an easy plane to fly. I flew a B-24 for a few
hours and that was a lot of work. The B-17 was really stable and
easy to fly; in fact you'd think, 'This thing can fly by itself."'
" In the beginning when we were trying to find out what was
the best way to attack a B-17, we tried everything, even bombing
the bombers with bombs and so on. But we found out that the
best tactic was to attack them from the front, and we used the
190 for this from late 1943 on. The time when you could shoot
was very short because the closing speed was a very high one.
But if you hit the B-17 from the front, you normally hit the cock-
pit and the engines. After that time, there were only four groups
of I 90s who were still attacking from behind, called the Sturm-
gruppen; if the B-17 didn't burn or the crew didn't bail out, these
I 90s were ramming the bomber on the elevator and the rudder."

B- 17F and B- I7G Flying Dimensions
Fortress Performance Wingspan: 103 feet 9 inches
Data {figures identical for Wing area: 1,420 square feet
two models except where Length: 74 feet 9 inches
noted) Height: 19 feet 1 inch
Powerplant: four Wright Weights
Cyclone R-1820-97 radial Empty: 34,000 pounds
engines Loaded: 65,500 pounds
Horsepower: 1,200 at takeoff, Armament
1,000 at 25,000 feet, 1,380 (F): Eleven .50-caliber
at war emergency power at Colt-Browning M-2 ma-
25,000 feet chine guns; two each
Top speed (F): 299 miles per mounted in the top, ball,
hour at 25,000 feet; (G): and tail turrets; one mount-
287 miles per hour at ed in the nose, in each side
25,000 feet of the nose (cheek posi-
Ibp speed at war emergency tion), and at each waist
power: 302 miles per hour position
Maximum diving speed: 310 (G): Twelve .50-caliber
miles per hour Colt-Browning M-2 ma-
Rate of climb: 37 minutes to chine guns; two each
20,000 feet mounted in the chin, top,
Ceiling (F): 37,500 feet, (G): ball, and tail turrets; one
35,600 feet mounted in each side of the
Range (standard nose (cheek position), and
bombload): 2,000 miles at each waist position
Crew: ten Eight-thousand-pound
bomb load
Gennan and U.S. Aircraft and Weapons 19 1

View of the Norden bombsight DAltimeter D Gunner Indicator
D Airspeed Indicator Lights
D Banking Indicator DCompass
II Automatic Pilot Light
D Bombsight Calculation
Light
II Bomb Release Timer
D Bomb Indicator Panel
View from the chin turret D Gunner Indicator Lights

position
D Automatic Firing Mode
Light
D Ammunition Round
Indicator

DViewPanel IIll Oil Pressure and Cockpit of a B- I 7F
(B-17G is similar)
D Automatic Pilot Light Temperature Gauges
D Hydraulic Pressure (one per engine)
Gauge la Manifold Pressure and
D Gunner Indicator Temperature Gauges
Lights (one per engine)
D Fuel Gauges and Fuel Em Gun Camera Indicator
Tank Indicator Lights
II Compass
D Banking Indicator
Ill Landing Gear Lever
and Indicator Lights
D Engine View Selector
IIil RPM Indicators
(one per engine)
mc1ock
ID Bomb Indicator Panel
ID Flaps Lever
el Airspeed Indicator
ID Altimeter
ml Rudder Indicator
m Rate of Climb Indicator
D Ammunition Round View from the tail gun position
Indicator
D Automatic Firing Mode
Light
D Gunner Indicator Lights

GERMAN AIRBORNE WEAPONS
Rheinmetall Borsig MG 13 I Machine Gun
This powerful 13-mm belt-fed machine gun was used on
both the Focke-Wulf 190 and the Bf 109G, and was original-
ly installed as a machine gun that could do the work of a
cannon if the latter jammed. The MG 131 fired up to 300
rounds at the rate of 930 rounds per minute, which was a
higher rate of fire than the Colt-Browning M-2 .50-caliber
machine guns carried by U .S. fighters . However, the MG
131 had a slightly lower muzzle velocity - 2,560 feet per
second - than the U.S. machine guns. (Muzzle velocity is
the speed at which a bullet leaves the gun barrel; the higher
the muzzle velocity, the less time it takes for the shells to
reach the target.) Since it had large breech blocks, the instal-
lation of the MG 131 in the Gustav necessitated the redesign
of the forward fuselage, and the subsequent
"The Americans, instead of hitting fig h ter was appropriately nicknamed die
their targets, seemed to bomb Beute or "the Bump."
everything they got close to. If they had
MG FF Cannon
an aiming point, I must say their aiming
devices must have been bad. Out of this At the time of the Battle of Britain, this
bombing, the factory or the railway was the standard 20-mm cannon, and was
station would be hit, but we saw a lot of wing-mounted on the early models of the
bomb craters around areas where nearly Bf 109, as well as on the FW l 90A-5. It fired
nothing was. The British were much at a rate of 540 rounds per minute and had
better at this. They had the Pathfinders a relatively slow muzzle velocity of 1,920
who were flying in front of them feet per second. Though it was well liked by
dropping flares, and the bombers were
th e German air ministry , the MG FF was
dropping their bombs into this flare
pattern. They also had much better
eventually replaced by the superior MG
possibilities to find out what the wind 151 as standard equipment.
was at the difficult sites and so were Mauser MG I S I /20 cannon
much better than the American
bombers." Both the Bf 109 and the FW 190 used
Luftwaffe General Walter Krupinski this excellent 20-mm belt-fed cannon,
which could fire 750 rounds per minute
and had a muzzle velocity of2,310 feet per
second. Although this reliable cannon was ideal for attack-
ing the sluggish U.S. bombers, its rate of fire was too slow
against t h e .50-caliber machine guns carried by U.S.
fighters.
Rheinmetall Borsig MK I 08 cannon
This powerful 30-mm belt-fed air-to-air weapon was
used on the Bf 109, the FW 190, the Me 262, and the Me
163. Designed as an antibomber weapon, it was rushed
through development, and it jammed easily at the rate of
one stoppage for every hundred rounds fired as a result.
The MK 108 could fire 60 eleven-ounce mine/tracer or in-
cendiary shells at a rate of 660 per minute. It had an effec-
tive range of 1,300 feet, and with a relatively slow muzzle ve-
locity of 1,705 feet per second, its shells would arc toward
the target and could fall short if the pilot didn't compensate.
The MK 108 was nicknamed the "pneumatic hammer" by
Allied aircrews because of the monotonous noise it made
when fired. Usually a few hits with this formidable cannon
were enough to destroy any opposing fighter.
Rheinmetall Borsig MK I 03 cannon
An even deadlier antibomber weapon than the MK 108,
this 30- mm cannon was mounted in gondolas under the
wings of several models of the FW 190, and was intended to
be installed in the wings of the Go 229. It had a greater ef-
fective range than the MK 108, at 2,000 feet, and a faster
muzzle velocity, at 2,820 feet per second. It was also more
reliable and less prone to jamming than the MK I 08. How-
ever, at 420 rounds per minute, it fired its large, high-explo-
sive shells at a slower rate than the MK 108.
R4M Air-to-Air Rocket
These 55-mm missiles were the most formidable
antibomber weapons in the Luftwaffe's arsenal. (The name
"R4M" was an abbreviation for Rakete, or "rocket," 4 kilo-
grams - the weight of each rocket - and Minen Gesclwss, a
thin-walled shell.) They were mounted on two wooden The two waist gunners of a late-
racks under the wings of the Me 262, with each rack holding model 8-17. The waist gun posi-
twelve rockets. All twenty-four rockets cou ld be launched in tions were staggered so that the
gunners wouldn't get in each
.03 seconds, and at 1,800 feet the missiles could scatter to other's way during fighter
cover the space occupied by a heavy bomber. One hit by attacks. Courtesy of the United
these highly explosive rockets was sufficient to down a B-17. States Air Force
German mul U.S. Aircraft and Weapons 195

SG 500 Jagdfaust Vertically Launched Rocket
This weapon was developed toward the end of the war
for the Me 163 in an effort to ensure that the pilots, most of
whom were inexperienced at downing aircraft, would score
a hit every time. The SC 500 Jagdfaust (SC being an abbrevi-
ation for Sondergerdt, or "special equipment") was a high-ex-
plosive 50-mm rocket, and five of these were mounted in
vertical tubes on each wing of the Ko met. They were fired
by a light-sensitive cell that was activated by the shadow of a
bomber when the Me 163 would fly underneath it.
Wfr. Gr. 21 Rocket-Fired Mortars
Two of these 21-cm mortar shells were mounted beneath
the wings of the Bf 109 and the FW 190, one per wing. The
Wfr. Gr. 21 (which was an abbreviation for Werfer-Grarw,te, a
rocket-propelled shell) was designed to be fired into tight
bomber formations, to break them up so that individual
bombers could then be attacked by other fighters . It was
first used during the second U.S. bombing raid on Schwein-
furt on October 14, 1943, and was launched from outside of
the B-17s' field of fire. The Wfr. Gr. 21 had a slow muzzle
velocity of 1,030 feet per second, and at a range of3,280 feet
it had a vertical deviation of25 feet, which meant that it had
to be fired above the bombers, and a horizontal deviation of
130 feet. It could also deviate depending on atmospheric
conditions.
I I 0/551 /I I 0212,205-Pound Bombs
These were general purpose bombs carried by various
German fighter-bombers. The 110-pound bomb was car-
ried under the wings of the Bf 109 and the FW 190. The
551-pound bomb was a time-fused fragmentation bomb
mounted under the wings of the Bf 109 and the FW 190. It
The hazards of low-level strafing.
A collision with a tree punched
this hole in the wing of a P-47.

was dropped onto the B-17 formations to break them up, "More than once I'd
and it had a three-second time delay before detonation.
The 1,102- and the 2,205-pound bombs were carried by the
seen a single burst of
Sturmvogel fighter-bomber version of the Me 262. flak turn a powerful
UNITED STATES throbbing four-engine
AIRBORNE WEAPONS pwne into an enormous
Colt-Browning M-2 Machine Gun ball of orange flame."
This excellent .50-caliber machine gun was the standard U.S. Army Air Force pilot Allan
H.Gillis
U.S. Army Air Force machine gun, and was mounted in the
wings of the P-51 Mus tang and the P-4 7, and flexibly
mounted on various gun positions in the B-17. It could fire
at the rate of900 rounds per minute, and had a muzzle ve-
locity of 2,900 feet per second and an effective range of
3,280 feet. It was possible for a single two-ounce bullet from
this machine gun to kill an enemy pilot from as far away as
four miles . Each machine gun weighed 69 pounds (not
counting the mounts, ammunition trays, or ammunition),
and like all Colt-Browning machine guns, it had a reputa-
tion for reliability and ease of maintenance. The amount of
ammunition carried for the M-2 varied with the aircraft, the
mission, and the distance flown .
250/ I ,OOO-Pound Bombs
These were high-explosive, general-purpose bombs
carried by the B-17, and by the fighter-bomber versions of
the P-47 and the P-51. Occasionally, armor-piercing and in-
cendiary bombs were carried by U.S. aircraft. The amount
and the type ofbombs carried varied, depending on the dis-
tance flown and the type of target.
"Bazooka" Rocket
These four-and-a-half-inch rockets were mounted in
clusters of three under each wing of the P-47 and the P-51 ,
and were used for attacking ground targets.

his chapter describes the types of fighter
and bomber tactics that U.S . Army Air
Force and Luftwaffe pilots and crewmen
used during World War II. Many of the pi-
lots we spo ke with used these tactics in
combat, and their comments will be help-
ful to you in the simulation. Additional useful tips are print-
ed in italics.
You can use the gun camera to analyze your perfor-
mance in combat so that you may improve your tactics.
With the gun camera, you can "film" your dogfights, bomb-
ing missions, ground attacks, or other aerial engagements,
and then view your "movie" from a variety of camera an-
gles. See the Film Viewing Room section of the Mission Instruc-
tions: In-Flight chapter for more information.
GENERAL FIGHTER TACTICS
One of the many lessons of World War II was that the
fighter - and the fighter pilot - ruled the skies. The
fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe proved the U.S. theory of un-
escorted daylight bombing to be a tragic fallacy, and many
A trio of Bf I 09Gs. B-l 7s were blasted out of the sky until the U.S. developed a
suitable escort fighter, the P-51 Mustang. The emphasis in
World War II fighter tactics also shifted, from maneuver-
ability, as typified by the dogfights of the Battle of Britain, to
speed and sophisticated weaponry, as embodied by the suc-
cessful Me 262.
But in World War II, as in every war, the key to success in
air combat was to know the strengths and weaknesses of
your own aircraft - and of you r opponent's aircraft. The
warplanes of World War II all had a wide range of capabili-
Preceding page: A P-47 flies ties, and newer aircraft with greater performance and
above a column of U.S. tanks. weaponry were constantly being introduced. A pilot also
Thunderbolts provided invalu- needed to quickly spot his opponent and determine the di-
able ground support for the rection he was flying. Most importantly, ifhe wanted to sur-
Allied annies as they penetrated
vive and succeed, he needed to be able to size up a given
into France and Germany in
1944-45. Courtesy of the United combat situation and to know when to fight - and when to
States Air Force flee .

For vital information about the aircraft you're flying - and "The [fighter] pilot
fighting against - including their performance data, the types of
weapons they carry, and more, see the U.S. and German Aircraft
who sees the other first
and Weapons chapter. already has half the
victory."
" A good fighter pilot, the one who survived, was the guy who
Luftwaffe Major Erich Hartmann
was always aware and keeping an eye on something besides what
was right in front of him. You've always got t o be looking some
other place, always looking around. Always cover your instru-
ments every t hirty seconds, then look up and back, the whole
time you're flying." U.S. Army Air Force Captain James Finnegan
Use your view control keys frequently to look around your air7
craft, so that you can spot the enemy before he spots you. Use your
wing-level view, high view, and scan view to completely cover the
sky. See Pilot View Controls in the Mission I nstructions: In-
Flight chapter for more information.
One way for a fighter pilot to gain an advantage in com-
bat was to surprise an opponent by attacking from a higher
altitude or from the enemy's blind spot. This allowed the at-
tacking fighter to build up speed while diving, so it could at-
tack and get away rapidly.
Gaining an altitude that is higher than your opponent's is one of
the fundamentals of air-to-air combat and gives you a tremendous
tactical advantage. In a dive, altitude trans/ates into speed, so the
higher up you can get, the faster you'll be able to pounce on your tar-
get, fire your weapons, and get away from other enemy aircraft. The
Go 229, with its superior ceiling, can gain an altitude advantage
over any other aircraft.
If you don't have an altitude advantage, try approaching your
opponent from his blind spot, which is behind and below his aircraft.
Those aircraft without bubble canopies, such as the Bf 109, the FW
190, the P-51B Mustang, and the "razorback" P-47, will not be
able to see you from this angle.
One of the best ways for a fighter pilot to surprise an op-
ponent was to attack from the direction of the sun.
"W e always tried t o come out of the sun, but that was only in
t he late afternoon. We were always flying into the sun in the
morn ing." U.S. Army Air Force Captain James Finnegan
To attack from out of the sun, first use the view controls to locate
it, then look for the enemy aircraft you want to attack. Change your
flight path so that your fighter will eventually be positioned directly
between the sun and the enemy. When you reach this position, turn
your fighter toward the enemy. Jn a perfect attack position, the sun
should be at your back and will be visible in your rearview mirror.
The enemy pilot, blinded by the sun, will be unaware of your ap-
proaching attack, and won't fire at you or execute any evasive ma-
neuvers until you attack.
To avoid surprise attacks, pilots were also advised never
Combat Tactics 201

to fly in a straight or level path for more than thirty seconds
when enemy aircraft could be nearby.
FIRING WEAPONS
The aircraft of the latter part of World War II had an
incredible variety of weapons, including machine guns,
cannons, and rockets. Knowing how to fire these weapons
accurately was essential to success in air combat. If an ene-
my airplane was flying straight and level directly in front of
him, traveling in the same or the opposite direction, a pilot
had only to wait until the airplane was in his gunsight before
firing his weapons. Most of the time, a pilot approached and
attacked the enemy at an angle and deflection shooting was
the only way he could hit the target.
"Very seldom did you ever get some guy just sitting right in
front of you. It just didn't happen, but if it did happen, it was
because he was trying to shoot some other guy down, and he
was more interested in him than in you."
Deflection shooting called for the pursuing pilot to shoot

at a point in space just ahead of the flight path of the enemy
plane. This was known as leading. With the right amount of
deflection, the bullets would reach that point at the same
time that the enemy plane did. Deflection shooting was
difficult, especially for the jet-and rocket-powered Luft-
waffe aircraft, since at speeds of over 500 miles per hour, it
was hard to judge distances and there was little time to aim
and fire. The low muzzle velocity of their cannons and rock-
ets also hindered their ability to score hits with deflection
shooting. Me 163 pilots found that since their cannon was
ineffective at ranges greater than 2,000 feet, and since they
needed to take evasive action at 600 feet to avoid collision,
they had less than three seconds to fire . During head-on at-
tacks (see below), the fast closing speed of
In the confusion that followed the
the two aircraft posed another problem for
Allied landings at Normandy on D-Day, the fighter pilot, as it left him with but a split
only two Luftwaffe aircraft actually second to aim and fire.
engaged the landing forces. Major Joseph If you're attacking an enemy airplane that 's
Priller and Flight Sergeant Heinz flying directly at you or directly away from you,
Wodarcyzk flew their FW I 90s I 00 feet you won't need to use deflection shooting. Position
over the British-held Sword Beach, rak- the enemy aircraft directly in the center of your
ing it with machine gun and cannon fire gunsight before opening fire.
until their ammunition was gone. To become proficient at deflection shooting,
Despite a fierce antiaircraft barrage from you must compensate for the speed of your target,
nearby ships, and the thick Allied fighter the angle at which it crosses your line ofsight, and
cover, Priller and Wodarcyzk emerged its distance from you, which you can determine fr;
from their attack unscathed and flew off
sizing the enemy airplane through your gunsight.
into the clouds, stunned by the huge
invasion armada they had seen.
Lead your shots more if the enemy aircraft is
[aster, flying a perpendicular flight path, or flying

away from you. Also, if you're flying a jet or rocket fighter, you'll "You must shoot at a
have much less time to figure out the correct ang/,e of deflection and
you may want to cut back on your throttle whi/,e you're firing. How-
spot out in space which
ever, this will take away your speed advantage and make you more will befull of airp/,ane
vulnerable. Look closely at the enemy plane for evidence of your when your bullets get
marksmanship, such as pieces of the aircraft breaking off, or smoke there."
or flames pouring out of it.
Weapons with a low muzzle velocity, such as the German U.S. Navy Lieutenant
Commander James H. Flatley, on
MK 108, had problems with accuracy, due to the curved
the fundamentals of deflection
flight path of its heavy, slow-traveling shell. However, ifthe shooting
shell hit enemy aircraft, it would do extensive damage, so
Luftwaffe pilots generally fired the MK 108 from close
range. Weapons with a high muzzle velocity, such as the
U.S. Colt-Browning .50-caliber machine gun, could be fired
from greater distances with greater accuracy.
I/you're flying a Luftwaffe aircraft, be sure to get as close as you
can to enemy aircraft before using your cannon.
To compare the muzzle velocity and firing rate of the various
weapons, consult the German and U.S. Aircraft and Weapons
chapter.
Luftwaffe pilots had three weapons they could use to
break up U.S. bomber formations: an air-to-air bomb, the
R4M rocket, and the Wfr. Gr. 21 rocket-propelled shell. The
air-to-air bomb was a fragmentation bomb that was time- FW 190. Courtesy of the Boeing
Aircro~ Company
fused to explode after five seconds, which meant that the pi-
lot had to be several hundred feet above the formation be-
fore releasing the bomb. The R4M and Wfr. Gr. 21 rockets
were pr-imitive and had no guidance system: to aim them
the pilot had to either point his fighter toward the enemy
airplane until it was in his gunsight, or use deflection shoot-
ing and fire them ahead of the target. Since they had a low
flight velocity, their trajectory was similar to that of cannon
shells , and the pilot had to lob these rockets in by firing
slightly above the target aircraft. These two rockets were
fired from distances of half a mile to a mile, well out of the
range of the gunners of U.S. bombers. The R4M rockets
were fired in a salvo of twelve per wing, while only one Wfr.
Combat Tactics 203

"The Jerries were mas- Gr. 21 could be fired from each wing. Both were time-fused,
set to explode after they had been in the air for a certain pe-
ters at the art of cutting riod of time. If these rockets exploded in a bomber forma-
up enemy fighters." tion and broke it up, the Luftwaffe fighters would proceed
U.S. Army Air Force Captain to attack the individual U.S. bombers, which no longer had
Robert Johnson the protection of the machine guns of the formation. Car-
ried in tubes mounted beneath the wings of the Bf 109 and
the FW 190, the Wfr. Gr. hampered maneuverability, and
made these missile-carrying Luftwaffe fighters easier tar-
gets for U.S. escort fighters.
"Toward the end of the war, a few of our Me 262s had this
air-to-air rocket, the R4M. We attacked the bombers every time
from behind with the R4M, and the bombers pulled up immedi-
ately when they saw the detonation of the rocket, and their very
close formation spread out a little bit. I was flying with General
Galland on one attack, and one of his rockets hit a wing of a
bomber and the rest of the aircraft landed on the wing of another
bomber and so two bombers were destroyed by one rocket. It
was very effective, but you had to shoot it only in one shot, and
we had only a few of them." Luftwaffe General Walter Krupinski
If you 're flying a rocket-armed Luftwaffe fighter, remember that

you only have one or two chances, so don't waste them. When attack-
Captain Robert Johnson with his ing bombers, try to approach them from behind, and use as little
crew chief, Ernest Gould. deflection as possible when aiming. You should aim and fire above
your target to compensate for the trajectory of the
rockets. Since your accuracy with these rockets is
low, try firing them at a formation of bombers to
increase your chances of hitting one.
If you're dropping an air-to-air bomb on a
bomber formation, try to approach the bombers
from the rear and at an altitude several hundred
feet above them. Since you'll be flying faster than
the bombers, try releasing the bomb just as you
reach the rear of the formation, then break away
quickly to avoid the explosion.
I/you 're flying an Me 163, you'll be carrying
the]agdfaust, an effective antibomber weapon
that was tested late in the war. The Jagdfaust is a
vertically launched rocket that is activated by the
shadow of a bomber. To use the Jagdfaust, posi-
tion your Komet so that it is 1,000 feet or less be-
neath a bomber. The Jagdfaust will fire straight
up on its own, but only if you're positioned prop-
erly.
To learn more about these weapons, see the
German and U.S. Aircraft and Weapons
chapter.
American fighters also had rockets,
known as bazooka rockets, which were only

--
1\~
The Schwarm
D~
The Second
Leader's
,,,CA Wingman
The Leader
..JI<, c
Leader of the
Second Pair
....CB
The Leader's
Wingman o+
+c
used for ground attack. They were aimed
the same way as their German counterparts, -i-A
and their accuracy was also low . However,
Two versions of the Schwann.
stationary ground targets were generally easier to hit than
The small diagram shows the
fast-moving aerial targets. The bazooka rocket was not time- view from below the fonnation.
fused but exploded on impact.
FIGHTER FORMATIONS
During the Spanish Civil War, three years before the
outbreak of World War II, Luftwaffe fighter pilots had
flown in tight three-plane formations. Their heavy losses
had forced them to develop a looser, four-plane fighter for-
mation, called the Schwarm, made up of two pairs of Bf
109s, each pair known as a Rotte. The four aircraft flew
about six hundred feet apart, a distance based on the turn-
ing radius of their plane. The best pilot and best shot was
the leader of the formation, who navigated and flew ahead
of the other three fighters . The leader's wingman protected
the leader, and always flew between the leader and the sun,
though at a lower altitude so that the other pilots would not
be blinded by the sun while looking for him . The leader of
the second Rotte and his wingman flew at a higher altitude.
The second wingman always had the job of guarding the
formation against surprise enemy attacks from the sun side.
The heights of the four fighters in the Schwarm were stag-
gered, so that they could cover each other in all directions.
The formation reduced the risk of collision and, being so
spread out, was harder for the enemy to spot.
This fo ur-plane formation was later adopted by the U.S.
Army Air Force, which, like the Luftwaffe, stressed the im-
portance of the pair of fighters in combat. When enemy air-
craft were spotted, the pilot who was in the best position to
attack became the leader, while the second aircraft of the
Combat Tactics 205

pair became the wingman and covered him. Because the
leadership position could switch several times during a giv-
en mission, this tactic was only successful if each pilot in a
pair knew how the other was going to react in every situa-
tion.
If you're leading a four-plane formation, you're responsible for
initiating the attack. Don't fly so erratically that you lose your wing-
men, whom you'll need at your side for protection. I/you're flying as
a wingman, your main responsibility is to cover your leader and to
remain by his side.
FIGHTER VERSUS FIGHTER
TACTICS
The stern attack was a useful tactic, especially when
attacking from the direction of the sun. Originally devel-
oped during World War I, it called for the attacking pilot to
dive on a target, pull out of his dive when he was on the tail
of the target, and then fire. If there was a rear or tail gunner
firing from the target aircraft, the attacking pilot would try
to avoid the gu nfire by shooting at an angle slightly beneath
The hunter and the prey. A
stricken Bf I09 is chased by a
P-47. Courtesy of the United
Stotes Air Force
the target's tail. This was the simplest attack because it re-
quired no deflection shooting, and was ideal for inexperi-
enced pilots or poor marksmen.
The stern attack is useful if the speed of your aircraft is greater
than the speed of the aircraft you're attacking. However, it is useless
against a faster aircraft, such as the Me 262 or the Go 229, which
can accelerate quickly, leaving you with no chance to catch it.
The most effective tactic against the Me 262 was to dive
down upon it from high above to pick up speed, and then to
open fire before the jet pilot could react. U.S. fighters would
try to knock out one of the Me 262's engines, reducing its
speed so that it could not get away. Occasionally, a U.S. pilot
would encounter a jet pilot whose reliance on maneuver-
ing, rather than on speed, would slow the jet down enough
so that the American could not be shaken. Most of the time,

the U.S. pilots tried to catch the Me 262s when they were "Learn to break at the
most vulnerable - during takeoffs and landings.
proper time to make a
'The split-S maneuver is how I got Adolf Galland in his Me head-on attack-the en-
262. I was flying green [top] cover, and he was way down below emy doesn't like it. Don't
me, and I didn't even see him coming. He had some guy with him,
run. That's just what he
and he went through and shot down a B-26, and the next one ...
BANG . . . it blew up. After he'd gone through these two B-26s, I wants you to do."
watched the two jets, and one guy went off to the right, and Gal- U.S. Army Air Force Colonel
land went to the left, and he was coming back to make another Hubert Zemke
pass at the other B-26s but his weapons jammed on him and he
couldn't do it. So I'm still horsing around and wondering, "My
God, what the hell are these things?" and I turned it over, and
when I came out, I was in a perfect position to attack him. I don't
think that he ever saw us - they didn't know we were sitting up
there, since they came at the bombers at an altitude they consid-
ered high. I was so close that when I saw him, I had to raise my
nose to get the deflection, and I lost sight of him. I probably led a
three-second burst at the most. Then, to see what I did, I
dropped the nose again, and as I did, I could see strikes on the
right side of that 262, and little did I know I had also wounded
him. But then, all of a sudden, he turned, and I went beyond him,
because I was going so fast, and he disappeared into a cloud. I
kept looking for him for two reasons, so I could get another shot
at him and, just as important, so he wouldn't get a shot at me. But
he went into that cloud, and I never did find him."
If you're a U.S. pilot, diving down from above is the best way to
attack a faster aircraft, such as the Me 262, the Me 163, or the Go
229. This approach gives you a larger target area to fire at, espe-
cially if you're attacking the Go 229, which offers a very small
profile if you attack it from the front, side, or rear.
In most cases, a pilot would try to make a single pass, do
as much damage as he could , and then get away. Very rarely
would he engage in a turning battle with the opponent, in
which each jockeyed for position on the other's tail.
"I only got into one dogfight in which we got into those stupid
circles, where you're pursuing someone and you're both turning
tighter and tighter. The bad thing about fighting air-to-air is that if
you get into those circles, you're so interested in getting inside
him, and getting that nose around, that some other bastard
you're not even paying attention to comes down and takes a shot
at you." U.S. Army Air Force Captain James Finnegan
On occasions when a pilot wanted to make a second pass,

he would sometimes use another World War I maneuver,
the Immelmann turn. This called for the pilot to pull his
fighter almost straight up after the attack, and then stall at
the top of his climb and turn the aircraft around in the di-
Combat Tactics 207

Captain Dave Hearrell holding
on to one of the .SO-caliber
machine guns of his P-51 B
Mustang.
rection of his adversary. This maneuver would put the pilot

in a position to dive down and make a repeat attack, even if
the target aircraft had already turned away left or right.
A risky approach was the head-on attack, which was also
first used during World War I. A fighter would simply fly
head-on toward the enemy fighter and open fire when he
was within range. The problem with the head-on attack was
that it gave the enemy fighter an equal opportunity to shoot
down the attacking fighter, and occasionally two fighters
would collide head-on.
A maneuver that P-47 pilots used against the slightly
more maneuverable Bf 109 was the barrel roll. !fa P-47 at-
tacked a Bf 109 from behind, the German fighter would go
into a tight turn to lose the American fighter. But if the P-4 7
pilot first rolled in the opposite direction of the 109's turn,
and then pulled back in the same direction as the 109, he
would usually find himself on the tail of the enemy fighter
in an ideal position to attack.
Equally as important as setting up an attack is knowing
how to avoid an attack. One evasive maneuver, relied on es-
pecially by Luftwaffe fighter pilots from the time of the Bat-
tle of Britain on, was the split-Sand dive. The fighter pilot
would attack bombers and fighters, usually using the head-
on attack, and then flip the fighter over on its back and dive
straight down. This maneuver worked well in the Battle of
Britain against the Spitfire, whose engine suffered carbure-
tion problems and would cut out whenever it went into a
dive chasing after the Bf 109. It was also a good maneuver
for FW 190 pilots flying against B-l 7s, since the bomber
gunners would usually score hits on the 190 only after it had
flipped over and was in a dive, and its heavily armored belly
would absorb most of the shots. But those pilots who suc-
cessfully executed this maneuver had to waste precious
minutes to once more reach an altitude from which to at-
tack. Moreover, the split-Sand dive was unsuccessful
against the fast Allied fighters, especially the much-heavier
P-47, whose tremendous weight enabled it to outdive the
German fighters. U.S. fighter pilots chasing after these div-
ing Luftwaffe aircraft attacked them from behind with dev-

astating results . Even the ground was no safe haven for
Luftwaffe pilots, as U.S . fighters followed them down to
treetop level, often running a gauntlet of murderously
heavy flak, especially in the Ruh r valley, to score a kill.
"We had at that time no well known, common tactics, so

everybody, every group commander, had to find out his own way.
I taught my youngsters in Bf I09s that, if we were attacked by
Mustangs or Thunderbolts, only the last pair, or the last echelon,
would split away and come in again so that the other one could
follow the PW 190s to protect them so that the I90s could attack
the bombers. That was our main tactic when we were flying over
Germany, until the invasion started. After that a lot of things went
wrong and didn't work quite properly anymore."
wftwaffe General Walter Krupinski
Evasive diving maneuvers can get you out of danger only if

you're attacked by slower aircraft. If you're flying a Bf 109 or an
FW 190 and a P-4 7 or a P-5 I attacks you from behind, or ifyou 're
fiyingaP-47 oraP-51 anda Me 262 ora Go 229attacks you from
behind, you may not be able to dive away from the attacking aircraft,
since it can accelerate in a dive faster than you can. You may be able
to lose your pursuer by making tight turns inside, or by executing a
series of S-turns.
FIGHTERS ATTACKING BOMBERS
Attacking a formation ofB-l 7s cou ld be extremely
hazardous for a Luftwaffe pilot, even if the bombers had no
fighter escort. A formation
of fifty-four of these The Barrel Roll Maneuver
bombers usually carried a
total of648 fifty-caliber ma-
chine guns, which could fire a
total of 486,000 rounds,
amounting to a veritable rain of I
bullets for a German pilot to fly I
through. I
Several B-l 7s that had been forced I
to crash-land in Europe were I
patched up and made airworthy r- L ---- ----
again by the Luftwaffe, and when
1 I
one of these was inspected by Adolf
Galland, he discovered that B-17 I L- -=--
---
gunners could bring more ma- I
chine guns to bear on those fighters I
that attacked from the rear, while I "'
-.....
the front was less protected.
Luftwaffe fighter pilots were
I "" "\
then ordered to fly a course
parallel to that of the
-"'4.r:.---1 -======-===--
------
P-47 I
Turning
Cirde
bombers, and to stay to one side of Bf 109 Turning Circle
Combat Tactics 209

"Suddenly we saw the the formation until the fighters were three miles ahead.
They would then execute a half-roll , turn around, and
Boeing Fortress /Is
make a shallow drive straight at the approachin g enemy
ahead in a great swarm. formation . At a distance of 2,400 feet, they would level off
I confess the sight put and fire at the cockpi t of a B-17 for a few seconds at the most
me in a bit of a flap, before taking evasive action. They would escape by either
flying over the bombers or diving, and would then repeat
and the others felt the the attack.
same. We seemed so
puny against these four- "In the early part of the war, the German fighters would come
at you from the sides and the back, because that way they had
engined giants." time to aim. But with anywhere from twenty-five to thirty B- I7s
Luftwaffe Corporal Erich in a group, there was a lot of firepower going at them. So they
Handke, on encountering B-l 7s changed their tactics when they found out that the B-17 had less
for the first time in a fighter in
firepower in the nose, and the top turret couldn't drop down
1943
low enough to catch the planes coming in unless they came up.
They began coming at us from the front, in a V-formation. To us,
it looked like a line straight across, but sometimes they would
come at us in an inverted V, where the middle was farther away
from you than the two ends, and you'd think it was a line straight
across and start shooting towards the middle, where they were
still out of range. The next time they might switch around and
come at you with the center closer to you than the ends.
"The closure rate on these frontal attacks was really high.
They'd be doing 400 miles an hour and we'd be doing 160, and as
soon as we'd got in range they'd start shooting 20-mm cannon,
aiming at the cockpit, hoping they'd hit something. You could see
those twenty millimeters coming, and you just hoped they
weren't going to explode or hit you. Then they'd go away and cir-
cle around and come at you again. The only time they'd go after a
bomber from another direction is when one was straggling
behind alone; then they'd come at it from behind and the side.
The bombers that had lost one or two engines were all by them-
selves, and these Luftwaffe guys would just take their time to
come up and get behind them and try to shoot the fuel tanks on
either side of the fuselage."
For those occasions when the U.S. squadrons could not

be intercepted from the front, Galland developed the Sturm-
gruptJen tactics, which called for specially modified FW l 90s,
with four 30-mm cannons, 5- to 12-mm-thick armor plating
around the pilot and engine, and a 50-mm-thick bullet-
proof windscreen, to attack from the rear,
from slightly above or below the bombers'
During the fighter sweeps through
tails. T he Sturmgruppe wou ld attack from
France before D-Day, Allied pilots used
extremely close range, usually at 300 feet or
an unusual technique to destroy locomo-
tives. They would first drop their extra
less, where the 30-mm cannon of the FW
fuel tanks on the train, then strafe them 190 was most accurate and lethal. Several
so they would catch fire. Gruppen of lighter-armed Bf 109s would
protect the SturmgruptJe and take on the es-

corting U.S. fighters. If P-4 7s or P-5 l s broke through the
protective cover, the Sturmgruppe fighters would continue to
press their attacks on the bombers a nyway, since with all
their extra armor and weaponry they we re extremely
heavy, and less maneuverable against the U.S. fighters.
"When I came to Germany as a fighter commander, only the

FW I 90s were attacking the four-engined bombers and the Bf
I 09s were used as protection for the I 90s. Most of the attacks I
saw were from front to head. If the bombers realized that the
I 90s were coming, they often made a certain curve of ten or
fifteen degrees in the other direction, an angle that made it very
difficult for the I 90s to come in front again. Also, there were four
groups called the Sturm groups who were attacking bombers
from behind. When the bomber didn't burn or wasn't dismantled,
the Sturm fighters rammed it in the rudder and elevator. They
had a lot of special armor, made up of a lot of different light metal
plates, and a little window with different plates on it. This armor
was in the front of the fighter, not behind, and in my opinion, it
was good protection. I saw a lot of German pilots bailing out after
they rammed the bomber because, if they did it properly, they
had a good chance to survive." Luftwaffe General Walter Krupinski
Another tactic which worked well for the Luftwaffe

called for the attacking fighter to dive on a U.S. bomber
from above. The pilot needed to be about a mile above the
bomber, and 800 feet ahead of it. Attacking from this angle
gave the fighter pilot a greater target to hit, and only the top
turret gunner of the B-17
could fire back at him. The Luftwaffe
drawback of this tactic was Head-On Tactics
that it took a long time to
gain the altitud e to set it
up, and U.S. escort fighters
would usually engage the at-
tacking fighter before it cou ld
go into its dive.
Diving on U.S. bombers from
above is an ideal tactic for the Me
163, since it has an extremely fast rate of
climb which will enable you to get above the
bombers quickly and avoid their fighter escort. Your
fuel capacity is very limited, so you should use every
drop to gain altitude and make as steep a climb as you
can. Most of your attack will be without engine
power, so take advantage of the Komet's out-
standing handling as a glider, and pull
up after your first diving attack to
regain your altitude advantage.
When U.S fighters began to
accompany the bombers all the
Combat Tactics 211

way to the target and back, Luftwaffe fighters were ordered
to ignore this close-flying escort and fight their way through
to the bombers. This tactic proved disastrous for the Luft-
waffe when the U.S. escort fighters began to react aggres-
sively and chase the German fighters instead of remaining
alongside the bombers.
In the final months of the war, Galland's Me 262
"squadron of experts," Jagdverband 44, attacked bomber
formations in three elements of three aircraft each. Unlike
the piston-engined Luftwaffe fighters, the Me 262s would
not attack bombers from the front, since the jet flew much
too fast for accurate marksmanship. Instead, they would be-
A gun-camera photo of an Me
262 just before it was shot down
by a P-51 Mustang over the
Rhine. Courtesy of the United
States Air Force
gin their approach at an altitude of 6,000 feet above the

bombers, and about three miles behind them. The three Me
262s in each element would then form a column, and dive
until they were 1,500 feet below the bombers and 3,000 feet
behind them. This dive would increase their speed to over
540 miles an hour, which was necessary to escape the U.S.
escort fighters, although it hampered their firing accuracy.
After this dive, the Me 262s would pull up and fly level for
the last 3,000 feet. From 2,000 feet away, each Me 262 pilot
would launch its twenty-four R4M rockets, since at this dis-
tance the rockets could converge on a B-17 from wingtip to
wingtip. The pilots would then open fire with 30-mm can-
nons, and, at a distance of 450 feet, the three Me 262s would
climb up toward the top aircraft in the bomber formation,
so as to make it harder for bomber gunners to track them.
They would not dive under the formation because chunks
of debris from damaged aircraft could be sucked into the
turbojets of the Me 262s. Once they had flown over the
bomber formation, the Me 262s could either dive to get
away from pursuing U.S. fighters or attack a different for-
mation .

FIGHTERS PROTECTING BOMBERS
For protection in the air, the U.S. bombers relied on
fighter escort, fighters that flew with the bombers as far to
the target as their range permitted. During the first U.S.
raids, the RAF Spitfire was used for fighter escort. Whereas
on RAF bombing missions the escort fighters flew close to
and alongside the bombers, the Spitfires kept their distance
from the American gunners, who in their eagerness to get a
kill would often fire on friend and foe alike. Later, the P-47
and the P-38 were used for fighter escort, and these "little
friends" generally stayed several thousand feet away from
the "big friends," flying on the left and right flanks of the
bombers, as well as directly above them. Since fighters were
faster than bombers, fighter pilots would do a series of S-
turns to keep from flying ahead of the lumbering B-l 7s and
B-24s. However, these maneuvers consumed a lot of fuel,
and reduced the range of the escort fighters.
At the time of the first raids into Germany, neither the P-
4 7 nor the P-38 proved to be a completely satisfactory escort
fighter. Their limited range was a handicap, as they were
forced to turn back to England before the bombers they
were escorting reached the target. From the end of 1943 on,
the best Allied escort fighter was the P-51 Mustang, which
had the range to stay with the bomber formations, and the
speed and maneuverability to take on all Luftwaffe fighters,
even including the Me 262. Belly tanks improved the range
of the P-47 and P-38, but as Mustangs arrived in increasing
numbers, these two aircraft were used more often as
fighter-bombers.
In early 1944, Lieutenant General James Doolittle, the
commander of the U.S. Eighth Air Force, decided that his
fighters could do more damage if they weren't "chained" to
the bombers in the escort role. Doolittle unleashed many of
his fighters, and these free-ranging aircraft would sweep
ahead, looking for Luftwaffe fighters to chase. Sometimes,
these fighters would fly several hundred
miles ahead and to the left and right of the
"Jerry's favorite place of attack is the
bomber formations. lf they came across
nose. A straight-on frontal attack gives
German fighters, the Americans would try
him the best chance of scoring a hit with-
to split up the Luftwaffe squadrons before out being hit himself. His favorite trick is
they could attack the bombers. If no Ger- to swing out to the side of the formation
man fighters could be found in the air, the and get out in front of it a few thousand
U.S. fighters wou ld look for them on the yards, and then come charging back
ground, and then strafe them at their head-on. When he comes in range he
airfields. starts firing and rolling over on his back,
Luftwaffe fighters would usually try to shooting all the way. Then when he gets
avoid these free-ranging fighters and con- close he breaks away by doing a split-S
centrate on the bombers. One Luftwaffe out under the Fort."
trick was to have German fighters meet the U.S. Army Air Force B-17 pilot Dave
U.S. fighter formations just after the Ameri- Shelhamer, in his diary, 1943
Combat Tactics 213

"You got scared, but it cans had crossed the English Channel. Preparing to engage
the enemy, the U.S. fighters would have to release their
was more because of drop tanks, but the German fighters would avoid combat,
anticipation. You'd and now, short on fuel, the escort fighters would be forced
wonder, 'When will we to turn around sooner than planned, leaving the bombers
unprotected . The Americans countered by assigning cer-
hit flak?' or 'When will tain squadrons to engage these Luftwaffe aircraft, while the
the fighters hit us?' and remaining squadrons flew on with the bombers; but the
even if nothing Germans later abandoned their tactic for fear that if their
happened, you still had aircraft flew over the Channel, it would leave France and
the Low Countries without Luftwaffe fighter protection.
the same tension
buildup, anticipating "On escort missions, we just kept S-ing back and forth so the
what might happen." ground fire couldn't zero in on us."
U.S. Army Air Force Second Ueutenant Thomas Marsters
U.S. Anny Air Force Pilot
Officer Robert Davila
"What used to bother me, what really made my hair just
stand up, is when our fighters would fly cover, and they'd zigzag
around, go up a ways, and then all of a sudden turn and drop
their tanks, and just go like hell in another direction. That's when
I knew there were German fighters around."
Ifyou're flying a fighter with your drop tanks still attached, and
you're engaged by enemy fighters, you should jettison the tanks im-
mediately. If you don 't, they will explode if hit by gunfire and will
also cut back on the maneuverability ofyour fighter.
GROUND-ATTACK TACTICS
As the war progressed, the role of the fighter expanded.
In 1944, U.S. fighter pilots who were previously ordered to
stay near bombers in their escort role were
As the air war began to turn in favor now told to destroy "targets of opportunity"
of the Allies, a special suicide unit of the on the ground on their return flight if they
Luftwaffe, called the Raubvogel, or "bird did not encounter fighters in their patrol
of prey," was formed. The pilots of this area. These targets included railroad mar-
group flew heavily armored FW I 90s and shaling yards, trains, bridges, and especially
opened fire on U.S. bombers only when airfields.
they were at point-blank range, pulling The biggest hazard of these ground at-
away at the last possible second. In April tacks was the heavy concentration of flak
1945, five members of this unit actually around key installations . To counter the
downed U.S. bombers by ramming into
threat, U.S. fighter pilots relied on two tac-
them.
tics: They would fly toward the target at an
extremely low altitude to surprise the gun-
ners. They would also assign several fighters to take out the
flak batteries before the rest of the formation shot up the
ground target.
"Whenever we attacked airfields, one flight or one squadron

had the duty to take on the flak towers first. They were pretty
bitter. You'd come down at them, and you were going at them

and they were going at you, and you let all your eight .50s go. A fonnation of three P-5 ID
Usually you'd approach them low, right on the deck, and when Mustangs, plus an earlier-model
P-518.
you thought you were there, you'd pop up a couple of hundred
feet and then go down to attack. The idea was to get to those
flak towers before they got to you. Normally we'd have intelli-
gence as to where they were, but it was still a bitch."
"If we were attacking a German airfield, we'd just set up a

gunnery pattern like we did in training, and fly around and around
and strafe the field. If we found a railroad train, we'd set up a little
pattern and we'd all strafe the train - we really blew them up.
We'd come in at sort of an angle from behind the engine, to hit
where the driver was, and zero in on the engine. The P-47 had
eight .SO-caliber machine guns blowing in there at one time, and
sometimes it would just knock a train right off the track. (yVe
could even turn a tank over on the ground if we shot the ground
next to the tank.) If we shot the engine up and we still had ammu-
nition left, we shot up the rest of the train, too."
U.S. Army Air Force
Second Ueutenant Thomas Marsters
"Depending on how heavy the flak was, the whole flight or

the whole squadron would follow the leader to maneuver out of
the flak bursts; we'd vary the flight, roll back and forth, up and
down, make it unpredictable as best we could. One time, we
became so interested in making these maneuvers to keep out of
flak that three I09s came down from above and hit us."
As U.S. ground attacks were proving enormously suc-

cessful, both the T hunderbolt and the Mustang were fitted
Cornbat Tactics 215

"The senses are not to carry bombs and rockets. These "fighter-bombers" no
lon ger flew escort missions but concentra ted so lely on
trustworthy. And the sky bombing and strafing ground targets, often coordinating
is treacherous with flak. with Allied ground troops below. T he P-47, with its rugged
Theflak bursts around radial engine, could withstand ground fire better than the
P-5 1, and soon , the T hu nderbolt became the aircraft of
you and sometimes the choice for ground attacks.
fragments come tearing
through your ship." "We never had any training in dive bombing. We were fighter
pilots, and the concept of the fighter-bomber was something
War correspondent John
Steinbeck new.
"We were to take out two approaches to a bridge behind the
lines, to keep the Ger mans from bringing reinforcements to Nor-
mandy. We didn't have bombsights on the P-47; we'd just point
that nose down and figure that when we pulled it up we'd release
the bomb. I was going down with three 500-pounders, and I saw
where some other bombs had hit, and I figured that I'd go along
the bridge. That's a better way of attacking a bridge than at ninety
degrees, but you're getting fire all along the route, and you're ask-
ing for it when you do it. I'm firing my eight .50s and they're kick-
ing, and I'm thinking this isn't t oo bad. But then as I pull up and let
go of my bombs, all of a sudden I see these red things flipping past
my wings, and I think, 'Jesus Christ, they're shooting at me, God
Almighty' - and then I turned right to give them a deflection
shot, so they couldn't shoot at me straight on. That was my first
experience at getting shot at. I didn't hit the bridge.
"If you dropped your bomb too low, you could get hit by your
own bomb blast, and that happened, particularly when we went
after trains. I can remember two guys who got it - they didn't
A P-47 Thunderbolt shoots up a
flak tower at a Gennan airstrip.
These obstacles were especially
hazardous to U.S. pilots.

