Operation Bodenplatte: The real numbers...

[PanzerKing]

Does anyone have the correct statistics on Operation Bodenplatte? By that I mean what were the Luftwaffe's and Allied Airforces' total losses, planes involved, etc?

I've seen many contrasting numbers. One source indidcates 500 Allied planes destroyed, another claims only 300. I also read a book that states 800 Luftwaffe planes took part but another book says 1000!

Thanks!

[Erich]

go here and buy this book..........due this winter. "Dawn Attack, the Luftwaffe's last hope" by Ron Putz and John Manhro. It will be the most fantastic book ever written on the operation. I have been in contact with both authors over the years as German night fighters took part on this early morning jaunt, and that is my interest.

http://www.hikokiwarplanes.com

all other books that have been written on this operation will be taking a back seat to this one....with 256 pages and 400 pics......whoa !

Erich

[PanzerKing]

Great! Thanks for this wonderful news!

[ChristopherPerrien]

I think Bodenplatte was a bust, and reported figures in Germans accounts are quite exaggerated although granted the Allies did not expect a massed German fighter offensive. I would say 300- as being the upper limit. Also the Germans lost many planes. By that time in "Nazi-land" reporting less than spectacular results was hazardous to your health.

Galland may have mentioned "Bodenplatte " in his book "The First and The Last. Don't remember what figure he said or his comments about the accuracy of reported figures.

[Larso]

I can't remember whether I've read Gallands book but I have 'Horridio' by the Tolliver brothers and it devotes a chapter and more to him. They write that Galland knew for some time the war was lost but did at least have a plan to challenge the allied air superiority. Evidently he tried to conserve his forces in order to unleash a massive attack on a particular raid. The goal was to have at least a superiority of three to one, include nightfighters as day fighters and attack the bombers every inch of the way. Apparently he'd managed to create a sufficient force and was only waiting for the right raid and then give it everything. Then came Normandy and Hitler who'd heard about the reserve threw them into the fighting where they were frittered away. Galland got ready again but once again just as he was ready Hitler threw the force into Boddenplatte. After that there was no other opportunity. It was even suggested that Gallands phrase the 'big one' (or something like it) to describe this last show of defiance was picked up by Hitlers underlings and became the basis for the Ardennes offensive.

[redcoat]

In reality the numbers of aircraft destroyed doesn't matter. The Allied airforces could replace the number of aircraft destroyed in days, no matter the amount. Even on the German side it didn't matter, they were short of fuel not aircraft.
The figure that matters is the figure for trained pilots, these couldn't be replaced as quickly (on the German side they just couldn't be replaced) and on these figures 'Bodenpatte' was a total failure for the luftwaffe. Only about 20 Allied pilots lost their lives in this operation while the figure for the Germans was nearly 200.

[mikerock]

Forgive my ignorance, but what and when was "Bodenplatte"?

Thanks!
--Mike

[Erich]

Quit speculating and go to the web-site that I mentioned and wait for the book ! It will answer all your questions you've always wanted to know about Bodenplatte. The simple fact is that the Luftwaffe lost too many pilots, both experienced and non........


And it was a blow Allied air force pride !

~E

[alf]

The Luftwaffe destroyed 150 Allied aircraft and damaged 111 more.
Their attack resulted in 145 wounded and 46 killed allied personnel (only
6 Allied pilots were killed in ombat)

The Luftwaffe losses were 270 aircraft destroyed and 40 damaged and 260 pilots lost

Adolf Galland said the operation was "the final dagger thrust into the Luftwaffe's Breast".............The Luftwaffe received its death blow at the Ardennes offensive"


above quotes from John Terraine's "Right of the Line, History of the RAF in Europe WW2"

[Erich]

The Luftwaffe destroyed over 200 Allied a/c and damaged another 150. this is all documented in Manhro/Putz book due to be released in the winter 2004 on the web-site posted !

[ChristopherPerrien]

The Luftwaffe destroyed over 200 Allied a/c and damaged another 150. this is all documented in Manhro/Putz book due to be released in the winter 2004 on the web-site posted !

Well whoop-dee-do. Do you mind if we talk about it before this Glorious book is released next year?


One thing that really got me about Bodenplatte , is the total idiocy in the timing of the attack . Why didn't the stupid Luftwaffe launch this attack IN CONJUNCTION with Battle of the Bulge Offensive, a.k.a. Watch on the Rhine? True bad weather was the cover for that operation, but once the skies clear I think those 900 planes might have been able to help the German ground forces from being immobilized and may have shot down droves of the US supply planes dropping supplies to cut-off American units.

As it was the Americans at Bastogne were eating turkey on Christmas( at least the REMFs were, but the Germans had no birds at all literally and figuratively.

Instead the Luftwaffe did their own "offensive" a month later, which accomplished nothing except its own destruction.

[Benoit Douville]

I think it is worth mentioning that Operation Bodenplatte was originally scheduled to support the Ardennes offensive who started on December 16 1944 and the objective was to destroy as many Allied planes, hangars and airfields as possible.

Again, to continue in this thread, what are the real numbers? I also read that the Luftwaffe had 900 fighters and fighter Bombers for that attack.

Regards

[Thor4711]

Operation "Bodenplatte": Adolf GALLAND was right: it was the biggest self-destruction of the Luftwaffe and as well as the "Ardennen-Offensive" a waste of troops and material , taking off all those reserves from the Ostfront! And it was also wasting pilots and fuel !
Also the few jet fighters and bombers (like the Arado 234 ) were used and wasted.

[Larso]

I've just had a look for that vaunted book and couldn't find it. The link is dead too. Was it ever actually published?

[AL Schlageter]

I've just had a look for that vaunted book and couldn't find it. The link is dead too. Was it ever actually published?

Erich got the name of the book wrong. It is 'Bodenplatte: The Luftwaffe's Last Hope'.

Yes it was published and a Google search should be done.