Luftwaffe losses in 1940

[jonnymacbrown]

Ran into this interesting account in Wikipedia:

"The battle for France had cost the Luftwaffe 28% of its front line strength, some 1,236 — 1,428 aircraft destroyed (1,129 to enemy action, 299 in accidents). A further 323 — 488 were damaged (225 to enemy action, 263 in accidents), making a total of 36% of the Luftwaffe strength negatively affected. Luftwaffe casualties amounted to 6,653, including 4,417 aircrew; of these 1,129 were killed and 1,930 missing and captured."

I don't know what the facts are but if this is true then the Luftwaffe got pretty chewed up in the operation. I've played quite a few games of F 40 and am doing so now. Der Luftwaffe controls the skies and the Allied air forces are a joke; literally and figuratively. In one game I'm playing now Luftwaffe losses are 46 machines in the middle of May 16. I know the game is an abstraction but 46 losses only account for c. 3% losses of the Luftwaffe's game strength, a far cry from the above account (if factual). The following article claims the Luftwaffe lost 40% of it's strength by mid-June:

http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airch...kland.html

The gist of the article is that the French Army found a convenient scapegoat in blaming the French air force for its defeat. One interesting quote from the article:

"The fighter units on the northeastern front were equipped exclusively with machines built within the preceding eighteen months. The American-made Curtiss 75A fighter joined French squadrons beginning in March 1939. It was the most effective type in its class in combat over France until the Dewoitine D520 became operational in mid-May 1940. Eight squadrons equipped with the Curtiss 75A shot down 220 German aircraft (confirmed kills), losing only thirty-three pilots. In seven aerial battles in which the Curtiss fighters were engaged with Messerschmitts, the total score was twenty-seven Bf 109Es and six Bf 110Cs destroyed for three of the French aircraft.23 "

In the game the French have a total of 515 aircraft. The article posts the following chart:

Table II. Modern Combat Aircraft Deployed on the Western Front, 10 May 194022 (Allied total includes Belgian & Dutch)

Type French British total German
Fighters 583 197 780 1264
Bombers 84 192 276 1504
Recon 458 96 554 502

Totals 1125 485 1610 3270

The French had over 4000 aircraft but had only c. 1000 deployed against the Germans: what were the other 3000 planes doing? I see and understand that the game only represents bombers & recon and it's all closely enough tallied for a game. I just don't see the Luftwaffe suffering any appreciable losses while they wreak complete/total havoc.

jonny :whis: