Number of Bomber Sorties on OstFront
Number of Bomber Sorties on OstFront
During a period of sustained operations, how many sorties would a bomber (Ju88, Ju89, He111) be expected to perform, daily? Beyond No-Fly conditions, any other differences between seasons?
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Re: Number of Bomber Sorties on OstFront
Generally one sortie a day. Even on 22 June 1941 most bombers flew two sorties a few flew three but that was the maximum. Stories of 6 or nine sorties a day are just that: stories. The only aircraft to come close to that number were single engine aircraft (Me 109, Fw190, Ju 87 Hs123...) even then heavy use usually led to a lot of down time on succeeding days.
Re: Number of Bomber Sorties on OstFront
Generally one sortie a day. Even on 22 June 1941 most bombers flew two sorties a few flew three but that was the maximum. Stories of 6 or nine sorties a day are just that: stories. The only aircraft to come close to that number were single engine aircraft (Me 109, Fw190, Ju 87 Hs123...) even then heavy use usually led to a lot of down time on succeeding days.
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Re: Number of Bomber Sorties on OstFront
Hi,
In a period of sustained operations on the Eastern Front, Stuka units could average three to five sorties a day. For example, a pilot from III./St.G. 2 in the Crimea in May 1943:
25 May 1943: three sorties
26 May 1943: three sorties
27 May 1943: three sorties
28 May 1943: five sorties
29 May 1943: two sorties
Between 17 April and 29 April 1944 one III./S.G. 2 Ju 87 gunner flew 59 sorties.
A final Stuka example: one St.G. 2 pilot flew seven sorties to Stalingrad on 24 October 1942.
Bomber units could also get very busy. In the summer offensive of 1942, a III./K.G. 27 crew flew twenty sorties between 20 and 25 July, and then fourteen between 9 and 14 August 1942. Then came Stalingrad:
14 October 1942: three sorties
15 October 1942: one sortie
16 October 1942: three sorties
17 October 1942: three sorties
A K.G. 100 crewman flew seven sorties on 7 June 1942, and then seven on 8 June, and five on 9 June. These were all daylight missions. He flew 108 sorties in total in June 1942.
I hope these examples show just how busy these units could get on the Eastern Front, and especially in the warmer months.
Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - http://www.airwarpublications.com/earticles
In a period of sustained operations on the Eastern Front, Stuka units could average three to five sorties a day. For example, a pilot from III./St.G. 2 in the Crimea in May 1943:
25 May 1943: three sorties
26 May 1943: three sorties
27 May 1943: three sorties
28 May 1943: five sorties
29 May 1943: two sorties
Between 17 April and 29 April 1944 one III./S.G. 2 Ju 87 gunner flew 59 sorties.
A final Stuka example: one St.G. 2 pilot flew seven sorties to Stalingrad on 24 October 1942.
Bomber units could also get very busy. In the summer offensive of 1942, a III./K.G. 27 crew flew twenty sorties between 20 and 25 July, and then fourteen between 9 and 14 August 1942. Then came Stalingrad:
14 October 1942: three sorties
15 October 1942: one sortie
16 October 1942: three sorties
17 October 1942: three sorties
A K.G. 100 crewman flew seven sorties on 7 June 1942, and then seven on 8 June, and five on 9 June. These were all daylight missions. He flew 108 sorties in total in June 1942.
I hope these examples show just how busy these units could get on the Eastern Front, and especially in the warmer months.
Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - http://www.airwarpublications.com/earticles
Re: Number of Bomber Sorties on OstFront
Hello again BDV,
Since the question was about sustained bomber operations, this may provide a better idea of sortie rates during a campaign:
Luftflotte 1
KG 1 had 60 Ju 88A's of which 57 were serviceable (95%)
KG 76 had 90 Ju 88A's of which 70 were serviceable (78%)
KG 77 had 91 Ju 88A's of which 67 were serviceable (74%)
K.Gr 806 had 30 Ju 88A's of which 18 were serviceable (60%)
For a total 271 aircraft of which 212 (78%) were available for operations on 22 June, and flew 637 sorties or an average of three sorties per serviceable Ju 88. I do not have a total for sorties flown on 23 June but 24 June the JU 88 units of Luftflotte 1 flew 215 sorties or roughly one sortie per serviceable Ju 88. For June 25, 27, 28, and 30 the sortie rate dropped further to 147, 179, 81, and 90 sorties respectively even though they were still operating from their original bases in East Prussia where supplies and proper service facilities were readily available.
