Interrogation of Generalleutnant Galland
At Latimer House, England, 15 October 1945
The first experiences against heavy bombers by GAF fighters were the attacks on RAF Stirlings. Stirlings had weak defensive armament. The GAF shot some down despite large escorts, causing the British to withdraw them from daylight operations.
The next heavy bomber encountered by the German fighters was the American B-17. First attacked from the rear, this resulted in heavy losses for the German fighters. It was realized very quickly that the armor and armament of the fighters must be increased.
The head-on attack on bombers was developed by Hauptmann Egon Mayer in November 1942. The first victory using these tactics over a B-17 came on 23 November 1942 over St. Nazaire as the result of a head-on attack by a F.W.190. The GAF operated on the principle of breaking up the formations by a head-on attack and then concentrating on single bombers by attacks from the rear.
When the B-17’s began making evasive maneuvers as a defensive measure against head-on attacks, the GAF realized that they must develop a safe and effective attack from the rear.
The GAF encountered no difficulties in shooting down Russian bombers.
Special Methods of Attacking Heavy Bombers. Dive bombing, towing bombs on cables, parachute bombs, steel nets, hand grenades, very heavy cannon and other unusual methods of attack were experimented with, but none of these were practical or effective and were not employed more than a few times. Air-to-air bombing and rearward-firing rockets were promising but developments came too late in the war.
Attacks on Medium Bombers. Medium bombers were not attacked from head-on because of the great closing speed. GAF fighter pilots did not fear the fire from the rear of medium bomber formations as much as they did that of heavy bombers.