Monday 20 April 2020

Wot I'm Reading: "Shadow Over the Atlantic" by Robert Forsyth

The book is my jam: it's a very detailed account of FAGr 5, the Luftwaffe long range recon squadron that flew Ju 290s. It also mentions the efforts of other Luftwaffe formations flying out over the Atlantic.

Here's what I want to share from it: how tiny the Luftwaffe long range recon force was compared to the Allies. FAGr 5 was operational by November 1943, and by the middle of December had lost two aircraft and its crews: one to Coastal Command Mosquitoes, the other in a crash.

On the 11th of December, total long range forces of Fliegerfurher Atlantik [unified Luftwaffe command for coordination with the Kriegsmarine] are:

3 Junkers 290s serviceable (of 6);
10 Focke-Wulf 200s (of 15);
1 Blohm und Voss 222 (of 2).

I'm thinking if you stick to RAF Coastal Command, you can find individual squadrons with more serviceable four engine aircraft.

After the operation on the 11th of December, U-boats were supported by two Ju 290s and one Fw 200.

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