Operation Eisenhammer

Operation Eisenhammer (German; in English Operation Iron Hammer) was a planned strategic bombing operation against power generators near Moscow and Gorky in the Soviet Union which was planned by Nazi Germany during World War II but eventually abandoned.
The plan of the operation was created in 1943 by Professor Heinrich Steinmann (1899–1969), an official at the Reich Air Ministry. A bombing raid was to destroy twelve turbines in water and steam power-plants near Moscow, Gorky, Tula, Stalinogorsk and under the Rybinsk Reservoir, as well as to attack certain substations, transmission lines and factories. If the attack were to succeed in destroying just 2/3 of the turbines it would have knocked out about 75% of the power used by the Soviet defence industry. Only two smaller energy centers behind the Urals and in the Soviet Far East would have been left intact. At this time the Soviet Union had no turbine manufacturing capabilities and the only repair facility (in Leningrad) had been heavily damaged.
To accomplish the goal Mistel long range bombers were to be employed. To destroy water turbines special floating mines called Sommerballon ("summer balloon") were to be dropped into the water and then pulled by the current straight into the turbines.
Due to the shortage of bombers and fuel, technical problems with the floating mine and the Soviet Army overrunning advance bases, the plan was postponed repeatedly. In February 1945 however Eisenhammer was resurrected and Kampfgeschwader 200 assembled scout planes and about 100 Mistels near Berlin and waited for favourable weather to attack the plants around Moscow. After a US air raid on Berlin-Rechlin airport which destroyed 18 Mistels the plan was postponed again and shortly afterwards finally dropped.




OK, by 1945 this wouldn't have changed anything.


In late 1943, it wouldn't have changed much - maybe slows down Bagration, so the UK/US reach Berlin first. Or the US just sends more trucks and Shermans to make up for the lack of T-34's.




What if the plan is first suggested after the failure of Barbarossa? Given the first half of 1942 (perhaps less) for training, reconnaissance and construction of any special munitions. While attention is fixed on the south with Case Blue and Stalingrad, the Luftwaffe launches Eisenhammer.


What would be the consequences? It won't be an instant-win button for Germany, but if the calculations above are correct there would be a serious reduction in power to the Soviet defence industry.


Would Stalingrad fall to the Germans? Possibly, but the equipment needed for a giant street fight isn't too complex so the Red Army could probably hang onto the city.


Would 6th Army be destroyed? Probably not. There would be fewer tanks available to the Russians, so Manstein would probably be able to get 6th army out of the attempted encirclement. Assuming the Russians go for a similar plan to OTL, of course.


Consequences for 1943 and onward? That would depend on the speed at which the Russians rebuilt or replaced the destroyed infrastructure.


I don't think this will let the Germans win, but I think the Eastern Front would hold up for longer. As above, the UK/US reach Berlin, and the Russians are still fighting their way through Poland.




Comments?
 
The best case scenario is Germany taking Stalingrad but their armies are too exhausted and attritted to continue offensive operations. A Soviet winter offensive may be launched with the objective of retaking Stalingrad if only for the propaganda value. I could see Stalin obsessed with taking the city just like Hitler was. It probably does not retake the city but the German Army is further battered. Germany will still lose the war, but the Soviet Union never gets into Germany, they may end up east of the Vistula River.
 