hit the engine, they hit the damn boxcar. When it blew up, they
went through it and got hit by the stuff that was in there."
U.S. Army Air Force Captain James Rnnegan
BOMBER FORMATIONS
After the first few bombing raids on France in 1943,
Colonel Curtis LeMay devised several tactics to maximize
the firepower of the B-l 7s and improve their bombing ac-
curacy. One of these tactics was a flying formation known as
the combat box. In this formation, three squadrons of six or
seven bombers each were stacked in boxes on top of one an-
other. The middle box was in the lead, and the other two
boxes were stacked 1,000 feet above and below it and 250
B-17s from the 381st Bomb
Group line up for takeofrfrom
their base in England.
feet to its left and right. When viewed from the side, this for-
mation resembled a sideways V, with the first planes in the
middle box leading the way. The purpose of the combat box
was to provide a clear area for the bomber's gunners to fire
in, especially if German fighters were attacking from head-
on.
"We never used the auto-pilot because our main task was to
stay in formation all the time. In training we were told to keep
fifty feet apart, but over in Europe we practically buried our wings
into each other. It was very tiring to fly formation, especially if
you were flying in a low slot, because you had to watch the guy
right overhead more than anything else. You're sitting and looking
up and looking ahead and looking up all the time, so we'd take
turns flying, about fifteen, twenty minutes at a time, and then
switch off.
"I'd say the weather over Europe was bad sixty percent of the
time. We never had a day where we had clear weather all the
Combat Tactics 217

"When flak explodes, it way. When your formation was going through clouds, you just all
went in together and hoped that everybody stayed in the same
sounds just like some- formation, and that no one swerved. In fact there was a very high
body's throwing gravel rate of collisions, of bombers just flying into each other, mainly
on a tin roof, unless it caused by bad weather."
hits big."
U.S. Anny Air Force Pilot If rockets fired by Luftwaffe fighters were sighted, the
Officer Robert Davila
bomber formation would spread out. The individual B-l 7s
would then make evasive maneuvers against further rocket
attacks.
When flying a bombing mission, always stay information so that
your bomber can be protected by the guns of other bombers. If your
bomber drops out offormation, you'll find yourself under fierce Ger-
man fighter attack.
BOMBING TACTICS
Another of Curtis Le May's bomber tactics was to place
the crew most accurate at bombing in the lead position of
the combat box. When this lead bomber dropped its bombs,
the rest of the bombers in the formation would follow suit.
In theory, this would ensure that hits on the target would be
close together; however, accuracy was sometimes lost if the
lead bomber or its cr ew fe ll victim to enemy flak and
fighters .
"On a bomb run, the group had to fly straight and everything
had to be perfect, so the bombardier could take control of the
plane from the initial point when you told him to take over. That
was when the flak would come in, because they knew you
weren't going to move. As soon as 'bombs away,' there'd be flak
coming in at our altitude, and that impressed me. The whole
group would just drop down 500 feet together to get underneath
the next barrage coming."
Ifyou 're flying as the lead bomber, the success of the bombing run
depends upon you and your bombardier. Use the sighting mecha-
nism on your Norden bombsight to lock in on a target, and to calcu-
late the proper time at which to release your bombs. If you're not
flying lead, keep your eye on the lead bomber and coordinate your
bombload drop with that of the leader.
For more information about the Norden bombsight, see the Bom-
bardier Controls section of the Mission Instructions: In-Flight
chapter.
FLAK
The word flak was enough to strike terror in the heart of
B-17 crewmen from 1943 to 1945. "Flak" was an abbrevia-
tion of a German word for antiaircraft shells fired at the
bomber formations from the ground. These shells were set

t
......
.......
to explode when they reached a certain altitude, riddling The lead B-17 in the fonnation is
rocked by a burst offlak during a
the B-17 formations with chunks ofjagged metal. A bomber
bombing raid on Leipzig.
that received a direct hit from one of these antiaircraft shells
usually went down in flames. The B-l 7s were required to
stay in formation at a prescribed altitude over their target,
which made it easier for flak gunners to zero in on them.
"We had maps that would tell you where the flak concentra-
tions were going to be, but that didn't mean anything, because the
Germans had a lot of guns on rail cars. On my first mission, we
lost an engine when a piece of flak cut an oil line. We lost our
first navigator - he got hit in the throat by flak, and I found out
that I got sick when I saw things like that. Our tail gunner got hit
with a piece of flak that had his initials on it - it was part of the
lettering on the shell. We caught a lot of flak in the Kiel Canal
because the German navy was just churning in the water down
there and those navy gunners were good."
Combat Tactics 219

"The victor will SUGGESTED READ I NG
always be the judge For those of you who would like to learn even more
and the vanquished about the aircraft and the air battles of the Second World
War, the following books are highly recommended:
the accused." The Mighty Eighth by Roger A. Freeman. A detailed history
Reichsmarschall Hennann of the U.S. Eighth Air Force and the men who flew its
Goring, during the Nuremberg bombers and fighters.
war crimes tribunal in 1946,
whe re he was sentenced to death Zemke's Wolf Pack, also by Roger A. Freeman. The story of
Colonel Hubert "Hub" Zemke , the commander of the
Eighth Air Force's famed 56th Fighter Group, and the top
aces who served under him.
Flying Fortress by Edward Jablonski. The story of the B-17
and the men who flew it, from its early development
through its participation in many of the major U.S. bomb-
ing missions of World War II.
Fortress Without a Roof by Wilbur H. Morrison. A chronicle
of the U.S. and British Combined Bombing Offensive of
Europe, highlighting both the overall picture of the war
and the achievements of several noteworthy participants.
Top Secret Bird by Wolfgang Spate. The story of the Me 163
Komet written by the commander of the Luftwaffe's Opera-
tional Test Unit 16 and Jagdgeschwader 400.
Fighter General by Raymond F. Toliver and Trevor J. Con-
stable. The life of Luftwaffe Lieutenant General Adolf Gal-
land, from his days as a top fighter pilot to his rise through
the Luftwaffe to his return to active fighter operations with
Jagdverband 44.
Luftwaffe by Williamson Murray. A chronicle of the rise and
fall of the Luftwaffe during World War II.
Additionally, there are a number of excellent videotapes
available, with actual combat footage of the aerial duels be-
tween the U.S. Army Air Force and the Luftwaffe, plus in-
terviews with veterans of those conflicts. Noteworthy videos
include Fighter Aces of World War II, The P-51 Story, and
Flying the B-17 Bombers . Another tape, which might be
harder to obtain but well worth the effort, is All the Fine
Young Men, an NBC News documentary that was originally
aired in 1984. Of the many World War II movies available,
one that is highly recommended, for both its combat
footage and its gripping story, is Twelve O'Clock High, star-
ring Gregory Peck. The screenplay for this movie was coau-
thored by Beirne Lay, Jr., an Eighth Air Force veteran who
survived the first raid on Schweinfurt. (Look for Gregory
Peck's B-17, Piccadilly Lily, which was the name of the plane
in which Lay flew.)
Finally, many of the actual aircraft that dueled in the
Preceding page: The ske letal
skies over Europe are on display at the National Air and
remains of a Bf I I 0 factory at Space Museum in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Air Force
Fi.irth give mute testimony to Museum, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton ,
the powe r of U.S. bombing. Ohio. A visit to these two museums is highly recommended .

BIBLIOGRAPHY Franks, Norman. Aircraft Johnson,]. E. Full Circle.
Angelucci, Enzo, and Paolo Vtmus Aircraft. Crown Pub- Ballantine Books, 1964.
Matricardi. Complete Book of lishers, Inc. , 1990. Kaplan, Philip, and Rex
World War II Combat Air- Freeman, Roger A. The Smith. One Last Look.
craft. Military Press, 1988. Mighty Eighth. Orion Books, Abbeville Press, 1983.
Bailey, Ronald . TheAir War 1989. Killen, John. A History of the
in Europe. Time-Life Books, Freeman, Roger A. Zemke's Luftwaffe. Berkeley Medal-
Inc., 1979. Wolf Pack. Orion Books, lion Books, Inc., 1967.
Bekker, Cajus. The Luft- 1989. Lay, Beirne, Jr., and Sy
waffe War Diaries. Double- Green, William. Rocket Bartlett. Twelve O'Clock
day & Company, Inc., Fighter. Ballantine Books, High. Buckeye Aviation
1966. Inc. , 1971. Book Company, 1989.
Bendiner, Elmer. The Fall of Green, William. Warplanes Maloney, Edward. The
Fortresses. G. P. Putnam's of the Third Reich. Galahad Messerschmitt Me 262. World
Sons, 1980. Books, 1990. War II Publications, 1980.
Brown, Dale M. The Luft- Griehl, Manfred. German Maloney, Edward. Northrup
waffe. Time-Life Books, jets of World War Two. Arms Flying Wings. World War II
Inc., 1982. & Armour Press, Ltd., Publications, 1988.
Brown, Eric. Wings of the 1988. Masters, David. German j et
Luftwaffe. Pilot Press, Ltd, Gunston, Bill. The Jllustrat- Genesis. Jane's Publishing
1987. ed Encyclopedia of Combat Company, Ltd., 1982.
Coffey, Thomas. Decision Aircraft of World War II. Morris, Danny. Aces and
over Schweinfurt. David Bookthrift Publications, Wingmen II. Aviation USK,
McKay Company, Inc., Inc. , 1978. 1989.
1977. Hess, William. Fighting Morrison, Wilbur H.
Davis, Larry. B-17 in Action. Mustang: Chronicle of the P- Fortress Without a Roof St.
Squadron/Signal Publica- 51. Doubleday & Company, Martin's Press, 1982.
tions, Inc., 1984. Inc., 1970.
Muirhead, John. Those Who
Davis, Larry. P-51 Mustang Horten, Reimar, and Peter Fall. Simon & Schuster,
in Action. Squadron/Signal Selinger. Nurfliigel. Herbert 1986.
Publications, Inc. , 1981. Weishaupt Verlag, 1987.
Murray, Williamson. Luft-
Davis, Larry. P-47 Thunder- Irving, David. The Rise and waffe. The National and
bolt in Action. Squadron/Sig- Fall ofthe Luftwaffe. Little, Aviation Publishing Com-
nal Publications, Inc., 1984. Brown & Co., 1973. pany of America, Inc.,
Ethell,Jeffrey, et al. The Jablonski, Edward.America 1985.
Great Book of World War II in the Air War. Time-Life Nowarra, Heinz. Focke-
Airplanes. Bonanza Books, Books, Inc., 1982. Wulf Fw 190and Ta 152.
1984. Jablonski, Edward. Flying Haynes Publishing Group,
Feist, Uwe. The Fighting Me Fortress. Doubleday & Com- 1987.
109. Arms & Armour Press, pany, Inc., 1965. O'Neill, Brian. Half a Wing,
Ltd., 1988. Jablonski, Edward. Wings Three Engines and a Prayer.
Ford, Brian. German Secret of Fire. Doubleday & Com- Tab Books, Inc. , 1989.
Weapons: Blueprint for Mars. pany, Inc., 1972. Pilot Training Manual for the
Ballantine Books, Inc., Jackson, Robert. Fighter Pi- F-51D Mustang. Flying
1969. lots of World War II. St. Mar- Books, 1989.
tin's Press, 1976.
Combat Tactics 223

Pilot's Manual for the P-47 Sweetman, John. Schwein- Watry, Charles, and Duane
Thunderbolt. Aviation Publi- furt: Disaster in the Skies. Bal- Hall. Aerial Gunners: The
cations, 1988. lantine Books, Inc., 1971. Unknown Aces of World War
Schaffer, Ronald. Wings of Toliver, Raymond F., and II. California Aero Press,
judgment. Oxford Universi- Trevor J . Constable. Fighter 1986.
ty Press, 1985. General. AmPress Publish- Webster, Charles, and No-
Smith,]., and Anthony ing, 1990. ble Frankland. The Strategic
Kay. German Aircraft of the Turner, Richard. Big Friend, Air Offensive Against Ger-
Second Worl,d War. Putnam, Little Friend. Champlin many 1939-1945. Her
1972. Fighter Museum Press, Majesty's Stationery Office,
1983. 1961.
Spate, Wolfgang. Top Secret
Bird. Pictorial Histories Valant, Gary M. Vintage Air- Williamson, Gordon.
Publishing Company, 1989. craft Nose Art. Motorbooks Knights of the Iron Cross.
International, 1987. Blandford Press, 1987.
Speer, Albert. Inside the
Third Reich. Macmillan Pub- Verrier, Anthony. The Windrow, Martin. Luftwaffe
lishing Company, 1970. Bomber Offensive. The Color Schemes and Markings
Macmillan Company, 1968. 1935-45. Osprey Publica-
Spencer,Jay. Focke-Wulf FW
tions, Ltd., 1971.
I 90. Smithsonian Institu- Walker, Bryce. Fighting jets.
tion Press, 1987. Time-Life Books, Inc., Ziegler, Mano. Rocket Fight-
1983. er. Bantam Books, 1984.
Stiles, Bert. Serenade to the
Big Bird. Bantam Books,
1947.
Next page: A fonnation of B- I 7s

bombs the Brux synthetic oil fac-
tories in Czechoslovakia on July
12, 1944.

T
his guide gives you instructions on starting up and
flying Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe on an IBM or
Tandy computer. It describes how to:
load and play Secret Weapons ofthe Luftwaffe from floppy
disks
install the simulation on a hard disk drive
make use of any expanded memory your computer
may have
use the code wheel
fly a training mission right away (Quick Start)
save important records on a floppy disk if you're not
using a hard drive
create custom missions
For your convenience, you'll also find a complete list of
keyboard con trols that you'll use to command all aircraft
and weaponry.
Package Contents
Inside the box, you should find the following :
one manual, with fold-out battle maps
either 3.5" or 5.25" floppy disks
one code wheel
one Reference Guide
one Registration Card
If you're missing any of these items, contact Lucasfilm
Games Product Support at 1-415-721-3333.
The READ.ME file
Important last-minute changes may have been made to
the simulation. You'll find these changes described in the
READ.ME file. To read it:
1. Insert the disk labeled "Disk l" in drive A or B.
2. Type type a:read.me (type b:read.me if you are run-
ning the program from drive B) and press RETURN .
Game Controllers
You can u se a mouse, a joystick, or the keyboard for
flying Secret Weapons ofthe Luftwaffe.
LOADING INSTRUCTIONS
Running the Simulation from Floppy Disks
NOTE: Installing the simulation on a
"It is perfectly evident now that the hard drive will greatly speed up loading
Germans admit that our daylight bomb-
and running times . If you have a hard
ing against their industry is the principal
drive, you should refer to the section below
threat, and they are marshaling their
strongest and best defenses to cope with entitled Installing the Simulation on a Hard
it. We may as well frankly admit that it is Drive.
going to be a bloody battle." To install Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe
U.S. Army Air Force Brigadier General onto floppy disks, first boot your machine.
Ira Eaker, June 29, 1943 Then:
1. Make working copies of the original

disks by following the instructions in your DOS manual. DO "I have ... serious
NOT write protect your working copy of"Disk l:'
2. Insert your copy of"Disk l" in drive A or B.
doubts ... about whether
3. At the A> or B> prompt, type install and press RE- the Americans will ever
TURN . achieve their objec-
4. Select option #2 from the Installation Menu to
configure Secret Weapons ofthe Luftwaffe to run on your com-
tive .... Although it is
puter system. quite easy to pick off
Starting Up from Floppy Disks small targets by day
To start the simulation once you've configured your when you are not seri-
working copies of the original disks :
1. Start at the A> or B > prompt, and insert your copy of ously opposed, it is an
"Disk l" in drive A or B. entirely different matter
2. Type sw and press RETURN . when you are being
Installing the Simulation on a Hard Drive harassed all the time by
To install Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe on a hard drive, fighters and flak ."
first boot your machine. Then:
Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles
1. Insert "Disk l" in drive A or B. Portal, in 1942
2. Type a: then press RETURN . Your computer will re-
spond with the prompt "A>". (If you are running the pro-
gram from drive B, type b: and press RETURN . Your com-
puter will respond with the prompt "B>".)
3. Type install and press RETURN .
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install and
configure Secret Weapons ofthe Luftwaffe to run on your com-
puter system.
NOTE: You can reconfigure Secret Weapons of the Luft-
waffe at any time by running the Installation Program
again . Select option 2 from Installation Menu to make the
necessary changes. Your choices will be saved automatically
when you exit the Installation Program.
Starting Up from a Hard Drive
To start the simulation once you've installed it on your
hard drive:
1. Type the letter of your hard drive prompt, a colon,
and press RETURN .
2. From your hard drive prompt, type cd swotl and
press RETURN .
3. Type sw and press RETURN .
Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe requires a substantial
amount of memory to operate. If you are experiencing
problems getting the program to run, or are receiving mes-
sages which indicate insufficient available memory, we sug-
gest you try starting up your system with a DOS boot disk.
Follow these instructions for creating a DOS boot disk.
1. Type C: and press RETURN .
2. Insert a blank disk in drive A.
3. Type Format A:/s and press RETURN .
Once the disk is formatted, you will be asked if you wish
IBMfI'andy Reference Guide 3

to format another disk. Press N and RETURN to continue
without formatting another DOS boot disk.
At the volume label prompt, type SWOTLBOOT and
press RETURN.
You can restart your computer using this DOS boot disk
by inserting the disk into your drive and restarting your
machine. This disk starts your computer using as little
memory as possible, freeing up more RAM to run the pro-
gram.
Expanded Memory
If your computer has expanded memory, the simulation
will automatically use it. The software that comes with the
expanded memory must conform to the Expanded Mem-
ory Specification (EMS) 3.2, and a driver must be installed
according to the instructions that came with the expanded
memory card.
With expanded memory, you'll have faster access to
cockpit views, along with more graphic detail. The more
available expanded memory, the better the simulation will
run . 560K of expanded memory is highly recommended,
as the program won't have to search the disk for the views or
graphics. If you've loaded any memory-resident programs
or allocated memory to disk caches, you may be able to free
up additional memory by disabling them.
Expanded memory should not be confused with extend-
ed memory. If you're running the simulation on a 386 com-
puter, any extended memory can be converted to expand-
Rubble strewn about inside the
cathedral at Cologne. This his-
toric building survived the RAF's
famous 1,000-plane raid in 1942,
largely, joked RAF airmen,
because the bombardiers had
used it as an aiming point.

ed memory with a commercially available memory manag- "One of the great 'mira-
er program. If you're using a 286, extended memory can-
not be converted to expanded memory.
cles' of the war was the
fact that the long-range
USING THE CODE WHEEL
[Mustang] fighter escort
Inside the Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe box, you'll find a
wheel with aircraft silhouettes on the inside, plus "nose art" di,d appear over
illustrations around the perimeter. Nearly all of these illus- Germany at just the
trations graced the noses of various U.S. bombers and saving moment."
fighters during World War II.
U.S. Army Air Force General
After you've started up Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe, Henry H. "Hap" A rno ld
you'll see the title sequence. Following this, a screen will ap-
pear with a nose art illustration, plus an aircraft silhouette.
To use the code wheel:
1. Line up the red pointer on the wheel so that it points
to the nose art illustration that matches the one displayed
on the screen.
2. Find the aircraft silhouette on the wheel that matches
the one displayed on the screen.
3. Type the name that appears inside the silhouette on
the wheel, then press RETURN . If you've typed the correct
name, the U.S./German Side selection screen will appear.
QUICK START
If you'd like to take Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe on a
quick introductory flight:
I . Start up the simulation by following the Loading In-
structions above.
2. Select the U.S. side. The Main Menu will appear.
3. Select FLIGHT SCHOOL from the Main Menu by
clicking on it. A U.S. Aircraft Selection menu will appear.
4. Click on P-47. A P-47 Training Flights menu will ap-
pear.
5. Click on the first menu selection from the Training
Flights menu. You'll now be sent to Flight Briefing, which
features a large map of Western Europe, along with a set of
commands at the bottom of the screen.
6. Click on START.
You'll now find yourself flying a P-47 Thunderbolt in the
treacherous skies over Germany. Your fighter won't ever
run out of fuel or ammunition, and it can't be damaged . Al-
though there are several Luftwaffe fighters flying around,
they won't attack you. To fulfill the objective of your mis-
sion, shoot down as many fighters as you can. For more in-
formation about piloting a fighter and using its machine
guns, see the Mission Instructions: In-Flight chapter of the
manual.
If you need to temporarily stop the flight, press Alt-P. To
end your mission, type Q at any time. You'll get a post-flight
evaluation, and then return to the Main Menu. You may
also leave the simulation at any time by pressing ESC.
IBMffandy R eference Guide 5

/1 fighter pilot must KEYBOARD REFERENCE
possess an inner urge to The following keys control the aircraft, view modes, and
do combat." weaponry in Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe. For a more de-
tailed discussion of these controls, see the Mission Instruc-
U.S. Anny Air Force Colonel tions: In-Flight chapter of the manual.
Hubert Zemke
,m
Simulation Controls
Keys Function
,m ~ Pauses flight; press any key to continue
~ Turns all sounds off and on
mm
'
~ ~ Turns only the engine sound off and on
Displays version number of simulation
Changes amount of ground detail, to smooth

, . . . ,iii
out your flight if simulation is running slowly
ma Turns accelerated time mode on; pressing
,iiiill
, _ repeatedly cycles through 2, 4, 8, and 16-
times normal speed
~ ~ Turns accelerated time mode off
ID a Toggles between advanced and

'iiiill 'iiil standard flight control modes
fi't\ ~ Selects and calibrates joystick
m
'iiiill
Exits the ~rogram'. returns you to your
computer s operatmg system
Pilot View Controls

Left forward Forward Right forward

IOo'clock 12 o'clock 2 o'clock
Over left wing Straight up Over right wing

9 o'clock 3 o'clock
Over left shoulder Rearview mirror Over right shoulder

7 o'clock 6 o'clock 5 o'clock
a Toggles you between "wing-level" view
,iii and 45-degree "high" angle view
a Scan view (to look completely around
, . . without altering your flight path)

Maneuvering Controls Airplane Controls and Equipment
NOTE: you can also use the arrow keys Key Function
on your keyboard to maneuver your plane. ~ Lowers and raises landing gear
Controller
Direction
Forward
Function
Pushes the nose

a
,iii
Cycles through the three settings
for your flaps: up, partially down,
(away from you) of the plane down and down
Backward Pulls the nose m
,iii
Turns automatic pilot on and off
(B-17 only)
(toward you)
Right
of the plane up
Banks the plane
a Cycles t~rough the di~erent fuel
, . . tank settmgs on your aircraft
to the right
(the status of the active tank will
Left Banks the plane be displayed on the fuel gauges)
to the left ~ Releases drop tanks (fighters only)
Advanced flight mode only
Key Function '6 Turns gun camera on and off
fA or ~ Moves rudder hard left B Sends you to Film Viewing ~oom to
ta Moves rudder partially left

, . . watch your gun camera movie
~ Displays the In-Flight Map
~ Moves rudder partially right m Lets you jump from your aircraft
p or ~ Moves rudder hard right

,iii
m and parachute to safety
Ends mission; sends you to
m
,iii
Centers rudder in fighters
and bombers
, . . post-flight evaluation
(Period) Centers rudder

,iii in fighters only
A Bf I 09 damaged by gunfire
from aP-47.
IBM{I'andy Ref erence Guide 7

Engine Controls Weapons Controls
Key Function Key Function
G Increases throttle for all engines
, . . (shift key not needed)
m Lets you choose which controller
, . . buttons will fire machine guns
or cannons
, I Decreases throttle for all engines
m Cycles through the different
m Decreases the throttle
, . . for Engine# l
, . . bombload configurations, and arms
and selects those bombs which are to be
-,iiiillm
,. .
Increases the throttle
for Engine # l
dropped (on a B-17, this key allows you to
toggle between dropping only one bomb at
m Decreases the throttle

