Hi,
The German historian Hans Ring states that the Luftwaffe considered a total loss of the aircraft when the damage exceeds 60%.
(Bruch über 60% - Totalverlust nach deutschem Standard)
Has anyone more details how the 60% are specified? Thanks!
Considerations for total loss
Re: Considerations for total loss
The criteria seems to have changed several times during the war and was already rather complicated to begin with. There is a lot of discussion on this subject on the forum below:
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/
The decision to either repair or scrap an aircraft was largely subjective and was usually made by the Staffel-, Gruppe- or Geschwader technische Offizier using the written criteria as guidelines.
L.
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/
The decision to either repair or scrap an aircraft was largely subjective and was usually made by the Staffel-, Gruppe- or Geschwader technische Offizier using the written criteria as guidelines.
L.
Re: Considerations for total loss
it probably meant making a decision as to whether a wreck was worth salvaging for local repair or was to be shipped back to a depot for rebuild. Since Germany depended a lot on depot overhaul and the presence of a railhead to ship wrecks back to the rear or even home, then distance from same essentially meant that the aircraft would be stripped of usable parts, if possible and then blown up or further wrecked to be unusable to the enemy.
Re: Considerations for total loss
Here is some criteria for front repairs (Frontreparaturen):
Servicing and First Echelon Repairs (1-2 Days, Excluding Fighters and Reconnaissance Aircraft)
To February – April 1938, carried out by one or two Fliegerhorst-Stabskompanie(n). After that date by Flughafenbetriebskompanie(n) of various types and at end of the war by Flugzeugwartungskompanie(n). Fighter and reconnaissance units had their own organic servicing and maintenance personnel.
Second Echelon Repairs (3-10 Days, all Aircraft)
Pre-war and during the war in the Reich and the occupied countries, carried out by Fliegerhorstwerft(en) comprising mainly civilian mechanics and technicians, which were an organic component of each Fliegerhorstkommandantur. From 2 February 1944, the Fliegerhorstwerften became quasi-independent Werftabteilungen, Werftkompanien and Werftzüge made up of a few male military personnel, a large and rapidly increasing number of female military personnel and civilians. In the front areas, by the mobile Werftzüge provided by the Fliegerhorstwerften, and from spring 1941 by the Feldwerftverbände organization.
Third Echelon Repairs (More than 10 Days, all Aircraft)
Handled by the large industry-operated Frontreparaturbetrieb GL organization throughout the war. These were located in the rear areas of each front and in the occupied countries. For example, on 1 April 1942 there were about 12 of them in Russia and more in East Prussia, Poland and Romania. There were 10 of them in France. There were owned and operated by 17 different German firms that had contracts with the Generalluftzeugmeister/RLM. Each ranged in size from a low of 125 employees up to 3,000 employees. Behind these stood the huge organization of aircraft factories back in Germany that handled Heimatreparaturen (depot-level repair of aircraft that crashed or came down over Germany proper.
Any aircraft that was so damaged it could not be repaired by Third Echelon maintenance was turned over to a Bergungszug or Bergungskompanie and scraped. That which could not be salvaged and reused as spare parts was sent to a smelter in the Reich.
The above does not answer your question, but it may provide some additional information on the repair organization.
L.
Servicing and First Echelon Repairs (1-2 Days, Excluding Fighters and Reconnaissance Aircraft)
To February – April 1938, carried out by one or two Fliegerhorst-Stabskompanie(n). After that date by Flughafenbetriebskompanie(n) of various types and at end of the war by Flugzeugwartungskompanie(n). Fighter and reconnaissance units had their own organic servicing and maintenance personnel.
Second Echelon Repairs (3-10 Days, all Aircraft)
Pre-war and during the war in the Reich and the occupied countries, carried out by Fliegerhorstwerft(en) comprising mainly civilian mechanics and technicians, which were an organic component of each Fliegerhorstkommandantur. From 2 February 1944, the Fliegerhorstwerften became quasi-independent Werftabteilungen, Werftkompanien and Werftzüge made up of a few male military personnel, a large and rapidly increasing number of female military personnel and civilians. In the front areas, by the mobile Werftzüge provided by the Fliegerhorstwerften, and from spring 1941 by the Feldwerftverbände organization.
Third Echelon Repairs (More than 10 Days, all Aircraft)
Handled by the large industry-operated Frontreparaturbetrieb GL organization throughout the war. These were located in the rear areas of each front and in the occupied countries. For example, on 1 April 1942 there were about 12 of them in Russia and more in East Prussia, Poland and Romania. There were 10 of them in France. There were owned and operated by 17 different German firms that had contracts with the Generalluftzeugmeister/RLM. Each ranged in size from a low of 125 employees up to 3,000 employees. Behind these stood the huge organization of aircraft factories back in Germany that handled Heimatreparaturen (depot-level repair of aircraft that crashed or came down over Germany proper.
Any aircraft that was so damaged it could not be repaired by Third Echelon maintenance was turned over to a Bergungszug or Bergungskompanie and scraped. That which could not be salvaged and reused as spare parts was sent to a smelter in the Reich.
The above does not answer your question, but it may provide some additional information on the repair organization.
L.
Re: Considerations for total loss
When the Allies captured Templehof airfield in Berlin, they found hundreds of damaged fuselages in a huge underground repair station and that continued in operation almost to the final defeat.
Re: Considerations for total loss
Don't forget that captured, crashed Allied aircraft also went into the smelter and their weapons and equipment were salvaged and tested by Rechlin and other test houses.
Re: Considerations for total loss
Larry, I appreciate your detailed answer, thank you so much.