From 1 July KG 1, 76, 77 began staging forward to Kaunas, Siauliai, Mitau and Riga anywhere from 250 to 350 km from their home bases where they now had to rely on truck and air transport for resupply. This resulted in shortages of everything and serviceability rates began dropping to about 60%. Figures for sorties that are available to me are:
3.7.41: 100
5.7.41: 113
9.7.41: 43
11.7.41: 138
13.7.41: 170
14.7.41: 110
15.7.41: 77
16.7.41: 100
17.7.41: 70
18.7.41: 54
19.7.41: 118
For an average of 99 sorties a day for the six Gruppen combined who on average had anywhere from 130 to 160 serviceable aircraft during this period. During this time there were only two periods of rainy weather: 1 thru 4 July and 15 thru 19 July. Over the course of the following week the KG's (not including KG 4) flew these sorties:
20.7.41: 106
21.7.41: 53
22.7.41: 53
23.7.41: 55
24.7.41: 62
25.7.41: 85
26.7.41: 68
For an average of 69 sorties a day, all in good flying weather. KG 1, 76, 77 had only 80 serviceable JU 88's at the end of 26 July. I do not have strength/loss returns for K.Gr 806 but they could not have had more than 15 serviceable aircraft by this date. So clearly the average sorties rate was at or under one for each serviceable aircraft per day. The numbers for Luftflotte 2 are very similar.
Best wishes
oquaig
Since the question was about sustained bomber operations, this may provide a better idea of sortie rates during a campaign:
Luftflotte 1
KG 1 had 60 Ju 88A's of which 57 were serviceable (95%)
KG 76 had 90 Ju 88A's of which 70 were serviceable (78%)
KG 77 had 91 Ju 88A's of which 67 were serviceable (74%)
K.Gr 806 had 30 Ju 88A's of which 18 were serviceable (60%)
For a total 271 aircraft of which 212 (78%) were available for operations on 22 June, and flew 637 sorties or an average of three sorties per serviceable Ju 88. I do not have a total for sorties flown on 23 June but 24 June the JU 88 units of Luftflotte 1 flew 215 sorties or roughly one sortie per serviceable Ju 88. For June 25, 27, 28, and 30 the sortie rate dropped further to 147, 179, 81, and 90 sorties respectively even though they were still operating from their original bases in East Prussia where supplies and proper service facilities were readily available.
From 1 July KG 1, 76, 77 began staging forward to Kaunas, Siauliai, Mitau and Riga anywhere from 250 to 350 km from their home bases where they now had to rely on truck and air transport for resupply. This resulted in shortages of everything and serviceability rates began dropping to about 60%. Figures for sorties that are available to me are:
3.7.41: 100
5.7.41: 113
9.7.41: 43
11.7.41: 138
13.7.41: 170
14.7.41: 110
15.7.41: 77
16.7.41: 100
17.7.41: 70
18.7.41: 54
19.7.41: 118
For an average of 99 sorties a day for the six Gruppen combined who on average had anywhere from 130 to 160 serviceable aircraft during this period. During this time there were only two periods of rainy weather: 1 thru 4 July and 15 thru 19 July. Over the course of the following week the KG's (not including KG 4) flew these sorties:
20.7.41: 106
21.7.41: 53
22.7.41: 53
23.7.41: 55
24.7.41: 62
25.7.41: 85
26.7.41: 68
For an average of 69 sorties a day, all in good flying weather. KG 1, 76, 77 had only 80 serviceable JU 88's at the end of 26 July. I do not have strength/loss returns for K.Gr 806 but they could not have had more than 15 serviceable aircraft by this date. So clearly the average sorties rate was at or under one for each serviceable aircraft per day. The numbers for Luftflotte 2 are very similar.
Best wishes
oquaig