, . . for Engine #2
a time and automatically dropping them
consecutively when you press RETURN)
Q
- m Increases the throttle
, _ , . . for Engine #2
Cycles through the different rocket
,iii configurations, and arms and selects
those rockets which are to be fired
m,iii
Decreases the throttle
for Engine #3
m Turns automatic shoot mode on and
,iii off if you're manning a machine gun
-,. . .m,iii
for Engine # 3
position on a bomber
m,iii
Decreases the throttle
for Engine #4
Left controller button Fires primary
-,iiiillm
,iii
for Engine #4
or SPACE BAR
Right controller button
guns or cannons
Fires secondary
a Displays set of instruments for

, . . either the two left-wing engines
or CTRL key
RETURN
guns or cannons
Drops armed
or the two right-wing engines (B-17 only) bomb load
and!or rockets
Crew Position Controls (B-1 7 Only)

Key Function
m
,iii
Sends you to a gun position
(see Gunner Position Controls below)
(Period) Switches you between
, . . pilot position and last gun position
manned
~':.\ Sends you to bombardier position
~- Sends you to pilot position
8 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaff e

Gunner Position Controls {B-17 Only)
a
Left cheek
gun
Chin turret or
nose gunner
Right cheek
gun

Left waist
gunner
Top turret
gunner
Right waist
gunner
Tail turret or

tail gunner
Ball turret Toggles between

gunner pilot and last gun
position manned
Key Function
m Switches autofire mode in
, . . machine gun position on and off
Bombardier Controls (B-17 Only)
(uparrow) Increases
Swivels the bombsight magnification
"You drop a load of

sighting mechanism up ofbombsight
bombs and, if you're
cursed with any imagina-
tion at all, you have at
Repositions the sighting cross- Resets magnification least one quick horrid
hairs of the bombsight nearly ofbombsight to lx glimpse of a child lying in
bed with a whole ton of

directly below your bomber
masonry tumbling down
on top of him; or a
three-year-old girl wail-
(down arrow) Decreases ing for Mutter...
Swivels the bombsight magnification Mutter... because she
sighting mechanism down ofbombsight has been burned. Then
you have to tum away
Key Function
a Locks on the target, and begins to count down
, . . the number of seconds until your bombload
from the picture if you
intend to retain your
sanity. And also if you
should be dropped to hit the target intend to keep on doing
m Toggles between dropping only one bomb
, . . at a time and automatically dropping them
the work your nation
expects of you."
consecutively U.S. Army Air Force
Colonel Curtis LeMay
RETURN Drops bombload
IBM{Tandy Ref erence Guide 9

"Jn the Reich and in the SAVING MISSION INFORMATION
western theaters of the ON A FLOPPY DISK
war the barrels of ten If you're running the simulation from floppy disks, and
want to save pilot and crew records, Custom Missions, Cam-
thousand antiaircraft paign Missions, Tours of Duty, combat film replays, and oth-
guns were pointed to the er important mission data, you must format a blank floppy
sky. The same guns disk before you start up the simulation (consult your DOS
manual for information on formatting a floppy disk) . To
could have well been save this information, insert the floppy disk and click on
employed in Russia SAVE.
against tanks and other If you've loaded the simulation on a hard drive, all mis-
sion information will automatically be saved in the SWOTL
ground targets." subdirectory.
German m inister of armaments
Albert Speer CREATING CUSTOM MISSIONS
WITH THE MISSION BUILDER
With the Mission Builder, you can open up a world of en-
tirely new and unique air combat challenges. It lets you cre-
ate your own missions and then save them to disk for your-
self and others to fly. When you create a mission, you
organize the forces of both the Eighth Air Force and the
Luftwaffe into flight groups, and create a flight plan for
them to follow. (This process is nearly identical to setting up
a Campaign Mission.)
NOTE: Before you begin to build your mission, it's a
good idea to plan it out on paper. The large Battle Map at
the back of the manual is helpful for choosing targets to at-
tack or defend.
The Mission Builder Map
To create a mission, select CUSTOM MISSIONS from
the Main Menu. You'll then move to the Custom Mission
menu, which displays three selections:
CREATE CUSTOM MISSION

FLY CUSTOM MISSION
EXIT
When you choose CREATE CUSTOM MISSION, you 'll

move to a screen with a map of Western Europe in the up-
per left-hand corner. A menu will appear over the map, and
you'll be asked to choose a historical time period between
August 1943 and October 1945. The disposition ofU .S. and
German forces will depend on which time period you
choose.
The Mission Builder Map is nearly identical to the Cam-
paign Map that you access during Campaign Missions. To
move the map up, down, left, or right, click on the bars to
the right and at the bottom of the map, or move the slider
box inside the bars. Click on the map with the right con-
troller button to center the map window around that point.

Click on the two zoom boxes to the right of the map to zoom
in or zoom out of any section of the map.
Directly below the zoom boxes is the range circle button.
Click on this button to display a series of concentric circles
that indicate the range in miles from the center of the map.
The number in the center of the range circle button indi-
cates how many miles each circle represents from center.
This number changes as the map is viewed at different
zoom levels. To turn the range circles off, click on the button
again.
Like the Campaign Map, the Mission Builder map will
display icons representing the locations of ground installa-
tions, such as factories, refineries, railroad yards, and Luft-
waffe airfields throughout western Europe, plus Eighth Air
Force bases in England. If you click on any of these icons, a
pop-up window will open, displaying information about
that installation . As you create flight groups and flight Women factory workers assem-
plans, they will be represented by icons that will appear on bling a P-51 B Mustang. While
women made up a large percent
the map (see Creating Flight Groups and Flight Plans below). age of the U.S. labor force during
Below the map, you'll see four buttons: the war, German leaders
SAVE Lets you save the current mission that you're deemed women unfit to work in
building wartime factories, and relied
instead on slave laborers, which
LOAD Lets you load a mission that you've already built
resulted in a poor quality of
and saved workmanship.
NEW Cancels all the values for the mission you've been
editing, so you can start creating a new mission
EXIT Returns to the Custom Missions menu
Creating Flight Groups and Flight Plans
Just as when you set up a Campaign Mission, you'll need
to create one or more flight groups, which are a given num-
ber of aircraft that fly together as a unit. Each mission that
IBM{I'andy Reference Guide II

you build can have a maximum of ten flight groups. To cre-
ate a flight group, click on an airfield icon on the map, then
click on CREATE FLIGHT GROUP. This will display three
new windows. The window on the right, titled FLIGHT
GROUP, has a list of selections which let you determine the
composition of the flight group that will depart from that
airfield. These selections are:
PLANE TYPE Cycles through the types of aircraft that
may make up this flight group. Each flight group must con-
sist of one type of aircraft, and each mission can involve no
more than four different plane types.
#OF PLANES Lets you determine how
Stories about the B-17's legendary
many aircraft will be in this flight group .
ability to withstand incredible battle T here must be at least one plane in a flight
damage and still return its crews to Eng group before it can fly in your mission. (The
land abound. On one occasion, a Fortress number of planes available will be displayed
copiloted by Lieutenant Robert Rosen- in the chart at the upper right-hand corner
thal was hit in the number one engine by of the screen next to the heading PLANES
flak over the Ruhr. The propeller ran AVAIL, be low which will be shown the
wild, and the pilot, unsure of what to do, n u mber of planes you've assigned to the
turned the plane over to Rosenthal. Sud- U.S.A.A.F. and the Luftwaffe.) The maxi-
denly, the propeller cut loose, first strik- mum number of planes in a flight group is
ing the number two engine's propeller, six.
and then cutting off half the rudder and WAVES Cycles through the number of
fin. With two engines out on the same
times a wave of aircraft may be vectored to
side, little lateral control, and a fuel leak,
the bomber fell out of its formation over
the battle area to reinforce a flight group
Germany. The crew threw everything that has been destroyed in combat. Only in-
they could out of the B-17, and Rosenthal tercepting enemy fighters can have multi-
guided the bomber toward England, ple waves.
some three hundred miles away. Over YOU IN FG Lets yo u determine
the English Channel another engine went whether or not you 'll fly in this fl ight group,
out, but the Fortress, flying on only one and ch oose whether to be a leader or a
engine at 3,000 feet, still remained air- wingman. NOTE : Always remember to
borne. Finally it crossed over into Eng- place you rself in one of the flight groups
land, and the crew spotted an emergency you create.
landing field. Twenty feet over the run- SKILL LEVEL Lets you determine how
way the last engine died, out of fuel. Nev-
much experience this flight group will pos-
ertheless, Rosenthal gingerly glided the
sess.
B-17 toward the field, where it made a
FORMATION Cycles through the dif-
wheels-down landing.
ferent formations available for this flight
group .
CAMOUFLAGE Lets you determine whether the air-
craft in this flig ht grou p will fly in early-war or late-war
camouflage patterns.
ORDERS Cycles through the different mission orders
for this flight group. Luftwaffe fighters can intercept either
U.S. bombers or fighters, or fly in a bomber escort role, a
free-ranging role, or a fighter-bomber role. Eighth Air
Force fighters can fly in a bomber escort role, a free-ranging
role, or a fighter-bomber role. Eighth Air Force bombers
can fly only bombing missions.

NOTE: Click the left controller button to cycle forward
through the selections, and click the right controller button
to cycle backward.
Once you've created a flight group, you'll need to place a
series of navigational points on the Mission Builder Map for
this group to follow. This is called a flight plan, and it is a
course composed of a starting point (BEGIN), up to four
rendezvous points (WAY POINTS 1-4), and an airfield to
return to (LAND). During fighter sweeps, fighter patrols,
and fighter escort, the flight group repeats the flight plan
until it runs low on fuel and returns to base. In bombing
missions, the flight group follows the flight plan only once.
To create a flight plan, use the window in the lower mid-
dle part of the screen that looks like this:
FLT PLAN ETA ALT ATK

BEGIN
WAY PT 1
WAYPT2
WAYPT3
WAYPT4
LAND DONE DELETE
To choose the starting point for a flight group's mission, P-47 fighter-bombers of the
click on BEGIN . This word will be highlighted, and the 386th Fighter Group blasted this
pointer will change to a crosshair (to change the crosshair bridge on the Moselle.
IBMrFandy R eference Guide 13

back to a pointer, click on the currently-highlighted Way
Point, or click on DONE). The airfield icon will be encircled
in red, to indicate the operational range of the plane type
selected. Click on the location on the map at which you want
the flight group to start its mission. A starting point icon will
be placed on the Mission Builder Map. To change this start-
ing point, click on a different location on the map.
NOTE: To center the map window around a Way Point
icon, use the right controller button to click on that Way
Point's name in the window at the bottom of the screen.
Next to FLT PLAN on the chart is a heading labeled
ETA. Click on the number below this heading and to the
right of BEGIN to set the time at which you want the flight
group to begin. The player's flight group determines the
start time for the mission; other flight groups can be set to
start at the same time or at a later time. (The mission start
time will also be displayed in the chart at the upper right-
A V-2 rocket in flight. Though far
ahead of its dme, this deadly mis-
sile was developed too late to
tum the course of the war in
favor of the Third Reich, and
actually hindered Germany's
overall war effort by using up
valuable resources.
hand corner of the screen next to MONTH and YEAR.)

Once you've set the start time, whenever you place a Way
Point icon on the map, a number will appear under the ETA
heading indicating the flight group's estimated time of ar-
rival at that Way Point. These estimates are based on the
cruise speed for each plane type.
The heading labeled ALT indicates the cruising altitu.de
of this flight group, in feet. Click on the number below this
heading and to the right of BEGIN to change the starting
altitude.
To set the locations of up to four Way Points for the flight
group, first click on WAY PT I , then click on the desired lo-
cation on the map . An icon will appear to show the location
of that Way Point. Click on the number in the ALT column
to the right of WAY PT I to change the altitude of the flight

group as it reaches Way Point l. If you want, place icons for "Whenever we saw one
Way Points 2, 3, and 4 on the map and set their altitudes. Fi-
nally, to assign the flight group to a landing area, click on
of our bombers go down,
LAND, and then click on the desired airfield. it was very important to
If you're building a U.S. mission , the flight groups will count how many
automatically bomb or strafe a target if you p lace a Way
Point icon on it, and the word YES will appear under ATK
parachutes wouUi come
(attack) on the chart. Click on YES to call off the attack. out."
To remove one or more of the Way Points after you've U.S. Army Air Force Pilot
created a flight plan, click on the Way Point you'd like to re- Officer Robert Davila
move, then click on the DELETE button.
To choose weaponry for the aircraft in the flight groups
and look over all the flight plans you've created, use the
window in the lower left-hand corner of the screen:
SET WEAPONS Click on this option to set the arma-
ments for all the aircraft in a flight group. (See Weapons Load
Options in the Flight Briefing section of the Mission Instruc-
tions: Pre-Flight chapter of the manual for more information
about arming aircraft.)
NEXT FLIGHT GROUP Cycles you to the next flight
group you've created, and displays its flight plan on the
map.
SHOW THIS FLIGHT PLAN Click on this option to
continually display the flight plan for the current flight
group, even while you're creating flight plans for other
flight groups.
SHOW ALL FLIGHT PLANS Click on this option to
display all the flight plans for all the flight groups you've
created on the map.
CANCEUDELETE Eliminates the currently selected
flight group.
EXIT Click on this option when you've finished creating
or modifying the current flight group. This will close the
flight group windows and display the original Mission
Builder menu.
Once you've set all the variables for the mission, includ-
ing the flight groups, their flight plans, and the weaponry
for all aircraft, click on the SAVE button below the Mission
Builder Map. This will prompt you to enter a name for the
mission . Type the name, then press RETURN . The name of
the mission will then be displayed in the chart in the upper
right-hand corner of the screen.
NOTE: You cannot save a mission if you have not put the
player in a flight group, or if you use more than four differ-
ent types of planes.
Writing a Text Description of Your Mission
If other players are going to be flying a mission you've
created, you may want to write a description of that mission ,
including the mission objective, what kind of enemy opposi-
tion they'll encounter, and maybe even a helpful hint or
IBM(fandy Refere11ce Guide 15

two . To do this, use any word processing program of your
choice to write a brief mission description, and then save it
under the name of your mission, followed by a period, and
the letters TXT. For example, if you have a mission titled
SWEEP, save the mission description as SWEEP.TXT. This
text will appear on the Flight Briefing Screen.
NOTE: The lines of text in your mission description
should not exceed approximately 40 characters in length.
The first line of text in your file will be highlighted and cen-
tered for use as a title.
Flying a Custom Mission
To fly a mission you've created and saved, go to the Cus-
tom Missions menu by clicking on EXIT from the Mission
Builder Map, or by clicking on CUSTOM MISSIONS from
the Main Menu. Then click on FLY CUSTOM MISSION.
This will send you to a screen with the following selections:
FLY Click on to begin flying a mission after you've se-
lected one from the list (see below).
CANCEL Returns to the Custom Missions menu.
RETRY Use to search a new floppy disk for custom mis-
sions if you aren't using a hard drive.
A list of the missions you've created and saved will be dis-
played on the right-hand side of the screen. (If you're sav-
ing your missions on a floppy disk, they won't be displayed
until you insert the floppy disk you've saved them on, and
click on RETRY.) Click on any of these missions to make
your selection, then click on FLY.
HOW TO REACH
L UCASFILM GAMES
If you want to access our automated hint line , call
1-900-740-JEDI (United States only). The cost is 75 per
minute. If you're under 18, first get your parent's or
guardian's permission.
If you need technical assistance, call 1-415-721-3333.
We're sorry, but no hints can be given on this line.
If you want to order additional products or a product
catalog from Lucasfilm Games, call 1-800-STAR WARS
( 1-800-782-7927) from the United States. From Canada,
call 1-800-828-7927.
Secret Weapons o f the Luftwaffe

and Lucasfilm Games are trade-
marks of LucasArts
Entertainment Co mpany.
and 1991 LucasArts
Entertainment Company
All Rights Reserved.
41 0006
Cover. Me 163 in flight.

CREDITS
Programmed by Lawrence Holland Lawrence Holland, Mark Shepard and
and Peter Lincroft Walter Krupinski
Produced by Gregory Hammond Manual Design and Layout by
and Noah Falstein Mark Shepard
Artwork by Martin Cameron Illustrations by Mark Shepard
and James McLeod Copyediting by Francey Oscherwitz
Missions Designed by Gregory Hammond and Judith Lucero
Package Design by Soo Hoo Designs
Lucasfilm Games General Manager:
Doug Glen Thanks to Larry Wilson, Photo Librarian at
Director of Development: Kelly Flock the National Air and Space Museum
Associate Director of Development: All manual photos and package photos
Lucy Bradshaw courtesy of the National Air and Space
Product Marketing Manager: Robin Parker Museum
Product Marketing Assistant: Front package photo courtesy of
Marianne Dumitru Manfred Griehl
Public Relations Manager: Sue Seserman
Print Production Manager: Special Thanks to George Lucas
Carolyn Knutson
International Coordinator: Lisa Star TMand 1992 LucasArts Entertainment
Manufacturing Coordinator: Company. All rights reserved.
Meredith Cahill Lucasfilm Games, PO Box 10307,
Product Support: Khris Brown, Livia San Rafael, California 94912 USA
Mackin, Mara Kaehn, and Erin Collier
Administrative Support: Kim Foulger,
Annemarie Barrett, Alexa Eurich,
and Michelle Harrell
Lead Tester: Justin Graham
Testers: William Burns, David Wessman
and Dave Maxwell
Cover: Do 335 A-0, production

number 2~0 I02, before the
Americans arrived at
Oberpfaffenhofen.

his guide will enable you to add the Ger-
man Dornier Do 335 Pfeil fighter to the ar-
ray of formidable and unusual aircraft in
Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe. The follow-
ing instructions describe how to install the
Do 335 Tour of Duty disk on a hard drive,
and how to access all the different Do 335 missions. Next, a
historical overview section will give you some background
information on this unique fighter, along with performance
data for the model you'll be flying in the simulation, the
Do 335 A-1 . Finally, you'll find a note on combat tactics from
a pilot who flew the Do 335, RAF Captain Eric Brown.
Product Support
We recommend that you carefully read the instructions
below to insure proper installation of this Tour of Duty soft-
ware. However, if you experience technical difficulties and
require assistance, contact Lucasfilm Games Product Sup-
port at l-415-721-3333.
Installing the Do 335 Pfeil
Tour of Duty Disk on a Hard Drive
NOTE: The contents of this disk must be installed on
your computer's hard drive in order for it to be used with
Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe.
To install the Tour of Duty disk on a hard drive, first boot
your machine. Then:
l. Insert the disk in drive A or B.
2. Type a: and press RETURN . Your computer will re-
spond with the prompt "A> ." (If you're using drive B, type Although the nick-
name of the Do 335 was
b: and press RETURN. Your Computer will respond with
the Pfeil, or "Arrow:' its
the prompt "B>".)
unique fuselage outline
3. Type install c: (or the letter of your hard drive) and inspired its pilots to call
press RETURN . The installation program will automatical- it the Ameisenbir, or
ly copy all of the files from the Tour of Duty disk to the ap- "Anteater!'
propriate subdirectories on your computer's hard drive.
Thur of Duty: Do 335 Pfeil 3

"[The Do 335) could in NOTE: If you've installed Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe
in a directory with a name other than SWOTL, you'll need
itself- even without a
to manually copy all of the files from the Tour of Duty disk.
decision infavor ofjet To do this:
aircraft- have gi,ven 1. Change to the directory containing Secret Weapons of
new life to the fighter the Luftwaffe.
2. Insert the disk in drive A or B.
arm, then equipped 3. Type xcopy a: /s. (If you're using drive B, type xcopy
with outmoded planes, b: /s.)
if only the Ministry had MISSION INSTRUCTIONS
decided to build it. " Once you've installed the contents of the Do 335 Tour of
Ernst Heinkel Duty disk in your SWOTL directory, you can then fly the
PEeil on a variety of missions when you run Secret Weapons of
the Luftwaffe.
Flight School Missions
There are three Flight School Missions for the Do 335
Pfeil. After selecting any of these missions, you'll be able to
test-fly the Do 335 and practice your aerial gunnery,
ground attack, and bomber interception skills.
To fly any of these missions, select FLIGHT SCHOOL
from the main menu on the German side. Then click on the
Do 335 icon.
Historical Missions
There are eight Historical Missions for the Do 335 Pfeil.
Since the Do 335 did not see extensive service during World
War II , these missions are hypothetical situations based on
its intended role.
Because the Do 33S's rear-mounted To fly any of these missions, select
propeller and cruciform tail posed deadly HISTORICAL MISSIONS from the main
hazards to the pilot who had to bail out, menu on the German side. Then click on
the Pfeil was one of the first production the Do 335 icon.
aircraft to be equipped with an ejector
seat. For an extra margin of safety, when Custom Missions
the pilot activated the seat, two explosive Four Custom Missions allow you to fly
charges blew off the rear propeller and each of the different U.S. aircraft against the
the top fin and rudder. It is not known if Do 335, and to experience the strengths and
this ejection sequence was ever success- weaknesses of this unique Luftwaffe fighter
fully tested by a pilot during flight.
from the perspective of an American fighter
pilot or bomber crew.
To fly any of these missions, select CUSTOM MISSIONS
from the main menu on either side. Then select FLY A
CUSTOM MISSION. A window will open to display these
mission choices:
335VS17 (B-17 vs Do 335)
335VS47 (P-4 7 vs Do 335)
335VS51B (P-51B vs Do 335)
335VS51D (P-5 lD vs Do 335)

The Do 335 VI prototype
banking in flight.
(NOTE: Depending on the number of custom missions

on your hard drive, you may need to use the window's scroll
bar to access these new missions.)
Tour of Duty
Like the other aircraft in Secret Weapom of the Luftwaffe,
the Do 335 Pfeil can be flown in a Tour of Duty. The chal-
lenge of flying a Tour is to keep one pilot alive over the
course of fifty to sixty missions, depending on the difficulty
level you choose.
To fly a Tour with the Do 335, first select TOUR OF
DUTY from the main menu on the German side. Next,
start a new Tour of Duty, and click on the Do 335 fighter
group. Finally, select an existing pilot (or create a new one),
and choose the desired difficulty level. For more informa-
tion on flying a Tour of Duty, see page 89 of your Secret
Weapom of the Luftwaffe manual.
Mission Builder
You can use the Mission Builder to create your own mis-
sions featuring the Do 335 Pfeil. The Do 335 can be used in
combination with any three of the other aircraft in the simu-
lation. The Pfeil can be flown in the following roles: inter-
ceptor, escort fighter, fighter-bomber, and fighter sweep.
For more information on creating custom missions with the
Mission Builder, see page 10 of your Secret Weapom of the
Luftwaffe Reference Guide.
Tour of Duty: Do 335 Pfeil 5