Deleted member 1487

Operation Eisenhammer (German; in English Operation Iron Hammer) was a planned strategic bombing operation against power generators near Moscow and Gorky in the Soviet Union which was planned by Nazi Germany during World War II but eventually abandoned.
The plan of the operation was created in 1943 by Professor Heinrich Steinmann (1899–1969), an official at the Reich Air Ministry. A bombing raid was to destroy twelve turbines in water and steam power-plants near Moscow, Gorky, Tula, Stalinogorsk and under the Rybinsk Reservoir, as well as to attack certain substations, transmission lines and factories. If the attack were to succeed in destroying just 2/3 of the turbines it would have knocked out about 75% of the power used by the Soviet defence industry. Only two smaller energy centers behind the Urals and in the Soviet Far East would have been left intact. At this time the Soviet Union had no turbine manufacturing capabilities and the only repair facility (in Leningrad) had been heavily damaged.
To accomplish the goal Mistel long range bombers were to be employed. To destroy water turbines special floating mines called Sommerballon ("summer balloon") were to be dropped into the water and then pulled by the current straight into the turbines.
Due to the shortage of bombers and fuel, technical problems with the floating mine and the Soviet Army overrunning advance bases, the plan was postponed repeatedly. In February 1945 however Eisenhammer was resurrected and Kampfgeschwader 200 assembled scout planes and about 100 Mistels near Berlin and waited for favourable weather to attack the plants around Moscow. After a US air raid on Berlin-Rechlin airport which destroyed 18 Mistels the plan was postponed again and shortly afterwards finally dropped.




OK, by 1945 this wouldn't have changed anything.


In late 1943, it wouldn't have changed much - maybe slows down Bagration, so the UK/US reach Berlin first. Or the US just sends more trucks and Shermans to make up for the lack of T-34's.




What if the plan is first suggested after the failure of Barbarossa? Given the first half of 1942 (perhaps less) for training, reconnaissance and construction of any special munitions. While attention is fixed on the south with Case Blue and Stalingrad, the Luftwaffe launches Eisenhammer.


What would be the consequences? It won't be an instant-win button for Germany, but if the calculations above are correct there would be a serious reduction in power to the Soviet defence industry.


Would Stalingrad fall to the Germans? Possibly, but the equipment needed for a giant street fight isn't too complex so the Red Army could probably hang onto the city.


Would 6th Army be destroyed? Probably not. There would be fewer tanks available to the Russians, so Manstein would probably be able to get 6th army out of the attempted encirclement. Assuming the Russians go for a similar plan to OTL, of course.


Consequences for 1943 and onward? That would depend on the speed at which the Russians rebuilt or replaced the destroyed infrastructure.


I don't think this will let the Germans win, but I think the Eastern Front would hold up for longer. As above, the UK/US reach Berlin, and the Russians are still fighting their way through Poland.




Comments?
There is a major topic about that at Axis History Forum, which basically concluded that targeting would be nearly impossible in the Ural area, especially as Germany did not have much experience with this type of strategic bombing nor any modern maps. Also Germany was using every bomber it had to stem the tide during the 1943 battles in the Ukraine for tactical operations, as there were so many tanks the Germans needed every option to knock them out.
Plus German bombers had no room for misses, especially as Soviet air defenses were designed to protect against this kind of operation. Even with the assumption that Commando teams led by Skorzeny were involved, it would have been a suicide mission.
 
I don't think a realistic attack would achieve even a 2/3 success, but some power disruption could have been done.

I don't think it would materially affect Stalingrad at all. Even with a reduction in tank assembly, I am betting enough tanks would be available for both Operation Uranus and Saturn (although Saturn might not be as successful).

In any case, the repair of the turbines are probably done in the US and new turbines ordered. They become the highest priority Lend Lease items. US engineers are probably flown in to inspect the damage and determine whether existing US turbine designs can be used (perhaps even existing production). If so, the replacement time might not be as bad as needing to create brand new turbines. I don't know enough about the topic to determine how long it would take.

In addition, Lend Lease tanks would be used instead if the Soviets really needed the additional armor. The Soviets preferred their own designs, but they will use Shermans, Lees, Stuarts, and British Valentines if they need to.

I think the frontline in 1943 will be very different, creating entirely different strategies on both sides. The Soviets will not be as able to advance as far as they did in the latter half of 1943 either, but production should be back to speed by end of 1943. The Germans might buy themselves another 6 months or so in terms of where the Soviets are. Still won't help them once the Western Allies cross the Rhine.

People who are better with details are welcome to correct any mistaken assumptions on my part.
 
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