So many it is an ASB scenario. The main problem is jet fuel. There really isn't that much oil for the Germans to tap.
I thought the biggest problem was lack of access to correct elements to produce the alloys for a descent quality engine.
So many it is an ASB scenario. The main problem is jet fuel. There really isn't that much oil for the Germans to tap.
To add a bit; During the weeks before 6th June the USAAF ramped up its medium bomber sorties from a average of around 400-500 per day to 1000 per day. Thats just the twin engined bombers of the 9th AF. For 6th June the combined air fleet managed well over 13,000 sorties over France. There was a surge in the preceeding weeks in Italy and in the East the VVS kept up its air activity. For the week before and after 6th June the Germans were contending with a average of 5,000 to 6,000 offensive sorties daily combined from all fronts.
I thought the biggest problem was lack of access to correct elements to produce the alloys for a descent quality engine.
I thought the biggest problem was lack of access to correct elements to produce the alloys for a descent quality engine.
Germany's best bet for clearing the sky's of allied bombers in my opinion was the HO-229 which could have been devastating had even a handful of squadrons entered service, but even that wonder-jet came too late in the war to make a impact.
Mind you, more resources put into earlier and more Me-262 production means less resources put toward tank, or u-boat production, or something else, which means the Germans are less well prepared in a different department. The Germans couldn't have really averted their downfall, merely altered its timetable and the exact way in which it happened.
I thought the biggest problem was lack of access to correct elements to produce the alloys for a descent quality engine.
You mean, they take away vital fuel supplies and materials from the Eastern Front...just so they can have some air support while they lose?
The problems are a lot deeper than just having enough 262s (with pilots, fuel and functioning powerplants) to gain air superiority. They would then need large numbers of other aircraft to exploit this.
The 262 was never going to be able to sink ships (nor was the Arado 234), so you would need several hundred Dornier 217s or Heinkel 177s equipped with the Hs293 or Fritz-X to have any appreciable effect on the Allied effort - even with air superiority. Given the maintenance issues with the 177 it wouldn't matter what number you started with, the number of servicable aircraft would dwindle rapidly.
The 217 was pretty much the only effective aircraft they had for this and could only carry one Hs293 over distance. Their chances of dealing a death blow to such a large fleet, even with minimal air cover is vanishingly small.
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Or how worn down the Luftwaffe training infrastructure was. I can only imagine how many would be lost in training accidents before you even get them to Overlord.
To answer the question as posed, the OTL Me262 fleet of about 200 aircraft never reached 60 sorties in a single day due to a range of factors, most stemming from the unreliability of their engines and their best day was 16 kills. The USAAF alone regularly flew 2500 sorties per day over Europe and the RAF would match this.
So crudely scaling this up, 2000 Me 262s would fly 600 sorties and get 160 kills in a day and 4000 Me 262s would fly 1200 sorties and get 320 kills in a day.
So the magic number of Me 262s needed to stop Overlord would be in the order of 5000 airframes. Which is why people say its impossible.
To add a bit; During the weeks before 6th June the USAAF ramped up its medium bomber sorties from a average of around 400-500 per day to 1000 per day. Thats just the twin engined bombers of the 9th AF. For 6th June the combined air fleet managed well over 13,000 sorties over France. There was a surge in the preceeding weeks in Italy and in the East the VVS kept up its air activity. For the week before and after 6th June the Germans were contending with a average of 5,000 to 6,000 offensive sorties daily combined from all fronts.
I'm not arguing, just asking to be educated. Why could not a Me 262 drop a dive bomb?
Data. Awesome.
I believe the original engines were good for ~200 hours between overhauls, before they were forced to sacrifice the much of the original alloys to the army tank program. One could imagine a different decision (which has different tradeoffs).
I do agree that shooting down 320 allied aircraft is not enough to stop D-Day. But sinking ~50 transports scare the allies into stopping the invasion (maybe maybe). Especially if you could concentrate your efforts onto one beach and not scatter them throughout. That might be asking too much of leadership though.