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
OF THE DORNIER DO 3 35 PFEIL
FIGHTER
World War II saw the introduction of many varieties of
revolutionary fighter aircraft, but perhaps none was as
unique as the Dornier Do 335. Called the Pfei.l, or ''Arrow,"
the Do 335 employed a radical centerline thrust concept.
Two engines were mounted on the fuselage, one with a con-
ventional tractor propeller in the nose and the other with a
pusher propeller behind the tail. Because of this "push-
pull" arrangement, the Do 335 was the fastest piston-engined
fighter ever built - with greater maneuverability and
speed than twin-engined aircraft with more conventional,
wing-mounted engines. Despite a tendency to snake at high
speeds, the Do 335 was so promising that Adolf Galland, the
commander of the Luftwaffe's fighter forces, planned to use
it to reinforce his badly depleted heavy fighter units. How-
ever, as was the case with so many other promising Luft-
waffe aircraft, the Do 335 would not see service on the front
lines before the end of the war, owing to production difficul-
ties and bureaucratic short-sightedness. The innovative
Do 335 signalled the last hurrah for the piston-engine
fighter, as the jet came to dominate the military aircraft
scene after the war.
Origins
In 1915, Professor Claude Dornier began to experiment
with aircraft that featured pairs of wing-mounted power-
plants, and designed and built a series of giant flying boats
that utilized this tandem arrangement. Many of these flying
boats were used extensively during the next two decades,
and the tandem arrangement proved to be a success. In
1936, Dornier began to consider a high-speed combat air-
craft with two engines mounted in tandem on the fuselage,
an arrangement that promised less drag and greater ma-
A frontal view of the Do 335
V3 prototype neuverability than two wing-mounted engines. In 1937, he

patented a design for an aircraft that had the pilot's com- ".. ./found the Do 335
partment located between a conventional front-mounted
powerplant and an unconventional rear powerplant (driv-
lively to fly, and right
ing a propeller mounted aft of the tail). However, with war from the short takeoff
looming on the horizon, the technical office of the Air Min- run under the smooth
istry decided to pursue only those projects which could be
ready for combat by late 1940 or early 1941 . Dornier's pro-
roar of the two Daimler-
posal for an aircraft that utilized his new design was official- Benz DB 603s it
ly postponed. afforded that comforting
Still convinced that his design was worth pursuing, feeling of being over-
Dornier decided to test its feasibility. He contracted a glider-
building firm, Schempp-Hirth, to build an experimental powered, a gratifying
aircraft with a rear engine connected to the pusher propeller sensation that one
by a long extension shaft. This aircraft, the Goppingen Go 9, seldom experiences."
made its first flight in early 1940, and the pusher arrange-
ment proved to be highly efficient and free of vibration. RAF Captain Eric Brown
Dornier and his design team went on to develop several

proposals for tandem twin-engined fighters. The Air Min-
istry, however, maintained that Dornier should concentrate
on designing and building bombers and flying boats, and
Do 335
remained cool toward his ideas for a fighter. Instead, they Artist's rendering of a Dornier
Do 335.
awarded him a development contract for a 495-mile-per-
hour unarmed , single-seat bomber that could carry a
2,205-pound bombload. Dornier decided to implement the
tandem engine arrangement on this aircraft, the Do P.231.
By 1942, design work had nearly been completed, but as an
air war over Europe loomed more likely, priorities changed
and Dornier's bomber project was cancelled. The idea of a
twin-engined tandem fighter was then revived, and
Dornier decided to adapt the bomber design to the require-

"I did not fly the ments of this new aircraft, designated the Do 335. It was to
Dornier 335 myself, be- be used as a single-seat fighter-bomber, a fast reconnais-
sance aircraft, a heavily-armed Zerstdrer, or "destroyer," and
cause it was only in test- as a two-seat night fighter. Feldmarschall Erhard Milch, the
ing, and not available deputy air minister, issued a contract calling for a dozen
for fighter combat. But Do 335 prototypes.
I'd say it was a crazy The First Prototypes
aircraft." By late 1942, metal for the Do 335 prototype had been
cut and construction commenced at the Dornier factory at
Luftwaffe Lieutenant General
Walter Krupinski Oberpfaffenhofen. But on September 7, 1943, Adolf Hitler
assigned top priority to the construction of the Messer-
schmitt Me 262, which he favored as a high-speed bomber
over both the Do 335 and the new Arado Ar 234 twin-engine
jet bomber. Milch's pleas on behalf of the Do 335 were ig-
nored.
Despite this setback, work on the Do 335 prototypes con-
tinued, and in the fall of 1943, the first prototype, the
Do 335 Vl, was completed. Compared to single-engined
fighters of that time, it was enormous, with the tip of its top
fin measuring over sixteen feet above the ground. It had a
cruciform, or cross-shaped, tail, and the lower vertical tail
surface, which was fitted with a tail bumper for takeoffs and
landings, and could be jettisoned if the pilot needed to
A leading figure in the er that was used by the

German aircraft industry Luftwaffe as a medium-
during the twentieth centu- range bomber during
ry, Do 335 designer Claude World War II, the Do 17
Dornier was one of avia- " Flying Pencil!' In 1937, he
tion's true pioneers. He patented the tandem
began his career in 1910 as engine configuration that
a statistician at the factory was used successfully by t he
of airship designer Count Do 335. After t he surren-
Ferdinand von Zeppelin. der of Germany in 1945,
The following year, Dornier t he Allied ban on aircraft
designed and built the could be landed on water. construction in West
world's first all-metal air- Dornier's " Whales: as Germany forced Dornie r t o
craft, and Count Zeppelin these seaplanes were rebuild his factories t o pro-
named him the head of a called, were widely used for duce nonaviation machin-
separate aircraft division, transatlantic flight during ery. The ban was lifted in
the Dornier Works. During the 1920s and 1930s. In 1955, and Dornier resumed
World War I, Dornier 1929, Dornier built the production of aircraft for
developed numerous largest aircraft in the world both military and commer-
fighter aircraft of wood and at that time, the mam- cial use. In 196 7, Dornier's
metal construction, and moth Do X flying boat, company produced the
after the war, he became with twelve engines world's first vertical-take-
sole owner of the Dornier (arranged in tandem), a off-and-landing (VTOL) je t
Works. In the 1920s, I 57-foot wingspan, and aircraft, the Do 3 I . Dornier
Dornier concentrated on room for 169 passengers. die d in 1969 at age 85.
designing and building sea- Later, Dornier designed a
planes, whose fuselages twin-engined civilian airlin-

make a belly landing. T he Do 335 V 1 made its first flight on This damaged DO 335 was discov-
October 26, 1943, and official trials were begun at Rechlin ered when General Patton's U.S.
Third Anny captured the airfield
shortly thereafter. The test pilots who flew the Do 335 Vl at Bindbach, near Bayreuth,
reported that, despite some minor teething troubles, the Germany.
overall handling of the prototype was excellent. It was ma-
neuverable and had very good acceleration and a turning
circle that was better than expected. The Do 335 V 1 flew
well with either engine out and could even take off on one
engine. The second prototype, the Do 335 V2, performed
even better than the Vl, but was destroyed when the rear
engine caught fire . To prevent this mishap from recurring,
a fuel system modification was made on the next prototype,
When the U.S. Army captured
the Dornier factory at
Oberpfaffenhofen in April, 1945,
they found many Do 335 aircraft
in various stages of production.

the Do 335 V3. After its trials, this prototype went into ser-
vice as a long-distance reconnaissance aircraft.
Echoing the enthusiasm of Luftwaffe officers, Milch con-
tinued to support the Do 335 program, even noting that the
prototypes were capable of carrying twice as many pounds
A Do 335 A-1 sits derelict out- of bombs as the Me 262. Hitler still supported the bomber
side the Oberpfaffenhofen facto- version of the Messerschmittjet, but finally decided that the
ry, having endured five U.S. Army
8th Air Force attacks. An Arado Do 335 should be produced as a backup measure in case the
Ar 234 jet bomber can be seen 262 was a failure. In mid-1944, he ordered the production
parked in the distance. of the Do 335 to proceed as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, more Do 335 prototypes were rolling out of
the factory at Oberpfaffenhofen. The Do 335 V4 was the
prototype for the Do 435, a night and all-weather intercep-
tor with cabin pressurization -and two side-
Since both engines of the Do 335
by-side seats for the pilot and copilot. (This
were ail"-cooled, a special scoop,
program was canceled in the fall of 1944.)
positioned beneath the fuselage and T h e VS prototype was a testbed for the
behind the wings, was devised to cool the Do 335's proposed armament of one 30-mm
hard-to-reach rear engine. But even with MK 103 cannon in the front propeller spin-
this scoop, the rear engines of several ner and two 15-mm MG 151 cannons on top
Do 335 prototypes were prone to over- of the front engine. The V6, V7, and VS
heating. One of these prototypes was prototypes were used for various equip-
flown by an unlucky RAF test pilot after ment trials, with the V7 and VS delivered to
the war. As he neared an airfield to land, Junkers and Daimler-Benz respectively to
the rear engine of the Do 335 caught fire. be used as engine testbeds. The Do 335 V9
Evidently, he was unaware of the flames,
served as the basis for the first pre-produc-
for he continued to make his circuit of
tion mode l, the Do 335 A-0, a fighter-
the airfield instead of making an emer-
gency landing. Before he could complete
bomber.
the circuit, the fire severed the elevator Between July and October 1944, ten
control cables, and the Do 335 dove Do 335 A-Os were built. In September, sever-
straight down into a schoolhouse. The al A-Os were sent to a special experimental
pilot was killed in the crash. Luftwaffe unit, Erprobungskommando 335,
which was established to evaluate the

Do 335, and to develop operational tactics for it. One A-0 "(I'he Do 335] should
was also used as a prototype for a reconnaissance aircraft,
the Do 335 A-4. It was in a reconnaissance capacity that a
hold its own in speed
Do 335 (perhaps the V3) was damaged by gunfire and and altitude with the
forced to land near Reims , France, thus giving the Allies Lockheed P-38 Light-
their first close-up look at this unique new Luftwaffe air-
ning and does not suffer
craft.
from the unreliability of
Production Models - and More Prototypes
its power units."
In late 1944, the first true production Do 335, the A-1,
Feldmarschall Erhard Milch,
came off the Dornier assembly line. This aircraft differed lit- December 17, 1943
tle from the A-0, except for engines that delivered slightly
more horsepower, plus underwing attachments for drop
tanks or bombs. But as the deteriorating war situation and
the relentless Allied bombing curtailed the availability and
deliverability of its powerplants, air screws, and other com-
ponents, production of the A-1 was slow.
Even as the Allied armies pushed closer to German facto-
ries and airfields, Dornier was still developing prototypes of
the Do 335. In early 1945, the first two-seat models, the
Do 335 V-10, V-11, and V-12, became available for testing.
The V-10, which was the prototype for the Do 335 A-6 night
fighter, had a second cockpit for the radar operator which The Do 335 VI I was the
prototype for the Do 335 A-10
was located behind and above the pilot's cockpit. The V-11 series.
and V-12, prototypes for the Do 335 A-10 and A-12 respec-
tively, were unarmed trainer aircraft, with the second cock-
pit carrying full instrumentation for an instructor. Several
heavy fighter prototypes for the Do 335 B-series Zerstdrer,
the Do 335 V-13 and V-14, were completed during the win-
ter of 1944-45. The Do 335 V-13, the prototype for the
Do 335 B-1, had more powerful 20-mm cannons mounted
on its forward engine, while the V-14, the prototype for the
Do 335 B-2, had two additional 30-mm MK 103 cannons
mounted in its wings. The V-13 and V-14 would be the only
two B-series prototypes to be completed before the end of
the war, although several other two-seat night fighters and
Tour of Duty: Do 335 Pfeil II

trainers of the B-series were near completion.
In late April 1945, the U.S. Army captured the Dornier
factory at Oberpfaffenhofen, thus ending Do 335 produc-
tion . A total of fourteen V-series prototypes, ten A-0 pre-
production models, eleven A-1 fighter-bombers, and three
A-12 two-seat trainers had been completed. An additional
fifteen to twenty aircraft were nearing the final stages of
construction, and seventy more were partially completed.
On the drawing boards were plans for a Do 335 with a jet
engine in the rear, two Do 335sjoined together at the wing,
and a Do 335 with underwingjet engines in place of the tan-
dem engines. Perhaps as many as twenty Do 335s were actu-
ally delivered to active Luftwaffe units, but it is not certain if
any of these aircraft ever saw action against Allied fighters
and bombers.

COMBAT TACTICS
" ... I was of the opinion that [the Do 335] would have made a
successful night fighter with its good stability, endurance, and ex-
cellent turn of speed. As a day fighter, however, although possess-
ing an impressive performance by piston-engined fighter stan-
dards and a pretty potent armament, it was no aircraft for
dogfighting. To be fair, fighter-versus-fighter combat was never in-
tended to be the Do 335's forte, and it certainly could have given
Allied bombers an unpleasant time with its good overtaking
speed, its lethal firepower, and its worthwhile endurance, which
would have enabled it to fly standing patrols while awaiting intrud-
ing bomber formations."
RAF Captain Eric Brown, who test-flew the Do 335 in late 1945
The tandem engine

arrangement of the Do
335 was an advantage to
the pilot during landings.
The propeller on the
front engine had
reversible pitch, which
the pilot used to slow
the aircraft down.

DollSA-1 Dimensions
+ Powerplant: Two Daimler-

Benz DB 603G 12-cylinder
inverted vee air-cooled
engines
Horsepower: 1,800 at takeoff;
1,900 at 5,905 feet
Top speed: 474 miles per
Wing area: 414.4 square feet
Length: 45 feet 5 inches
Height: 16 feet 5 inches
Weights
Empty: 16,005 pounds
Loaded: 21,160 pounds
Standard Armament
hour at 21,325 feet One 30-mm MK 103
Maximum diving speed: cannon, with 70 rounds,
600 miles per hour mounted through the pro-
Maximum speed with peller spinner in the nose
landing gear extended: Two 15-mm MG 151 can-
250 miles per hour nons, with 200 rounds per
Maximum speed with gun, mounted on the upper
flaps partially lowered: cowling of the front engine
300 miles per hour
Maximum speed with
flaps fully lowered:
200 miles per hour
Rate ofclimb:
4,600 feet per minute
Range: 1,280 miles;
2,330 miles with drop tank
Crew: one
Optional Armament
One 1,102-pound
bomb, mounted in the
fuselage weapons bay
Four 551-pound
bombs

D Cockpit Gunsight mciock Cockpit of a Do 335
D Airspeed Indicator ID RPM Indicators
D Banking Indicator (one per engine)
II Rate of Climb Indicator el Bomb Indicator Panel
D Hydraulic Pressure ID Flaps Lever
Gauge ID Landing Gear Lever
D Fuel Gauges and and Indicator Lights
Indicator Lights ID View Panel
II Gun Camera Indicator IEI Rudder Indicator
D I 5-mm Ammunition la Oil Pressure and
Round Indicator Temperature Gauges
II 30-mm Ammunition (one per engine)
Round Indicator EilJ Manifold Pressure and
ID Altimeter Temperature Gauges
mcompass (one per engine)
Tour of Duty: Do 335 Pfeil IS

I '
Do 335 number 240 I02 being BIBLIOGRAPHY Gunston, Bill. The Illustrated
loaded into the British aircraft
Bambach, Werner. The Life Encyclopedia of Combat
carrier H.M.S. Reaper. This air-
craft was transported from and Death ofthe Luftwaffe. Aircraft of World War II.
Cherbourg, France to the Coward-McCann, Inc., Bookthrift Publications,
Patuxent River Naval Air Test
1949. Inc. , 1978.
Center in Maryland. Number
240 I02 was eventually returned Brown, Eric. Wings of the Nowarra, Heinz. Dornier
to Dornier where it underwent
Luftwaffe. Pilot Press, Do 335 "Pfeil." Schiffer
complete restoration during the Publishing Ltd., 1989.
mid- I970's. Limited, 1987.
Ford, Brian. German Secret Smith, J., and Anthony Kay.
Weapons: Blueprint for Mars. German Aircraft of the Second
Ballantine Books, Inc., World War: Putnam, 1972.
1969.
Green, William. Warplanes
of the Third Reich. Galahad
Books, 1990.
625702

CREDITS
Programmed by Lawrence Holland Lawrence Holland, Mark Shepard and
and Peter Lincroft Walter Krupinski
Produced by Gregory Hammond Manual Design and Layout by
and Noah Falstein Mark Shepard
Artwork by Martin Cameron Illustrations by Mark Shepard
and Jam es McLeod Copyediting by Francey Oscherwitz
Missions Designed by Gregory Hammond and Judith Lucero
Lucasfilm Games General Manager: Package Copy by Dan Macwilliams
Doug Glen
Director of Development: Kelly Flock Thanks to Larry Wilson, Photo Librarian at
Associate Director of Development: the National Air and Space Museum
Lucy Bradshaw All manual photos and package photos
Product Marketing Manager: Robin Parker courtesy of the National Air and Space
Public Relations Manager: Sue Seserman Museum
Print Production Manager:
Carolyn Knutson Special Thanks to George Lucas
Manufacturing Coordinator:
Meredith Cahill and 1992 LucasArts Entertainment
Product Marketing Assistant: Company. All rights reserved.
Marianne Dumitru Lucasfilm Games, PO Box 10307,
Product Support: Khris Brown, San Rafael, California 94912 USA
Erin Collier, Mara Kaehn
Administrative Support: Kim Foulger,
Annemarie Barrett, Alexa Eurich,
Testers: William Burns, David Wessman
and Dave Maxwell

his guide will enable you to add the Ger-
man Heinkel He 162 Volksjager fighter to
all the other unique aircraft in Secret
Weapons of the Luftwaffe. The following in-
s tru cti ons describe how to install the
He 162 Tour of Duty disk on a hard drive,
and how to access all the different He 162 missions. Next,
an historical overview section will give you some back-
ground information on this unique fighter, along with per-
formance data for the model you'll be flying in the simula-
tion, the He 162 A-2. Finally, you'll find a note on combat
tactics from a pilot who flew the He 162 shortly after World
War II, RAF Captain Eric Brown.
Product Support
We recommend that you carefully read the instructions
below to properly install this software. However, if you ex-
perience technical difficulties and require assistance, con-
tact Lucasfilm Games Product Support at 1-415-721-3333.
Installing the He 162 VolksjagerTourofDuty Disk
on a Hard Drive
NOTE: The contents of this disk must be installed on
your computer's hard drive in order for it to be used with
Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe.
To install the Tour of Duty disk on a hard drive, first
boot your machine. Then:
1. Insert the disk in drive A or B.
2. Type a: and press RETURN . Your computer will re-
spond with the prompt "A>." (If you're using drive B, type
b: and press RETURN . Your computer will respond with
the prompt "B>.")
3. Type install c: (or the letter of your hard drive) and
press RETURN . The installation program will automatically
T(!Ur of Duty: He 162 Volksjiiger 3

"[I'he] unrealistic copy all of the files from the Tour of Duty disk to the appro-
notion that this plane priate subdirectories on your computer's hard drive.
NOTE: If you've installed Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe
should be a 'people's in a directory with a name other than SWOTL, you'll need
fighter,' in which the to manually copy all of the files from the Tour of Duty disk.
Hitler Youth, after a To do this:
1. Change to the directory containing Secret Weapons of
short training, could fly the Luftwaffe.
for the defense of 2. Insert the disk in drive A or B.
Germany, displayed the 3. Type xcopy a: /s. (If you're using drive B, type xcopy
b: /s. )
unbalanced fanaticism 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for Disk 2 if you're installing from
of those days." 3.5" disks.
He 162 designer Ernst Heinke l MISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Once you've installed the contents of the He 162 Tour of
Duty disk in your SWOTL directory, you can fly the Volks-
jager on a variety of missions when you run Secret Weapons of
the Luftwaffe.
There are three Flight School Missions for the He 162
Volksjager. After selecting any of these missions, you'll be
able to test-fly the He 162 and practice your aerial gunnery,
dogfighting, and bomber interception skills.
from the Main Menu on the German side, then click on the
He 162 icon.
Historical Missions
There are eight Historical Missions for the He 162 Volks-
jager. Since the He 162 did not see extensive service during
World War II, these missions are hypothetical situations
based on its intended role.
To fly any of these missions , select HISTORICAL
MISSIONS from the Main Menu on the German side, then
click on the He 162 icon.
Custom Missions
Four Custom Missions allow you to fly each of the differ-
ent U.S. aircraft against the He 162, and to experience the
strengths and weaknesses of this unique Luftwaffe fighter
from the perspective of an American fighter pilot or
bomber crew.
from the Main Menu on either side. Then select FLY A
CUSTOM MISSION . A window will open to display these
mission choices:
162VS17 (B-17vsHel62)
162VS47 (P-4 7 vs He 162)
162VS51B (P-SlB vs He 162)
162VS51D (P-5 lD vs He 162)
(NOTE: Depending on the number of custom missions This rear view of an He 162
shows the pronounced dihedral
of the aircraft's tailplanes.
Tour of Duty
Like the other aircraft in Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe,
the He 162 Volksjager can be flown in a Tour of Duty. The
challenge of flying a Tour is to keep one pilot alive over the
course of fifty to sixty missions, depending on the difficulty
level you choose.
To fly a Tour of Duty with the He 162, first select TOURS
OF DUTY from the Main Menu on the German side. Start
a new Tour of Duty, then click on the He 162 fighter group.
Select an existing pilot (or create a new one), then choose
the desired difficulty level. For more information on flying a
Tour of Duty, see page 89 of your Secret Weapons of the Luft-
waffe manual.
Mission Builder
You can use the Mission Builder to create Unlike all other aircraft, the He 162
your ow n missions featuring the He 162 had no maintenance problems, because
Volksjager. The He 162 can be used in com- the Luftwaffe considered the aircraft to
bination with any three of the other aircraft be disposable. Any damaged or malfunc-
tioning aircraft were simply to be
in the sim ulation. The Volksjager can be
replaced by the thousands of He I62s
flown in the following roles: interceptor, es-
due to come off the assembly lines. In
cort fighter, ground attack, and fighter fact, the average combat life of the He
sweep. For more information on creating 162 was projected to be only five to ten
custom missions with the Mission Builder, hours! As a result, few spare parts were
see page 10 of your Secret Weapons of the Luft- produced for the He 162.
waffe Reference Guide.
Tour of Duty: He 162 Volksjdger 5

".. .[M]y having been HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF
shut out of the revolu- THE HEINKEL HE 162 VOLKSJAGER
tionary development of The Heinke) He 162 was designed, tested, and mass-
produced in an incredibly short period of time during the
jet aircraft, in spite of final months of World War II, and thus will be forever asso-
having been the first to ciated with the last desperate attempts of the Third Reich to
take it up, had left such hold back the inevitable tide of defeat. In the fantasies of
Adolf Hitler, Hermann Goering, and other Third Reich
a mark on me that I was leaders, the jet-powered Volksjager, or "People's Fighter,"
eager to prove my would blast large numbers of Allied aircraft out of the sky
supremacy in the field above Germany. Despite its remarkable production sched-
ule, the He 162 became operational too late to make any dif-
once more." ference in the air war, and the plan to use hundreds of six-
He 162 designer Ernst Heinkel teen- and seventeen-year-old Hitler jugend (Hitler Youth) as
He 162 pilots in Germany's final defense was never real-
ized. Given that the aircraft was tricky to fly and still largely
experimental, this plan would have been suicidal at best.
Origins
In 1936, German aircraft manufacturer Ernst Heinke)
and his staff, without any official backing from the Luft-
waffe, began conducting experiments on jet propulsion,
following the British by several years. By September 1937,
Heinke) had developed a prototype jet engine, the HeS,
and work had started on a prototype airframe for what was
to be the Heinke) He 178. On August 24, 1939, the He 178,
with the HeS engine mounted in its fuselage, made the
world's first flight by a jet-propelled aircraft and ushered in
a new era in aviation history. Three months later, it was suc-
cessfully demonstrated to Luftwaffe officials Erhard Milch
and Ernst Udet, but its reception was lukewarm. The war, it
was felt, would be won quickly by Germany without the
need for such an advanced aircraft. Less effort was to be de-
voted to experimental aircraft (such as the He 178) and
more to mass production of proven aircraft urgently need-
ed to wage war. Later, as the war dragged on, the Luftwaffe
began to see jet aircraft development as the key to maintain-
ing its superiority as an air force, andjet airframe and en-
gine development was undertaken by Messerschmitt,
Junkers, BMW, and other companies, including Heinkel.
Meanwhile, when difficulties arose with
its fuselage-mounted jet engine, the He 178
Since the Allied bombing offensive
had destroyed many German factories,
program was terminated, and Heinke)
and was continuing to do so in 1944-45, turned his attention to developing and
much of the production work for the refining a different version of the turbojet
He 162 was done underground. Two engine, as well as commencing work on a
abandoned salt mines were used for fuse- twin-engined turbojet fighter, the Heinke)
lage construction, while a third salt mine He 280. This aircraft, with two more ad-
was used for the production of the vanced HeS 8 jet engines mounted under
He I62's BMW 003 turbojet engines. the wings, made its first test flight on April 2,
1941. It was the world's first successful flight
by a turbojet-powered aircraft, and the first by an aircraft
with two jet engines. (The He 280 was also the first aircraft
equipped with an ejection seat.) But development of the
HeS 8 engine was plagued by numerous problems and later
abandoned in favor of two advanced models, the HeS 11
and the HeS 30. Later, work on the more powerful and
more promising HeS 30 engine was discontinued in favor
of the HeS 11, which suffered repeated delays and was not
successfully developed until early 1945. On March 23 ,
1943, Heinke! was dealt a major blow when his jet engine
and aircraft program was taken away from him and reas-
signed to another firm by the Luftwaffe, in an effort to
streamline and speed up jet aircraft development. Finally,
in 1943, the Luftwaffe decided that the He 280 program
was to be abandoned in favor of the Me 262 program, even
though the He 280 was faster, and had a superior rate of
climb and a higher ceiling.
The Volksjager Project

Despite the fact that Heinke! and his company had pio-
neered jet flight, by 1944 the distraught designer found
himself completely isolated from Germany's jet aircraft pro-
gram. The only two jet aircraft being mass-produced for the
Luftwaffe at the time were the Me 262 and the Arado 234
medium bomber. But the ceaseless Allied bombardment of
German industry was taking a devastating toll on the pro-
duction of these and other aircraft. Facilities were destroyed
or damaged, as were the factories of many of the suppliers
of parts. The obliteration of highways and rail systems used
to transport materials to assembly plants caused further de-
lays in production. Additionally, the skilled laborers and
special materials required to assemble these aircraft were
both in short supply in 1944 Germany.
On August 1, the Ministry for Armament and Ammuni-
tion, headed by Albert Speer, took over responsibility for
aircraft production. Working under Speer was Otto Sauer,
Tour of Duty: He 162 Volksjager 7

"There is so much the head of the technical department, and a man noted for
wood around that it his ability to organize production quickly. Sauer conceived
the idea of a Volksjager, or "People's Fighter," a lightweight
looks as though it has aircraft that could be mass-produced quickly by semi-skilled
been built by a modeling or unskilled laborers, using inexpensive and readily avail-
enthusiast." able materials. On September 8, Arado, Blohm und Voss,
Fieseler, Focke-Wulf, Heinke!, Junkers, and Messerschmitt
From notes made by RAF
were invited to submit designs for this fighter. The basic re-
Captain Eric Brown in 1945, after
he inspected the He 162 for the
quirements for the Volksjager were that it must weigh no
first time more than 4,410 pounds fully loaded , carry two 30-mm
cannon, exceed 466 miles per hour, remain in the air for
thirty minutes at sea level, and take off within 1,640 feet. Its
power was to be supplied by a single BMW turbojet engine.
But perhaps the most important - and impossible - re-
qu irement was that the aircraft had to be ready for mass
production by January 1, 1945. The companies were given
until September 20 - less than two weeks - to develop
their designs.
An He I 62A-1 with the Claiming that these specifications could not be met,
American evaluation serial
Messerschmitt dropped out of the competition, leaving the
T-2-489 on the fins. This aircraft
was evaluated at Edwards Air other five companies to vie for the project. The Luftwaffe's
Force Base in 1946. general of the fighter arm, Adolf Galland, also blasted the
Volksjager project, noting that the Luftwaffe already pos-
sessed a proven jet fighter, the Me 262. Despite these
protests, the date for submission of designs was, amazingly,
moved up to September 15. At that time, the design submit-
ted by Blohm und Voss was judged to be the best, followed
by the design submitted by Heinkel. By September 23,this
opinion had been revised: the very features that made the
Blohm und Voss design more technologically advanced -
its swept-back wings and fuselage which resembled the later
U.S. F-86 Sabre - were likely to delay its production .
Heinke! had by this time already built a mock-up ofits Volks-
jager design, and its simplicity was decisive in its favor. On
September 30, the Heinke! He 162, nicknamed the Sala-
mander, was ordered into full production.

The He 162 incorporated a number of noteworthy fea-
tures, many of which were implemented to simplify and ex-
pedite production. The jet engine was installed above the
fuselage , in a configuration similar to that of the V-1 flying
bomb, and fired between twin tail fins, constructed of ply-
wood and modeled after those used on the He 280. The
wings, nosewheel doors, nosecap, and radio compartment
were also made out of plywood. Light metal was used for
the fuselage, elevators, rudders, and wingtips. T he excel-
lent view from the bubble canopy was blocked only by the
jet engine to the rear. For safety, the cockpit had an ejector
seat, and for simplicity, it had a minimum number of con-
trols.
The Volksjager project was of great interest to Hermann
Goering, the head of the Luftwaffe. On September 25,
Adolf Hitler had called for the organization of a Volkssturm,
or "People's Militia; for the defense of Germany, and Goering
was eager to establish a similar aerial defense scheme. After
meeting with the head of the Hitler Youth, Goering was
promised a year's worth of Hitler Youth recruits to become
pilot trainees for the Volksjager. The trainees, mostly in
their middle to late teens, were to be trained in gliders, giv-
en a quick course on flying the He 162, and then sent aloft
in the Volksjager to engage the Allied warplanes. It is an in-
dication of how out of touch Goering was with the realities
The designer of the He standing He 219 Uhu night

162, and a true innovator in fighter; and the problem-
aircraft design, Ernst plagued He 177 Greif heavy
Heinkel made aviation his- bomber, as well as the He
tory on numerous occa- 162. When Germany was
sions. He built his first defeated, Heinkel's
biplane in 1910, and after it company was broken up
crashed in flames, he and he was arrested.
decided to get his degree in Charged with aiding the
engineering. He served as Nazi cause, he was found
chief designer for the to have actually belonged
Albatros Aircraft Company first seaplane race, and his to an anti-Nazi group dur-
prior to the outbreak of He 70 racing airplane set ing the war, and was not
World War I, and was the eight world speed records. convicted of any charges.
technical director of the In the late 1930s, Heinkel He established a new com-
Hansa Aircraft Company developed the world's first pany in 1950 to manufac-
during the war. Heinkel rocket-powered aircraft, ture motorcycles and small
founded his own aircraft the He 176, and the world's automobiles. Before his
company in 1922, and first jet-powered aircraft, death in 1958, he had
shortly thereafter devel- the He 178. During World announced his plans to
oped the first airplane to War II, Heinke! produced a form a partnership with
be launched by catapult number of notable Luft- Willy Messerschmitt and
from a ship, the He 12. His waffe aircraft, including the build aircraft once again,
seaplane, the He 5 I, was workhorse He I I I Spaten this time for the new West
the winner of Germany's medium bomber, the out- German Air Force.

of flying a jet that he seriously believed that such a training
plan was sufficient.
For the first time in the history of aircraft manufacturing,
production of Volksjager developmental prototypes, pre-
production models, and production models proceeded si-
multaneously, even though detailed design drawings for
the He 162 were not completed until November 5. Four
Heinke! factories and four Junkers factories were engaged
in fuselage production, and a number of small woodwork-
ing and furniture-making shops were used to produce the
wooden parts. It was expected that the first 1,000 Volks-
jagers would be ready by April 1945, and an additional
2,000 by May, with 4,000 per month being produced there-
after.
After weeks of frantic work that saw designers literally
sleeping at their desks at night, the first prototype, the
He 162 Vl, was test-flown on December 6, an astounding
two months after Heinke! was first asked to submit designs.
The He 162 Vl reached a top speed of522 miles per hour
at 19,685 feet but lost an undercarriage door that was defec-
tively bonded. Four days later, when the prototype was be-
ing flown at a low level across an airfield for Luftwaffe
officials to observe, the leading edge and aileron of the star-
board wing suddenly broke away and the He 162 Vl rolled
and crashed, killing the pilot. An investigation revealed that
a bonding agent in the wood had failed , although this dis-
closure did not delay the introduction of the second proto-
type, the He 162 V2, twelve days later. On its initial flight,
the He 162 V2 was pushed to its structural limits without in-
cident, and subsequent modifications were made to elimi-
nate the aircraft's tendency to snake at high speeds and its
instability when making high-speed left turns. In subse-
quent tests, it was determined that the 30-mm MK 108 can-
nons originally envisioned for the Volksjager were too
heavy for so Light an aircraft, and two 20-mm MK 151 can-
nons were installed instead.
After two more prototypes, the He 162 V3 and V4, were
produced, the first often He 162 A-0 pre-production mod-
els was completed. This was followed by VS
Although the He 162 entered service through VlO prototypes, which were used
far too late to see extensive action, it did as weapons testbeds and for testing struc-
have a few encounters with Allied air- tural modifications. Two additional proto-
craft. One of these encounters was docu- types, the He 162 V 16 and V 17, were long,
mented by a P-51 Mustang pilot in April two-seat gliders for training purposes.
1945, at an altitude of 500 to 1,000 feet. As more and more tests were made, it was
He reported that the He 162 was very quickly becoming obvious that the He 162
maneuverable and was able to climb and
was a tricky aircraft even for an experienced
tum as well as his P-51. He also noted
that the He 162 could accelerate faster
pilot to fly, let alone a rookie. Mutual inter-
than the P-51, and could fly faster at ference between the engine and fuselage
level speed. and the wing and fuselage caused the air-
craft to become unstable in flight. Addition-

ally, pilots who were accustomed to roughly handling the
controls of their piston-engined fighters now had to learn to
handle the controls of the Volksjager gently and smoothly.
Modifications designed to make the aircraft more stable in-
cluded lengthening the fuselage, increasing the tail surface
area, and bending the wingtips downward, but these did
not substantially improve the handling of the He 162.
The next model to come off the assembly lines was the
He 162 A-2, the most widely produced series. It superceded
the He 162 A-1 and differed little from the prototypes ex-
cept for a larger wingspan and tail area, plus spoilers on the
leading edge of the wing roots . Later A-2 aircraft featured
the BMW 003-1 or E-2 turbojet engine, whose thrust
could be increased from 1,764 pounds to 2,028 pounds for
thirty seconds.
As these first He 162s were being assembled and flown, This unpainted He I62A-2 was
strafed by Allied fighters, but the
plans were on the drawing boards for even more advanced canopy was probably shattered
models. The He 162 B series was to have a longer fuselage by an explosive charge to prevent
and wingspan, which would enable it to carry more fuel and the aircraft from falling intact
heavier 30-mm cannons. It was to be powered by the into the hands of the approaching
HeS 11 turbojet, which was finally nearing completion and Allied forces.
projected to produce 2,866 pounds of thrust. The
HeS 11-powered He 162 C was to have swept-back wings
and a V-shaped "butterfly" tail, while the He 162 D was to
have its wings swept forward, for greater low-speed stability.
Finally, the He 162 E was to be powered by a combination of
jet and rocket engines, using the rocket for climbing and the
turbojet for level flight. Its projected performance was out-
standing, with an estimated rate of climb of 16,400 feet in
the first minute, and a top speed of 628 miles per hour in
horizontal flight at sea level.
The Volksjager joins the Luftwaffe
By January 1945, enough prototype, pre-production,
and production models of the He 162 had been developed
to turn over to the Luftwaffe for further testing. It was nec-
essary for the Luftwaffe to "break in" the He 162 and deem
1/Jur of Duty: He 16~ Volksjiiger II

/1.lways use the control it a combat-ready aircraft before the Hitler Youth pilots
column in a continuous could fly it. At the end ofJanuary, Oberstleutnant Heinz Bar, a
much-decorated Luftwaffe fighter ace, was chosen to head
flowing movement - Erprobungskommando 162, an experimental unit based at
no sudden or erratic Rechlin and entrusted with the task of proving the He 162.
movements, and no tight The first Luftwaffe unit to fly the Volksjagers in actual com-
bat was to bejagdgeschwader UG) 1, a veteran combat unit
maneuvers!" that had led the New Year's Day attacks on Allied airfields in
First rule taught to novice He 162 Western Europe.
pilots by their flight instructors On February 6, the first Gruppe of JG 1 was transferred
from the eastern front and ordered to turn in their Focke-Wulf
FW l 90s for He l 62s at Parchim, near one of the Heinke!
factories at Marienhe in northern Germany. For the next
nine weeks, the pilots of this Gruppe learned the basics of
He 162 flying from Heinke! personnel. On April 8, they
were transferred to a base at Ludwigslust, fifteen miles
away, only to be ordered to a base at Lech six days later.
Lech had become a collecting point for various Luftwaffe
units fleeing the advancing Allied armies, and was choked
with aircraft and personnel. So chaotic was the situation and
so poor were the maintenance facilities there that flight op-
erations for this JG 1 Gruppe were virtually out of the ques-
tion. The second J G 1 Gruppe was being trained on He 162s
at Marienhe, but was forced to abandon the training pro-
gram when the Red Army advanced on that city.
By April 1945, Bar's experimental group had been
transferred to Jagdverband 44, Adolf Galland's veteran Me
262 unit located near Munich. When Galland was wounded
on April 26, Bar took command of the unit and, with the
U.S. Army nearing Munich, supervised the evacuation of
the Me 262s and He 162s to Salzburg. On May 3, these air-
craft were destroyed to prevent them from falling into Al-
lied hands, and the unit surrendered. Back at Lech, the
He 162s based there were formed into a single Gruppe, but
time and fuel had run out on this unit, too, and it surren-
dered on May 8.
T hus, the Volksjager program came to an end, literally

before it could get off the ground . Since the Volksjager had This He I62A-2 (Werk-Nr. 120
not been sufficiently flown and tested by the Luftwaffe, its 222) was captured at Leck and
was one of three taken to the
p ilots were ordered to avoid combat, although Allied pilots United States for test and evalua-
encou ntered a few lone He 162s from time to time. All told, tion at Freeman Field in
about 120 He 162s were officially accepted by the Luftwaffe, Seymour, Indiana, and later at
50 more were collected off the assembly lines, and another Wright Field.
100 were awaiting flight testing. In factories, salt mines, barns
and fields throughout Germany, an additional 800 He 162s
were near completion. According to Luftwaffe records, only
one "People's Militia" He 162 unit was ever activated, and it
saw no combat. T he rapidity with which the He 162 was de-
veloped has earned it a place in aviation history, but miracu-
lous as its development was, in the end, no number ofVolks-
jagers could have prevented Germany's defeat.
COMBAT TACTICS
" In view of the fact that the He 162 never saw combat, we are
left with the intriguing if purely academic question of how it would
have made out if it had been used in anger. It would certainly have
made an effective gun platform, and its small dimensions would
have made it difficult to hit. Even if somewhat un-
derpowered, it had a good performance - it Had the He 162 ever achieved full
could certainly have run rings around the con- operational status, it was planned to be
temporary Meteor - but it was no airplane to used against Allied aircraft in conjunction
let embryo pilots loose on, and it would have de- with the Me 262. The He 162 was to take
manded more than simply a good pilot to operate on the Allied escort fighters, leaving the
it out of a small airfield. Nevertheless, as a backup Me 262 to attack the bombers.
for the formidable Me 262 it could conceivably
have helped the Luftwaffe to regain air superiority over Germany
had it appeared on the scene sooner . . .. I cannot help but feel that
the Allies were fortunate, for, had another month or two and the
necessary fuel been available, the He 162 might well have got in
among our bombers in numbers at a t ime when desperate mea-
sures might just have achieved sensational results:'
RAF Captain Eric Brown, who test-flew the He 162 in 1945

He 162A-2 Dimensions
Powerplant: One BMW Wing area: 120.5 square feet
003E- l or E-2 Orkan Length: 29 feet 8 inches
single-shaft axial-flow Height: 6 feet 6 inches
turbojet Weights
Thrust: 1,764 pounds; Empty: 3,666 pounds
2,082 pounds under war Loaded: 5,940 pounds
emergency conditions Standard Armament
TojJ speed: 491 miles per Two 20-mm Mauser MG
hour at sea level, 521 miles 151 cannons, with 120
per hour at 19, 700 feet rounds per gun, mounted
Maximum diving speed: in the lower nose section of
580 miles per hour the fuselage
Maximum speed with
landing gear extended:
200 miles per hour
Maximum speed with
flaps partially lowered:
250 miles per hour
Maximum speed with
180 miles per hour
Rate ofclimb:
Range (at full throttle):
242 miles at sea level,
606 miles at 36,090 feet
Crew: one
Optional Armament
Two 30-mm Rhein-
metall Borsig MK 108
cannons, with 50
rounds per gun,
mounted in the lower
nose section of the
fuselage

D Cockpit Gunsight II!J Manifold Pressure and Cockpit of an He 162
D Cockpit Ammunition Temperature Gauge
Round Indicator m RPM Indicator
DViewPanel UI Flaps Lever
II Banking Indicator ID Hydraulic Pressure
11 Airspeed Indicator Gauge
D Rate of Climb Indicator ID Altimeter
II Clock ID Compass
Ill Landing Gear ml Rudder Indicator
Indicator Lights ID Fuel Gauges and
D Oil Pressure and Indicator Lights
Temperature Gauge IIlJ Gun Camera Indicator

In this frontal view of an He
162A-2, the gun ports for the
twin 20-mm cannons can be seen
clearly.
BIBLIOGRAPHY Heinke!, Ernst. He 1000.

Brown, Eric. Wings of the Hutchinson & Co., Ltd.,
Luftwaffe. Pilot Press, Ltd, 1956.
1987. Killen, John. A History of the
"Ernst Heinke!, 70, Air Pio- Luftwaffe. Berkeley Medal-
neer, Dies." ew York lion Books, Inc., 1967.
Times, January 30, 1958 Masters, David. German j et
Ford, Brian. German Secret Genesis. Jane's Publishing
Weapons: Blueprint for Mars. Company, Ltd., 1982.
Ballantine Books, Inc., Price, Alfred. Combat Devel-
1969. opment in World War Two:
Green, William. Warpl,anes Fighter Aircraft. Arms and
of the Third Reich. Galahad Armour Press, 1989.
Books, 1990. Smith,]., and Anthony Kay.
Gunston, Bill. The Illustrated German Aircraft of the Second
Encyclopedw of Combat Air- World War. Putnam, 1972.
craft of World War II. Book-
thrift Publications, Inc.,
1978.
625502

CREDITS
Lawrence Holland Additional Manual Contributions by:
and Peter Lincroft James Finnegan, Walter Krupinski,
Produced by Gregory Hammond and Burton Van
and Noah Falstein Manual Design and Layout by
Artwork by Martin Cameron Mark Shepard
and James McLeod Illustrations by Mark Shepard
Missions Designed by Gregory Hammond Copyediting by Francey Oscherwitz
Carolyn Knutson
Manufacturing Coordinator: and 1991 LucasArts Entertainment
Meredith Cahill Company. All rights reserved .
Administrative Support: Kim Thomas, Lucasfilm Games, PO Box 10307,
Annemarie Barrett, Alexa Eurich, San Rafael, California 94912 USA
Testers: William Burns
and David Wessman
Cover: This photo, taken above a

squadron of P-38s, shows why the
Lightning had perhaps the most
recognizable profile of any World
War II combat aircraft.

his guide will enable you to add the Ameri- "The P-3 8 was very
can P-38 Lightning fighter to the array of
formidable and unusual aircraft in Secret
exciting, a very easy
Weapons of the Luftwaffe. Below, you'll find aircraft to fly. It was like
instructions on how to install the P-38 Tour sitting in a big rocking
of Duty disk on a hard drive, and how to chair."
access the variety of P-38 missions. A historical overview sec-
tion then describes the origins of the P-38, and how it fared U.S. Air Force Lieutenant
Colonel Burton Van
in the aerial battlegrounds of World War II. In the section
that follows, you'll learn some P-38 combat tactics from U.S.
Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Burton Van, a former P-38 pi-
lot. Finally, there's performance data for the two P-38 mod-
els you'll be flying in the simulation, the Hand the J.
Package Contents
Inside the box, you should find the following:
one P-38 Reference Guide
either two 3.5" floppy disks or one 5.25" floppy disk
one Registration Card
Installing the P-38 Lightning
NOTE: This Tour of Duty disk must be installed on your
computer's hard drive in order for it to be used with Secret
Weapons of the Luftwaffe.
your machine. Then:
1. Insert the Tour of Duty disk in drive A or B.
2. Type a: and press RETURN. Your computer will re-
spond with the prompt "A>." (If you're using drive B, type
The impressive amount of
machine gun bullets and cannon
shells that a Lightning could car-
ry is displayed at an armament
lab.
Tour of Duty: P-38 Lightning 3

b: and press RETURN . Your computer will respond with
the prompt "B> .")
3. Type install c: (or the letter of your hard drive) and
press RETURN. The installation program will automatical-
ly copy all of the files from the Tour of Duty disk to the ap-
propriate subdirectories on your computer's hard drive.
NOTE: If you've installed Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe
to manually copy all of the files from the expansion disk. To
do this:
1. Change to the directory containing Secret Weapons of
the Luftwaffe.
3. Type xcopy a: /s. (If you're using drive B, type xcopy
b: /s.)
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for Disk 2 if you're installing from
3.5" disks.
P-38 assembly lines in July 1942.
On the right, Allison engines
await installation, while under-
neath the American flag on the
left, Lightnings are assembled for
the RAF.
MISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Once you've installed the P-38 Lightning Tour of Duty
disk in your SWOTL directory, you'll be able to fly the P-38
in a variety of missions when you run Secret Weapons of the
Luftwaffe.
There are three Flight School Missions for the P-38
Lightning. After selecting any of these missions, you'll be
able to test-fly the P-38 and practice your aerial gunnery,
ground attack, and bomber escort skills.
from the Main Menu on the U.S. side. Then click on the
P-38 icon.

Historical Missions "!only flew against the
There are eight Historical Missions for the P-38 Light- P-38 several times, but
ning. Most of these are based on actual missions flown by
P-38 pilots of the U.S. Eighth Air Force as they battled their
I flew it myself once.
counterparts in the German Luftwaffe. It had belly-landed in
To fly any of these missions, select HISTORICAL MIS- Germany and it had
SIONS from the Main Menu on the U.S. side. Then click on
the P-38 icon.
been fixed up so I couUi
check it on a flight my-
Custom Missions
self I'd have to say that
Choosing Custom Missions allows you to fly each of the
five different German fighters in aerial combat against the
it was the worst of all the
P-38, and to experience the strengths and weaknesses of American fighter air-
this unique American fighter from the perspective of a Luft- planes. The turning rate
waffe pilot. and the climbing rate
from the Main Menu on either side. Then select FLY A were both worse than
CUSTOM MISSION. A window will open to display these that of the German
mission choices: fighters."
P38VS109
Luftwaffe Lieutenant General
P38VS163
Walter Krupinski
P38VS190
P38VS229
P38VS262
Tour of Duty
the P-38 Lightning can be flown in a Tour of Duty. The chal-
lenge of flying a Tour is to keep one pilot alive over the
course of25 to 35 missions, depending on the difficulty lev-
el you choose.
To fly a Tour of Duty with a P-38, first select TOURS OF
DUTY from the Main Menu on the U.S. side. Start a new
Tour of Duty, then click on the P-38 fighter group. Select an
existing pilot (or create a new one), then choose the desired
operational role and difficulty level. For more information
on flying a Tour of Duty, see page 89 of your Secret Weapons
ofthe Luftwaffe manual.
Mission Builder
You can use the Mission Builder to create your own mis-
sions featuring the P-38 Lightning. The P-38 can be used in
combination with any three of the other aircraft in the simu-
lation. The Lightning can be flown in the following roles: es-
cort fighter, fighter-bomber, and fighter sweep. For more
information on creating custom missions with the Mission
Builder, see page 10 of your Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe
Reference Guide.

OF THE LOCKHEED
P-38 LIGHTNING FIGHTER
One of the most innovative, versatile, and recognizable
aircraft of the Second World War, the twin-boomed, twin-
engined P-38 Lightning saw extensive action on every battle
front. In Europe, the P-38 was one of the main long-range
escort fighters for U.S. bombers until the arrival of the P-51
Mustang, and in North Africa and the Mediterranean, Luft-
waffe pilots called it Der Gabelschwanz Teufel (the fork-tailed
devil). In the Pacific, its heavy firepower and excellent dura-
bility proved to be devastatingly effective against the lightly
armored Japanese fighters , and P-38s shot down more
Japanese aircraft than any other U.S. fighter. (The two top
U .S. aces in World War II , Richard Bong, with 40 aerial vic-
tories, and Thomas McGuire, with 38, both flew Lightnings
in the Pacific.) Although not as fast or maneuverable as the
P-51 Mus tang or the P-4 7 Thunderbolt, the P-38 compen-
sated with formidable armament, outstanding range, and
the safety factor of twin engines, which usually allowed it to
get back to base even if an engine was shot out. The P-38
served in a variety of roles throughout the war, including
bomber escort, ground attack, and photo reconnaissance.
Origins
In February 1937, the United States Army Air Corps
asked Lockheed and other U.S. aircraft manufacturers to
come up with a design for a new type of heavily armed high-
altitude fighter called an interceptor. This aircraft needed
to reach a top speed of 360 miles per hour at 20,000 feet,
and hold it for at least an hour, and needed to reach 290
miles per hour at sea level. No aircraft engine had yet been
developed to deliver this level of performance, and the de-
sign team at Lockheed, although lacking in
military aircraft experience, realized that
Toward the end of 1941 , a number of the interceptor would require two engines.
P-38s were produced for the British Roy- Attempting to develop an airframe that
al Air Force. However, the U.S. State would maximize the available power of
Department would not allow their super- these engines, Lockheed chief engineer
chargers to be exported, and these Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson submitted six
planes were subsequently fitted with old-
design sketches with various twin-engine
el"-model engines, with propellers that
rotated in the same direction. Despite
configurations, many of which were far
the poor perfonnance of these aircraft, ahead of their time. One of the more radical
the RAF gave them the name Lightning. of these designs called for the engines to be
Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Anny Air mounted on twin booms, with a central pod
Force dropped the P-38's original name, for the pilot and armament. On the basis of
Adanta, and replaced it with the British its estimated performance, this design pro-
moniker, perhaps conceding that in the posal was selected by the Air Corps for de-
area of naming aircraft, the RAF was velopment, and work was begun on a proto-
superior. type, which was designated XP-38. It was to
be powered by two newly developed but
The last major production
version, the P-38L
untested Allison twelve-cylinder, 1, 710-cubic-inch engines.

This new aircraft boasted numerous technological inno-
vations, as well as advantages over more conventional sin-
gle-engined fighter designs. Along with the engines, the
twin booms housed twin GEC turbo-superchargers, which
were driven by turbines that were propelled by the exhaust
gases of the engines. This generated additional horsepower
and enabled the aircraft to fly at a higher altitude. The XP-
38 was the first fighter with such a turbo-supercharger, and
the first with a tricycle landing gear, which was also located
in the twin booms. It had an all-metal flushed riveted skin, a
long wingspan for better high-altitude performance, and a
large elevator and twin fins for greater stability. The pro-
pellers on its two engines were very large, for increased
efficiency, and they spun toward the central pod in opposite
directions, to counter the effects of propeller torque. And
while a typical single-engined fighter required synchroniz-
ing gear so that its machine guns could be fired through its
propeller blades, the twin-engined XP-38 was free of any
such gear or engine in its nose. As a result, the space in the
nose could be used for armament, and the P-38 eventually
housed a 20-mm Hispano cannon and four Colt-Browning
.50-caliber machine guns, which gave it far more firepower
than any other U.S. fighter. The nose design of the XP-38
also enhanced visibility, allowing the pilot to aim at and
strike a target with greater accuracy, and to see the parallel
bursts discharged by his own guns, up to the maximum
range of 1,000 yards ahead. An advanced bubble canopy
enabled the pilot to survey the view all around the aircraft.

The prototype XP-38 was completed in December 1938,
after a rapid period of construction. Although it ran into a
ditch during its ground tests, it survived to make its first
flight on January 27, 1939. On February 11 , the XP-38
made a cross-country flight from California to New York in
a near record-breaking seven hours and two minutes ,
reaching a top speed of 420 miles per hour. When its test pi-
lot tried to land the XP-38 at Mitchell Field, New York, how-
ever, the engines lost power and the aircraft undershot the
runway and crashed on a golf course. Despite this mishap,
the speed demonstrated by the XP-38 during its trial flights
was enough to convince the Army to order an additional
thirteen prototypes, known as YP-38s, to be developed for
further evaluation.
The designer of the P-38 With the situation in Europe worsening daily, produc-
and of other mainstays of tion orders for the P-38 began to come in from Britain,
the U.S. Anny Air Force France, and the U .S. Army Air Corps even before the first
and the U.S. Air Force,
Clarence L "Kelly" Johnson
YP-38 was completed. At the Army's insistence, structural
was one of the true pio- modifications were made so that the YP-3 8 was 1,5 00
neers of modem-day avia- pounds lighter than the XP-38 . This delayed the introduc-
tion. As a graduate engineer tion of the YP-38 until September 1940, with the remaining
at the University of
twelve completed by June 1941. Shortly thereafter, twenty
Michigan in the mid- I930s,
Johnson uncovered stability production models rolled off the Lockheed assembly line,
problems while testing the and by August the first combat-worthy P-38, the D, with self-
design of Lockheed's Electra sealing fuel tanks and extra armored plate and armored
passenger airplane. The glass around the cockpit, was ready. To combat a tendency
company invited him to join
its design team, and he
to go out of control during steep, high-altitude dives, the P-
solved the problem by giv- 38D had dive brakes, plus a modified tailplane and elevator,
ing the Electra's tail twin although some handling problems persisted despite these
fins, a design trait that was changes. The next version, the P-38E, had a redesigned
to be his trademark. In
nose which enabled it to hold twice as much ammunition,
1938, Johnson became chief
engineer at Lockheed. Of and featured the powerful Hispano-Suiza 20-mm cannon .
the six advanced designs he On December 8, 1941 , only minutes after war was declared
developed for the plane that between the United States and Germany, a P-38E based in
would become the P-38, Iceland shot down a Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf 200 Condor
two resembled the later
DeHavilland Mosquito and
bomber.
North American P-82 Twin A number of photo reconnaissance Lightnings were de-
Mustang. Johnson saw the veloped before the first P-38 to see extensive combat, the P-
P-38 through its numerous 38F, came off the Lockheed assembly lines. This model had
modifications both before
more powerful engines, plus racks under the inner wings
and during the war, and
continually labored to for bombs, smoke-laying equipment, torpedoes, or fuel
improve its performance. In tanks. In 1942, with the United States struggling to fight a
1943, he developed the first two-front war, the P-38F was the only true high-altitude
U.S. jet fighter, the P-80 fighter that the U.S. Army Air Force possessed. It would
Shooting Star, in just 160
days. By the time of his
soon be tested in battlefields all over the world .
retirement from Lockheed The P-38 in Combat
in 1974,Johnson had
designed and developed a In mid-1942, as the U.S. Eighth Air Force was setting up
total of 49 aircraft, including operations in England, it was decided that the P-38's out-
the C-130, the U-2, and the
standing range would enable it to make the overseas flight
SR-71 Blackbird.
from the United States. Equipped with special external fuel

tanks, the P-38 was the first fighter to fly this dangerous "The J erry, on seeing a
route to England via Labrador, Greenland, and Iceland ,
and 179 out of 186 P-38s successfully completed the journey lone plane off in the dis-
before the route closed for the winter. P-38s were soon tance, would generally
flying across the Atlantic to North Africa, where the Light- leave it be unless he had
nings would see their first action against the Luftwaffe in
November 1942.
absolutely nothing else
In the Allied desert campaign, the P-38 encountered in prospect at the mo-
varying degrees of success. In air-to-air combat, Lightning ment. On seeing the
pilots were generally forced to engage the German Bf I 09s unique P-38 silhouette,
at around 15,000 feet, which gave the more experienced
Luftwaffe pilots an advantage. Moreover, the P-38 had a however, there would be
wheel control instead of a conventional stick, creating a mano doubt at all, and
neuvering hindrance for pilots who had not flown it exten- after it he would go,
sively. But against bombers and transport aircraft, the P-38
was outstanding. Over the Mediterranean, it shot down nu- knowing that it would
merous planes that were attempting to resupply General not be a waste of time."
Erwin Rommel's battered Afrika Korps. The P-38 was also U.S. Anny Air Force Colonel
used to skip-bomb German supply ships, with excellent re- Oliver B. Taylor, Commander of
sults. As the Allied armies moved across North Africa, the the 14th Fighter Group, based in
P-38 provided invaluable support in a ground attack role. Italy
The P-38G, introduced at this time, had slightly more

powerful engines and weighed 200 pounds less than the
P-38F. In May 1943, the P-38H came out, with yet another
set of improved engines, plus automatic oil radiator flaps to
improve cooling. It also had better superchargers to im-
prove high-altitude performance; in fact, one P-38 set an
unofficial altitude record of 44,940 feet. The P-38H began
showing up in England in the autumn ofl 943, as the day-
light bombing campaign against the Third Reich was gain-
ing strength.
A pilot climbs into the cockpit of
the XP-38 prototype.
Tour of Duly: P-38 Lightning 9

"The P-38 was a nice In late 1943 and early 1944, the P-38 was the main long-
range escort fighter for the B- l 7s of the Eighth Air Force in
ship, I'm told by those England. In March of 1944, the Lightnings, along with the
who flew them, but it newly available P-51B Mustangs, escorted the heavy
was no match for the bombers on the first raids on Berlin. However, the P-38
Germans. The Light- generally fared poorly in the European theater. At 30,000
feet, where the P-38s were required to fly to escort the
nings were eventually bombers, their Allison engines developed problems due to
stripped down and used the cold air over the Continent, and would sometimes fail.
for recon all the time, Cockpit heating was so poor that it was nearly impossible to
keep the windshield defrosted. As a result, the P-38 was
and they were one of the dubbed the "ice wagon." In combat over Germany and
fastest aircraft in the France, the P-38 was outmaneuvered by the FW 190 and
whole war." the later-model Bf 109 fighters, and was gradually replaced
by the P-51 and the P-4 7. But with its outstanding firepower
U.S. Army Air Force Captain
James Finnegan, P-47 pilot with
and durability, the Lightning proved to be extremely suc-
the Ninth Air Force cessful in ground-support bombing and strafing opera-
tions. As a fighter-bomber, the P-38H and later variants
could carry 4,000 pounds of bombs-as much as a B-17 .
The P-38 excelled in this role with the tactical Ninth Air
Force both before and after the Allied invasion of Europe.
(On D-Day itself, the P-38 suffered its greatest operational
losses of the war, as 23 aircraft were shot down.)
A Pl8H in flight. In August 1943, the P-38J was introduced. Numerous

improvements made it a more effective long-range fighter,
including automatically controlled superchargers, better
heating and defrosting equipment, and a bulletproof wind-
screen. The P-38J had a slightly different appearance from
the earlier versions, since its engines had larger, more
efficient beard radiators under the propellers. This im-
proved both the performance of the superchargers and the
reliability of the engines. Two 55-gallon internal fuel tanks

A P-38J banks toward t he
Southern California coast.
added inside its wings boosted the total internal fuel capaci-
ty to 410 gallons , and 1,010 gallons with external drop
tanks, for a maximum range of 2,260 miles. With this ver-
sion, a problem known as compressibility, in which the air-
craft would lose lift and go out of control during a high-
s peed d ive, was finally solved by "dive recovery flaps"
installed underneath the outer wings. The P-38] was fol-
lowed by the most widely produced Lightning, the P-38L. It
differed little from its predecessor except that it could carry
4,000 pounds ofbombs or ten .5-inch rockets. However, the
P-38L did not see service in Europe because it had been re-
placed in operations by the P-51D.
As the Allied armies pushed the German and Italian
forces out of North Africa, the P-38 was used for bombing
and strafing ground targets in Sicily and
Italy, as well as for photo reconnaissance. Af- The P-38 was chosen to provide air-
ter Italy surrendered to the Allies in Septem- craft cover for the invasion fleet during
ber 1943, the Fifteenth Air Force was based D-Day chiefly because of its unique sil-
in Foggia, Italy. This gave the U.S. Army Air houette. Since there were so many inex-
Force an additional direction from which to perienced gunners on board the ships
attack Germany, and there the P-38 was used taking part in the Normandy landing, the
as a bomber escort. Later, as German aerial Lightning was singled out as the Allied
resistance diminished, the P-38 was used aircraft least likely to be confused with a
mainly for ground attack, destroying targets Luftwaffe fighter. Unfortunately, several
P-38s were nevertheless shot down by
in southern Germany. One fighter group de-
the Allied gunners on June 6, 1944.
stroyed 84 locomotives during a single mis-
sion.
It was in the Pacific theater of operations, as well as in the
Mediterranean, that the P-38 earned its reputation as one of
the truly outstanding fighters of the war. The air over the
Pacific was warmer than that over Europe, and far less
detrimental to engine performance. With so many long dis-
Tour of Duty: P-38 Lightning II

A "droop-snoot'' Lightning.
tances to fly between Pacific bases, the excellent range of the

P-38 was a big plus to the "island-hopping" U.S. forces. Al-
though the P-38 was less maneuverable than the smaller
Japanese fighters, pilots took advantage of the Lightning's
speed and high-altitude flying abilities to dive below oppos-
ing aircraft and attack them from underneath. And with the
P-38's heavy armament, a pilot who could bring its guns to
bear against a Japanese fighter even for a short time usually
had an aerial victory. P-38s made their first appearance in
the Pacific in early 1942 for photo reconnaissance, and later
distinguished themselves in the fight for Guadalcanal. In
April 1943, in one of the most daring and successful mis-
sions of the war, P-38s from the 339th Fighter Squadron
flew 550 miles from their base in Guadalcanal to intercept
and shoot down a Japanese transport plane carrying Admi-
ral Yamamoto. Throughout the key campaigns of the
Pacific, the P-38 performed admirably, and spirited compe-
titions sprang up between several Lightning
In an attempt to use the P-38 as a pilots battling for the overall lead in aerial
high-speed strategic bomber, several victories. As Japanese fighter opposition de-
P-38Js and P-38Ls were modified with a creased, P-38s were used for ground sup-
transparent nose, which had a Norden port, and they had the honor of being the
bombsight and an extra crew position in first U.S. aircraft to land in Japan after hos-
place of the standard armament. This tilities ceased.
version was called the "droop-snoot''
Overall , throughout World War II , the
P-38. It was designed to lead a formation
P-38 had an outstanding combat record,
of regular P-38s, each carrying two 2,000-
pound bombs. When the formation and produced 160 U.S. aces . In Europe,
reached the target, the bombardier in P-38 pilots were credited with shooting
the "droop-snoot'' P-38 would release its down about 2,500 Luftwaffe aircraft, while
bombs and the pilots in the other P-38s losing 1,750 of their own. Despite mixed re-
would follow suit. This modification of sults in Europe, the P-38 was the mainstay
the P-38, one of many that were made to U.S . fig hter in the Mediterranean and the
this versatile aircraft, proved to be a very Pacific, and contributed immensely to Allied
successful one. success in all three theaters.

COMBAT TACTICS 'its far as handling, the
"I was in an intercept squadron. We'd get a warning and take P-38 wasfirm but very
off as quickly as we could from the airfield and go to meet the "bo-
geys," as we called them. We'd always try to get up high enough so
good, it was a real
we could make an attack from above. We'd circle in either direc- smooth airplane. Thu
tion that way, but always try to attack from above in two-plane el- could fly it hands-off
ements, so you were protecting your leader and the leader was
very nicely. And f or an
protecting the wingman:'
"As far as turning with single-engined planes, the P-38 was very airplane of that weight
close. Some claimed that it wouldn't turn with them, but now they and that power, it was
claim it was fairly comparable, although we tried to make a run at- extremely maneuver-
tack whenever possible. We'd dive and build up speed, and we'd
make a pass, keep on going, then pull back up again. Its climb rate
able."
was excellent:' U.S. Air Force Lieutenant
"You did not want to try the Split-S in a P-38 because you'd hit Colonel Burton Van
compressibility and you'd go into the ground. Going real slow you
could make it, but you sure didn't want to try it at cruise speed.
Diving down real fast is where the guys got into trouble, trying to
keep up with a Focke-Wulf or some other fighter, and they'd get
upside down in that thing and realize they were going too fast. A
lot of the boys were lost that way; when they started going
straight down, they couldn't come out of it:'
" If you got jumped by a fighter, you tried to dive away from
them, pick up your speed, and then maybe you could come up
again, because the P-38 picked up speed very rapidly in a dive."
" Firing from the P-38 was beautiful; it was very easy to hit a tar-
get. With your guns in the middle that way right in front of you,
you had excellent targetability. You didn't have to worry about
range the way you would on a single-engined fighter."
U.S. Air Force Ueutenant Colonel Burton Van
"Although such maneuvers as loops, lmmelmanns, and rolls

are permitted with th is airplane, the pilot is cautioned to exercise
extreme care in acrobatic maneuvers which require a downward
recovery, as the loss of altitude in downward recovery is very
rapid. In general, acrobatics should not be attempted at altitudes
below I0,000 feet until the pilot becomes familiar with the speed
at which the airplane can gain and lose altitude."
From P-38 Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions
At a P-38 assembly plant,

machine guns are installed in the
nose section of a Lightning by an
armorer's assistant. The 20-mm
cannon is in the foreground .

P-38H and P-38J Dimensions
Performance Data Wingspan: 52 feet
(figures identical for two Wing area: 327 .5 square feet
versions except where Length: 37 feet 10 inches
noted) Height: 9 feet 10 inches
Powerplant: Two Allison V- Weights
1710-89/91 in line engines Empty: (H): 12,380 pounds;
Horsepower: 1,425 at sea lev- (J): 12,800 pounds
el; 1,600 at war emergency Loaded: (H): 20,300
power pounds;
Top speed: (H): 402 miles per (J): 21,600 pounds
hour at 25,000 feet; Standard Armament
(J): 414 miles per hour at
Four .50-caliber Colt-
25,000 feet Browning machine guns,
Maximum diving speed: with 500 rounds per gun,
500 miles per hour mounted in the nose
Maximum speed with landing One 20-mm Hispano can-
gear extended: 17 5 miles per non, with 150 rounds,
hour
mounted in the nose
per hour
fully lowered: 150 miles per
hour
Rate ofclimb: (H): 2,577 feet
per minute; (J): 2,857 feet
per minute
Range: (H): 1,370 miles with
external drop tanks; (J):
1,500 miles with external
drop tanks
Crew: one Optional Armament
Two 1,000-pound
the wings
Two 2,000-pound
the wings

D Cockpit Gunsight mManifold Pressure and Cockpit of a P-38H.
D Machine Gun Temperature Gauges
Ammunition Round (one per engine)
Indicator ID Fuel Gauges
DViewPanel m Bomb Indicator Panel
II Cannon Ammunition ID Landing Gear Lever
Round Indicator ID Altimeter
D Hydraulic Pressure ml Airspeed Indicator
Gauge m Rate of Climb Indicator
DCompass IEI Rudder Indicator
II Clock 11:1 Oil Pressure and
Ill Gun Camera Indicator Temperature Gauges
IJ Banking Indicator (one per engine)
II!J RPM Indicators E!l Fuel Tank
(one per engine) Indicator Lights
El Flaps Lever

A P-38H carrying a pair ofwing- BIBLIOGRAPHY
mounted bombs.
Brown, Eric. Wings of the Hess, William, and Thomas
Weird and Wonderful. Tab Ivie. Fighters of the Mighty
Books, Inc., 1985. Eighth. Motorbooks Inter-
Davis, Larry. P-38 Lightning national, 1990.
in Action. Squadron/Signal Pilot's Manual for Lockheed
Publications, 1990. P-38 Lightning. Aviation
Ethe II, Jeffrey, et al. The Publications, 1970.
Great Book of World War II Price, Alfred. Fighter
Airpl,anes. Bonanza Books, Aircraft. Arms and Armour
1984. Press, 1989.
Green, William. Famous Stanaway, John. Peter Three
Fighters of the Second World Eight: The Pilot's Story.
War, Volume One. Doubleday Pictorial Histories
and Company, Inc., 1965. Publishing Co., 1986.
Gunston, Bill. The Illustrated
Encyclopedia of Combat
Aircraft of World War II.
Bookthrift Publications,
Inc., 1978.
623302

CREDITS
Lawrence Holland Additional Manual Contributions by:
and Peter Lincroft James Finnegan, Walter Krupinski,
Produced by Gregory Hammond William Burns, and Thomas Marsters
and Noah Falstein Manual Design and Layout by
Artwork by Martin Cameron Mark Shepard
and James McLeod Illustrations by Mark Shepard
Missions Designed by Gregory Hammond Copyediting by Francey Oscherwitz
Carolyn Knutson
Manufacturing Coordinator: TMand 1991 LucasArts Entertainment
Meredith Cahill Company. All rights reserved.
Administrative Support: Kim Thomas, Lucasfilm Games, PO Box 10307,
Annemarie Barrett, Alexa Eurich, San Rafael, California 94912 USA
Testers: William Burns
and David Wessman
The Cover: This close-up of the

nose of the XP-80 clearly shows
the placement of its six machine
guns, along with the twin air
ducts below.

his guide will enable you to add the Ameri- "Going from a prop-
can P-80 Shooting Star fighter to the array
of formidable and unusual aircraft in Secret
driven plane to a jet was
Weapons of the Luftwaffe. The following in- like getting out of an old
structions describe how to install the P-80 car and getting into a
Tour of Duty disk on a hard drive, and brand new one."
how to access the variety of Shooting Star missions. You'll
then find a historical overview section that describes the ori- U.S. Air Force Captain Thomas
Marsters, former T-33 flight in-
gins of the P-80, along with performance data for the ver-
structor
sion you'll be flying in the simulation, the P-80A. Finally,
you'll learn some combat tactics from U.S. Air Force Second
Lieutenant William Burns, a former P-80 and T-33 pilot.
Package Contents
Inside the box, you should find the following:
one P-80 Reference Guide
either two 3.5" floppy disks or one 5.25" floppy disk
A P-SOA in flight.
Installing the P-80 Shooting Star
NOTE: T his Tour of Duty disk must be installed on your
computer's hard drive in order for it to be used with Secret
Weapons of the Luftwaffe.
your machine. Then:
2. Type a: and press RETURN. Your computer will re-
spond with the prompt "A> ." (If you're using drive B, type
b: and press RETURN. Your computer will respond with
the prompt "B>.")
Tour of Duty: P-80 Shooting Star 3

"/decided at an early 3. Type install c: (or the letter of your hard drive) and
press RETURN. The installation program will automatical-
age that unless I had the ly copy all of the files from the Tour of Duty disk to the ap-
hell scared out of me propriate subdirectories on your computer's hard drive.
once a year, I wouldn't NOTE: If you've installed Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe
have the proper balance to manually copy all of the files from the Tour of Duty disk.
to really design new air- To do this:
planes of any type." 1. Change to the directory containing Secret Weapons of
P-80 designer "Kelly" Johnson,
the Luftwaffe.
who made it a point to fly in air- 2. Insert the Tour of Duty disk in drive A or B.
craft he designed whenever possi- 3. Type xcopy a: /s. (If you're using drive B, type xcopy
ble, including the P-80 b: /s.)
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for Disk 2 if you're installing from
3.5" disks.
MISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Once you've installed the Tour of Duty disk in your
SWOTL directory, you can then fly the P-80 Shooting Star
on a variety of missions when you run Secret Weapons of the
Luftwaffe.
There are three Flight School Missions for the P-80
Shooting Star. After selecting any of these missions, you'll be
able to test-fly the P-80 and practice your aerial gunnery,
ground attack, and bomber escort skills.
from the Main Menu on the U.S. side. Then click on the
P-80 icon.
A P-80A makes a tum.

Historical Missions
There are eight Historical Missions for the P-80 Shoot-
ing Star. Since the P-80 did not see active service against
Luftwaffe aircraft in World War II, these missions are hypo-
thetical situations based on its intended role.
To fly any of these missions, select HISTORICAL MIS-
SIONS from the Main Menu on the U.S. side. Then click on
the P-80 icon.
Custom Missions
Five Custom Missions allow you to fly each of the differ-
ent German fighters in aerial combat against the P-80
Shooting Star, and experience the strengths and weakness-
es of this first American jet fighter from the perspective of a
Luftwaffe pilot.
from the Main Menu on either side. Then select FLY A
CUSTOM MISSION . A window will open to display these
mission choices:
P80VS109
P80VS163
P80VS190
P80VS229
P80VS262
Tour of Duty
the P-80 Shooting Star can be flown in a Tour of Duty. The
challenge of flying a Tour is to keep one pilot alive over the
course of25 to 35 missions, depending on the difficulty lev-
el you choose.
To fly a Tour of Duty with a P-80, first select TOURS OF
DUTY from the Main Menu on the U.S. side. Start a new
Tour of Duty, then click on the P-80 fighter group. Select an
existing pilot (or create a new one), then choose the desired
operational role and difficulty level. For more information
on flying a Tour of Duty, see page 89 of your Secret Weapons
of the Luftwaffe manual.
Among the many
Mission Builder advantagesofthejet
You can use the Mission Builder to create your own mis- engine over the piston
sio~s featuring the P-80 Shooting Star, which can be used in engine was easy mainte-
combination with any three of the other aircraft in the simu- nance. Mechanics could
remove the GE engine of
lation. The Shooting Star can be flown in the following
the P-80 in twenty min-
roles: escort fighter, fighter-bomber, and fighter sweep. For
utes, while a piston
more information on creating custom missions with the engine required eight or
Mission Builder, see page 10 of your Secret Weapons of the nine hours.
Luftwaffe Reference Guide.

OF THE LOCKHEED P - 80
SHOOTING STAR FIGHTER
The P-80 Shooting Star, the first operational U.S. jet
fighter, earned its reputation in the late 1940s and during
the Korean War. Nevertheless, it deserves recognition as a
World War II aircraft. The P-80 was designed and built in
1943, at a time when countries on both sides of the war were
scrambling to put jet-propelled fighters into aerial combat.
Developed in record time, the Shooting Star was to be the
aircraft that could combat the German Me 262 jet fighter
and the Me 163 rocket fighter on equal terms. The appear-
ance of a pair of P-80s in England and Italy in 1945 provid-
ed a morale boost for the beleaguered bomber crews that
were facing these Luftwaffe aircraft over Europe. Had the
war been prolonged, the world's first jet-versus-jet battles
would likely have been fought between the P-80 and the Me
262. As it turned out, those P-80s that did see service in Eu-
rope did not encounter the German jet, and all-jet combat
would have to wait for another time - and another war.
Origins
The genesis of the P-80 Shooting Star demonstrates how
dramatically aircraft development differs during peacetime
and wartime. The roots of the P-80 can be traced to 1928,
when RAF flight cadet Frank Whittle first proposed cou-
pling the principle of jet propulsion with an airframe de-
sign. By 1937, the firs t Whittle jet engine had been tested,
but the British government thought it to be of little peace-
time value. In Germany, where the Luftwaffe was quickly
becoming a potent force, the German air ministry was also
unimpressed with the idea of a jet-propelled aircraft. Air-
craft developer Ernst Heinke!, however, believing that this
concept was worth pursuing, put up his own money to es-
tablish the jet engine and airframe program
that produced the world's first jet aircraft,
"The P-80 probably would have been the He 178. On August 27, 1939, the He 178
a good match for the Me 262 except that
made its first flight, and the world immedi-
it was underarmed. Those jets had 20- or
ately took notice of the jet's possibilities in
30-mm cannons, and we never developed
any cannons; we always used machine.
aerial combat. Now convinced of its value,
guns. In a fast dogfight, snap shooting, the British began work on an experimental
they would've had the advantage, given jet aircraft, the Gloster E28/39. In Germany,
six machine guns against a couple of 20s an order was placed to begin development
and 30s. We'd have had to hang onto of what would later be the world's first oper-
them for a while in order to do any dam- ational jet fighter, th e Messerschmitt Me
age, while all they had to do was just get 262.
a piece of us!' Not yet caught up in the events that
U.S. Air Force Second wou ld lead to World War II, the United
Lieutenant William Bums, States was slow to see the advantages of jet
former P-80 and T-33 pilot aircraft. Meanwhile, two aircraft companies,
Lockheed and Northrop , began indepen-
dently to investigate the possibilities of jet flight. In 1939, "Flying a P-80 was
Lockheed designed both an airframe and a jet engine for an
aircraft, the L-133, which would have reached a projected
such a fantastic feeling
top speed of 625 miles per hour at 50,000 feet. However, offreedom, like having
the U.S. Army Air Corps rejected this concept as "too radi- a jet engine strapped to
cal," and the L-133 was shelved.
your butt."
Two years later, the world situation had changed dra-
matically. Britain, engaged in a life-or-death struggle with U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant
William Bums, former P-80 and
Germany, had forged ahead in jet engine development with
T-33 pilot
the Whittle W2B centrifugal-flow gas-tu rbine jet engine.
This impressed General "Hap" Arnold , chief of the U.S.
Army Air Corps. Arnold decided that the United States,
which was supplying Britain with war materiel and was
moving toward greater involvement in the conflict, needed
to launch its own jet aircraft development program, and he
convinced the Army Air Corps to select a manufacturer.
Lockheed had a head start injet aircraft development with
the L-133 but was already busy building Allied aircraft, in-
eluding the Hudson bomber and the Lightning fighter for With the help of JATO Oet Assist
the British. The Army decided on a company whose work- Take Ofl) rockets, a Shooting
Star lifts off the runway at Van
load wasn't as heavy, Bell Aircraft, builders of the P-39 Aira- Nuys Metropolitan Airport.
cobra fighte r. General Electric was contracted to build
copies of the British Whittle jet engine for the new Bell
fighter, which was designated the XP-59AAiracomet.
On October 1, 1942, the XP-59A was flown for the first
time. The results were disappointing. Because of the low
1,250 pounds of thrust produced by each of its two jet en-
gines, plus a portly shape that resembled that of the P-39 ,
the XP-59A could only reach a top speed of 404 miles per
hour, which was slower than that of the piston-engined P-38
Lightning. Even with the addition of more powerful jet en-
gines, the XP-59A was outperformed in test flights by piston-
engined fighters like the P-47D Thunderbolt and the
P-38J Lightning. The German Me 262, which had made its
first flight as early as July 1942, was projected to have a top
speed of 600 miles per hour: the Airacomet would be no
match for the Luftwaffe jet in the skies over Europe.

'Just fly her, Milo. Treat Lulu-Belle-The First P-80
her nice-and find out In May 1943, desperate for a combat-worthy jet aircraft,
if she's a lady or a the Army turned to Lockheed. Within a week, the compa-
ny's designers submitted preliminary sketches for a new jet
witch." fighter, a sleek, low-winged aircraft whose fuselage was liter-
P-80 designer "Kelly" Johnson to ally built around its jet engine, with an air intake duct on ei-
test pilot Milo Burcham before ther side of the fuselage below the cockpit and an opening
the first flight of the XP-80, Lulu-
below the tail for exhaust. On June 21, 1943, the company
Belle, on January 8, 1944
was issued a contract to design and develop this aircraft, the
XP-80 "Shooting Star," which would use the experimental
de Havilland H-1 Goblin jet engine. Lockheed's chief re-
search engineer, Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson, and the 23
engineers and 105 shop workers that he selected from
Lockheed's various divisions would have only 180 days to
build the first prototype - about one-third the time nor-
mally allotted for this type of project. An assembly facility
built from old engine packing crates was hastily set up next
to Lockheed's P-38 production plant in Burbank, Califor-
nia, and Johnson and his group, now known as the "Skunk
Works," feverishly tackled the XP-80.
The task of assembling a revolutionary new aircraft in
such a short time required Johnson's team to master an en-
tirely new construction technology. But the
XP-80's clean, simple design streamlined
The designer of the first operational the manufacturing process, and the tightly
U.S. jet fighter, the P-80, as well as many coordinated Skunk Works group was not in-
other famous military aircraft, Clarence
terfered with by the rest of Lockheed or the
L "Kelly" Johnson was one of aviation's
Army. Work, in fact, proceeded ahead of
outstanding engineers and innovators.
While he was a graduate engineer at the
schedule, and the XP-80, which was given
University of Michigan in the mid-1930s, the name Lulu-Belle, was virtually complete
he helped solve a stability problem in by November 9, 1943. Four days later, the
Lockheed's Electra aircraft by giving it prototype was trucked from Burbank to
twin fins. Shortly thereafter; he was hired Muroc Dry Lake Army Air Force Base (now
by Lockheed, and was promoted to chief Edwards Air Force Base) in the Mojave
research engineer in 1938. In the late Desert of California. On November 15,
1930s and early 1940s, Johnson developed 1943, the l 43d day of the contract, the XP-
the innovative P-38 Lightning fighter. In 80 was pronounced ready for flight.
1943, he spearheaded the P-80 Shooting Lulu-Belle featured a number of innova-
Star program, and helped it become tions that would make it an effective combat
operational in record time. After the
aircraft. It had a laminar flow wing, which
war, Johnson designed numerous other
noteworthy aircraft, including the F-104
distributed air pressure and airflow for
Starfighter, the U-2 reconnaissance air-
greater maneuverability at high speeds. Its
craft, the C-130 Hercules transport, and low wing loading ensured that such maneu-
the SR-71 Blackbird. A two-time winner verability would not be lost even at high alti-
of the Collier trophy and other design tudes, and the Goblin engine's 3,000
awards, as well as of the Exceptional Ser- pounds of thrust generated outstanding
vice Award from the U.S. government, speed and a swift rate of climb. The XP-80
Johnson designed and developed a total was armed with six .50-caliber machine
of forty-nine aircraft before retiring from guns mounted in the nose, in a configura-
Lockheed in 1974. tion similar to that of the P-38. A bubble
canopy allowed for excellent visibility and
could be ej ected to prevent the pilot from
tangling his parachute harness on it when
bailing out.
On the eve of Lulu-Belle's first scheduled
flight, an unfortunate setback occurred.
When the engine of the XP-80 was run at full
throttle in a final test, the two air intake ducts
suddenly collapsed, sending bits of metal,
bolts, and rivets into the engine. Fearing that
the engine was damaged by the debris, crews
from Lockheed and de Havilland disassem-
bled it, and found a crack, a manufacturing defect, in the On the left, "Kelly" Johnson, the
compressor housing. When a new engine finally arrived designer of the XP-80, stands
next to his creation. The man in
from England on December 28, 1943, it was quickly in- the center is Peter LeVier, who
stalled in the airframe, whose air intake ducts had been became the chief test pilot for
strengthened. By January 6, 1944, Lulu-Belle was once the XP-80 program following the
again ready for its first test flight. death of Milo Burcham.
On the morning of January 8, 1944, the XP-80, piloted
by Milo Burcham, lifted off from the dry lake bed at Muroc.
The Lockheed and Army Air Corps personnel watching
from the ground became ecstatic as Lulu-Belle reached a top
speed of 490 miles per hour. It was the 202d day of the con-
tract, and the culmination of months of hard, fast-paced
work. Impressed by the aircraft's performance, the Army
soon ordered construction of two more prototypes, known
as XP-80As, and in February, an additional thirteen service
test aircraft, called YP-80As, were ordered. Each was pow-
ered by a new General Electric I-40 engine that delivered
1,000 more pounds of thrust than the Goblin. Convinced
that the P-80 was the fighter that could match the Luftwaffe,
the Army placed an order for 500 production aircraft.
By April 13, 1944, Lulu-Belle had made thirty-two test
flights, gathering critical performance data that Lockheed
engineers could use to correct design deficiencies. The first
U.S. aircraft to exceed 500 miles per hour in level flight,
Lulu-Belle was retired in 1946, after two and a half years of
test flying, including the first six months of 1944 when it es- The sleek lines of Lulu-Belle are
tablished performance figures for all succeeding U.S. jet displayed in this frontal view.

"The P-80 was very, aircraft. Today, Lulu-Belle can be seen at the National Air
and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
very responsive at high
speeds. When you were "Project Extraversion"-The P-80 in Europe
going over fiat land, like Throughout the XP-80 trials, construction of the two
XP-80A prototypes had proceeded at a rapid pace. The
a desert, and you were fuselage had been modified to incorporate the larger 1-40
really, really low, about engine, and was now nearly two feet longer at 34 feet 6 inch-
200 feet off the deck, it es. The wingspan was also increased and a taller tailfin had
been added. These and other changes increased the weight
was like rippling water." of the aircraft from 8,916 to 13,780 pounds. The urgency of
U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant the project was fueled by the news that a de Havilland
William Bums, former P-80 and
Mosquito had encountered an Me 262 on July 25, 1944, re-
T-33 pilot
vealing that the Germans were far ahead of the United
States in jet aircraft development.
The first XP-80A, named the Gray Ghost, was test-flown
on June 10, 1944, reaching a top speed of 561 miles per
hour. Despite problems that included flaps sticking and
ailerons vibrating at high speeds, the XP-80A was basically a
sound aircraft. Three months later, the first of thirteen YP-
80As rolled off the assembly line. On October 20, 1944, the
third YP-80A lost power after takeoff and crashed, killing
test pilot Milo Burcham.
Though the P-80 still needed additional testing, and
those pilots who would fly it would require special training,
the U.S. Army Air Force decided to assign the Shooting Star
the same top production priority as the B-29 bomber, in re-
sponse to the continuing threat posed by the Me 262 and
the Me 163. Additionally, four YP-80s, along with their pi-
lots and ground crews, plus spare parts and support equip-
ment, were to be shipped over to Europe: two to the Eighth
Air Force in England and
two to the Fifteenth Air
Force in Italy. This was "Pro-
ject Extraversion ," and its
purpose was to demonstrate
the capabilities of the Shoot-
ing Star - and provide a
morale boost - to those
fighter and bomber crews
that were facing the German
superweapons. Since the
Japanese had no known jet
fighters, immediate plans
A P-80A with tip tanks. were not made to send any YP-80s to the Pacific theater.
In December 1944, the four Shooting Stars designated
for Project Extraversion left the Lockheed factory for the
European theater of operations. On January 27, 1945, the
two YP-80s based in England made their first flights. The
very next day, one of these Shooting Stars exploded in mid-
air, killing the pilot. Though this accident was caused by a

structural problem, a faulty tailpipe attachment, the other The two YP-80s sent to Italy as
three YP-80s were not grounded. The remaining Eighth part of "Project Extraversion"
performed well, and actually flew
Air Force YP-80 continued to be flown throughout early on several combat missions.
1945, primarily for testing of a new Rolls-Royce jet engine. Here, they are shown flying next
The two YP-80s assigned to Italy had no problems, and ac- to Mount Vesuvius. (This photo
tually flew on several combat missions. They did not en- was originally captioned "crusty
counter the Me 262 or the Me 163 during these missions, old jet looks down on bright new
jets.")
however, and when Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945,
Project Extraversion was terminated.
With the war in the Pacific still raging, it was thought that
the P-80 could be used against the Japanese. However, its jet
engines could not be manufactured quickly
enough, and production of the Shooting "I remember seeing the P-80 in a
Star was slowed. After a series of crashes hangar at an Eighth Air Force base in
caused by loss of power after takeoff, it was England. We were told that it was the
also becoming clear that not all of the bugs new Shooting Star, the plane of the
had been worked out of the P-80. Moreover, future, and it was not yet ready for com-
pilots accustomed to propeller-driven air- bat. I didn't ooh and aah over it - it
craft often found it difficult to fly the jet- would have made a bigger impression on
powered P-80, a fact accounting for several us if it was going into service. But since it
was experimental, and we weren't going
mishaps as well. Despite these delays and ac-
to be getting any, my interest waned. We
cidents, it was hoped that the Shooting Star were just living for the moment, and had
would see action against Japan by December other, more important things to worry
1945, but the Japanese surrender on about.''
September 2, 1945, made this unnecessary. U.S. Army Air Force Captain James
Suddenly, the wartime urgency that fueled Finnegan, P-47 pilot with the Ninth Air
the U.S. jet fighter program was gone. The Force during World War II
large orders for construction of the P-80
Tour of Duty: P-80 Shooting Star II

"/taught my students to were cut, as the United States prepared for the transition to
peacetime.
never let the airplane
get ahead of them, to The P-80 After World War II
always be thinking Although the P-80 missed seeing active service in World
War II, it enjoyed a long and distinguished postwar career.
ahead of time. When It was officially introduced to the American public by Gen-
you start to turn a jet or eral Arnold in September 1945, and continued to be test-
it starts to stall, it does it flown and improved. In January 1946, three P-80s flew
from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of the United
a lot quicker than the States, with one establishing a record time of 4 hours, 13
other airplanes, and it minutes, and 26 seconds, averaging 580.9 miles per hour.
takes a lot longer to In 1947, a two-seat trainer version of the P-80, the T-33 , was
recover." introduced, to help the U.S. Air Force make the transition
from piston-engined aircraft to jets. Over 6,000 of these
U.S. Air Force Captain Thomas enormously successful trainer aircraft were produced dur-
Marsters, fonner T-33 flight
instructor
ing the next two decades, and they served as the primary
U.S . Air Force jet trainers well into the 1960s.
In the late 1940s, improved versions of the P-80 , the
P-80B and the P-80C, were introduced, with the C being
produced in the greatest numbers. The P-80 became
known as the F-80 on June 11, 1948, when the Air Force re-
placed the designation "P" for "pursuit" with "F" for
"fighter." On June 27 , 1950, the day after the outbreak of
the Korean War, F-80s shot down four North Korean Yaks.
Aviation history was made on November 8, 1950, when an
F-80 piloted by Lieutenant Russell Brown shot down a MiG
15 jet fighter over North Korea in the first aerial combat be-
tween two jet fighters. The F-80 was the primary U.S. air
combat fighter during the early part of the war, until it was
replaced by the more advanced F-84 and F-86. The Shoot-
ing Star was then used extensively for ground attack and
photo reconnaissance, and excelled in these roles. By the
time the war ended in 1953, the F-80 had flown 37 percent
of all fighter sorties for the U.S. Air Force in Korea - a total
of97,126. That same year, a two-seat all-weather intercep-
tor version of the F-80, the F-94 Starfire, was introduced.
The F-80 was phased out of the Air Force inventory after
the war, and was used by Air National Guard units and U.S.
allies overseas throughout the 1950s.
To extend the range of the P-80, it As both the most advanced U.S. fighter of
was fitted with drop tanks on its wingtips. the late 1940s and the workhorse of the ear-
While the performance of m ost fighte r ly 1950s, the Shooting Star performed its
aircraft was hampered by such d rop role admirably, having ushered the U.S. Air
tanks, on the Shooting Star these tanks, Force into the jet age.
surprisingly, reduced drag and made t he
aircraft more aerodynamic, while
improving the performance of t he
ailerons. For these reasons, the empty
tanks were often retained on the P-80,
and not dropped.

COMBAT TACTICS A P-80A. If Germany had some-
how managed to prolong World
"One of the combat techniques we learned was for a situation War II, this version would have
where you were shooting at somebody head-to-head, and they probably seen aerial combat
went right on past you and you wanted to go after them. The against German jet aircraft.
speed brakes on the T-33 are very good, so if you popped the
speed brakes, and pulled back on your power, too, that thing
would pitch you up. You'd be doing about 400, and it would stop
you so much, your shoulder harness would leave bruises. You'd go
up, roll it right back over, and just pull it, and you could pull about
4Gs, and you'd come back down right behind the guy:'
" If you had somebody on your tail, you could put that speed
brake on and pull the aircraft straight up. You'd pull about a 4G
turn and go straight up. Then you'd drop your speed brake, and
you'd come on down right in behind them. When you got them in
sight, you'd pull your brakes in."
U.S. Air Force Second Ueutenont William Burns,
former P-80 and T-33 pilot
The following key control is new and

affects only the P-80 Shooting Star.
Key Function
~ Lowers and raises speed brakes
Tour of Duly: P-80 Shooting Star 13

P-80A Performance Data Dimensions
Powerplant: One Allison Wingspan: 39 feet 11 inches
J-33-9/11 jet engine Wing area: 238 square feet
Thrust: 4,000 pounds Length: 34 feet 6 inches
Top speed: 558 miles per Height: 11 feet 4 inches
hour at 27,000 feet Weights
Maximum diving speed: Empty: 7,920 pounds
600 miles per hour Loaded: 14,500 pounds
Maximum speed with Standard Armament
landing gear extended: Six .50-caliber Colt-Brown-
225 miles per hour ing M2 machine guns, with
Maximum speed with 300 rounds per gun,
flaps partially lowered: mounted in the nose
270 miles per hour
Maximum speed with
200 miles per hour
Rate ofclimb:
Range: 368 miles;
540 miles with tip tanks
Crew: one
Optional Armament
Two 1,000-pound
the wings

DViewPanel DJ Altimeter Cockpit of a P-80A.
D Cockpit Gunsight mc1ock
D Cockpit Ammunition ID Rate of Climb Indicator
Round Indicator l?:1 Landing Gear
II Gun Camera Indicator Indicator Lights
D Bomb Indicator Panel m Oil Pressure and
II Airspeed Indicator Temperature Gauge
II Compass lllJ Manifold Pressure and
Ill Rudder Indicator Temperature Gauge
II Banking Indicator 11'.J Fuel Gauges
DiJ RPM Indicator Em Fuel Tank
mHydraulic Pressure Indicator Lights
Gauge ID Speed Brake
mFlaps Lever Indicator Lights

Fresh off the assembly line, rows
of Shooting Stars await the
installation of their jet engines.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Angelucci, Enzo. EncyclD'jJe- Davis, Larry. P-80 Shooting
dia of Military Aircraft: Starin Action. Squadron/Sig-
1914-1980. Military Press, nal Publications, Inc. , 1980.
1983. Pilot's Manual for Lockheed
Arnold, Rhodes. Shooting F-80 Shooting Star. Aviation
Star, T-Bird & Starfire: A Publications.
Famous Lockheed Family. Wooldridge, E.T. The P-80
AZTEX Corporation, 1981 . Shooting Star: Evolution of a
j et Fighter. Smithsonian
Institution Press, 1979.
624602

Secret Weapons of The Luftwaffe

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Secret Weapons of The Luftwaffe

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

"Only the spirit of attack

born in a brave heart will

Created and Designed by Manual Written by Victor Cross

Preceding page: The prototype

4 Secret Weapans of the Luftwaffe

Introduction 7 Mission Instructions: Pre-Flight 83

6 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

8 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

Next page: Ripped apart by

12 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

world, German victories mounted. Adolf Hitler rescued his

14 Secret Weapons of tfu! Luftwaffe

16 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

18 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

20 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

22 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

24 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

26 Secret Weapons of tlu Luftwaffe

28 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

30 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

32 Secret Weapom of the Luftwaffe

34 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

36 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

38 Secret Weapons of t/1 Luftwaffe

40 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

same reply he had earlier given Goring. Hitler nodded,

42 Secret Weapons of tlie Luftwaffe

cally by the fighter pilots, but the beleaguered bomber

44 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

46 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

D-Day, June 6, 1944

48 Secret Weapom of the Luftwaffe

out that many German reserves had to travel by foot toward

50 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

52 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

54 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

shut down wartime production by stifling the movement of

56 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

SB Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

how many Luftwaffe pilots died while fighting the Allied

60 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

overall bombing effort. Strategic pinpoint bombing to

62 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

64 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

66 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

68 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

70 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

72 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

to that was, "Well, that closes a great many doors!" Now

German Fuel Production

74 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

the huge amount of German effort that had gone into

76 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

78 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

Hamburg and Dresden. And the difference is that Belgrade

80 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

84 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

Mission Instructions: Pre-Flight 85

U .S.A .A .F. Number of LUFTWAFFE Number of

Whether you're fighting on the U.S. or on the German

86 Secret Wea/1ons of the Luftwaffe

Mission InstructUm.s: Pre-Flight 87

88 Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe