Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
GAF Operations Staff Training Sect. Nr. 1410/44 Confidential
1.The missions of the fighter arm in air defense are insuring of the domination of the air over friendly territory and the destruction of enemy aircraft by day and night. The emphasis is put on shooting down as great a number of enemy bombers as possible before they reach their target.
2.In supplementing the other branches of air defense forces (A.A. and ARP) the fighter arm is able, because of its mobility, to concentrate strength for short periods at great distances.
3. The fighter arm is organized into day and night fighting units. Day fighters include SE and TE (Zerstorer) units (later called long range units), and the night fighter arm includes SE and TE units. On the basis of equipment and special uses the following special types are used in combat:
Rocket fighters, storm fighters, air recce aircraft, shadowing aircraft, and illuminating aircraft.
4. SE and TE fighter units combat by day enemy bomber formations. High altitude units tie up and combat the enemy fighter escort and make the attacks of the rest of the fighter force much easier.
Rocket fighters provide local defense for the most important targets.
Storm fighters (Sturmjager) possess especially strong armor. They destroy enemy bombers by close-range attacks and occasionally by ramming.
5.Against especially fast and high flying enemy aircraft like recce and pathfinder aircraft, specially equipped aircraft are used. (Me.262 is meant here).
6.By night air recce aircraft observe the air combat area during the battle. Shadowing aircraft observe the movements of enemy formations. In bad weather, air recce aircraft or shadowing aircraft help lead the fighters onto the enemy bomber formations.
7.The tactical unit of the fighter is the Gruppe with four Staffeln. Each Staffel has 16 aircraft.
8.The Gruppen are organized into day or night fighter Geschwader. A Geschwader has as a rule four Gruppen.
9.The Geschwader are under Jagdfliegerführer (Jafus) or Jagddivisionen (fighter divisions); their number depends on the situation at the time and the available forces.
10. Jafus and Jagddivisionen can be organized into Jagdkorps which in turn are under Luftflotten.
11. Rocket and storm fighters are organized as the other fighter units are.
12. The air recce and shadowing aircraft are organized into air recce Staffeln. Usually one such Staffel is in operation with each Jagddivision.
13. The control of all forces engaged in the air defense of the Reich lies with Luftflotte Reich, according to the instructions of the High Command of the Luftwaffe. For control of the night and day fighter units a Jagdkorps is placed under the Luftflotte.
The fighter forces of other command areas which are exclusively devoted to air defense are likewise organized according to their strength into Jafus, Jagddivisionen, or Jagdkorps.
In the operational areas of the army and in certain coastal areas, fighter formations, because of their functions’ not being exclusively for air defense, are organized under Fliergerkorps or Fliegerdivisionen,
14. The Jagdkorps is responsible for the marshaling of fighter forces according to time and place and for determining the centers of resistance according to the situation. The Jagdkorps appoints the Jagddivision which is to lead the mission, and insure the timely transfer of control to a neighboring command area (Division).
15. The Jagdkorps issues orders for the employment of the air raid warning service. It is also responsible for the production of the air situation picture in its area, and must insure the quick and unfailing informing of all commands in the air defense as to movements of enemy and friendly formations.
16. The jagddivisionen or jafus control the units under them directly in combat. They are concerned with all measures taken before and during battle to insure the tactically and technically correct conduct of the defensive combat and cooperation with the other arms of air defense.
They are responsible for the production of the unified air situation picture for their areas and for the quick and unfailing passing on of it to all headquarters of the air defense systems.
Through the A.A. combat controller (Flakeinsatzleiter) at each Jagddivision, the cooperation of the fighter arm with the A.A. and with ARP troops is insured.
17. The controlling Jagddivision controls, for the duration of the battle over its area, all the forces sent into its area from other division or Jafu areas.
18. The Geschwader is responsible for the operations, supply and replacements for the Gruppen under it.
The Geschwader CO is responsible for the tactically correct execution of the missions of his Geschwader in combat, especially in day fighting.
19. The Gruppe as a tactical command unit is so equipped with personnel, material and signals that it can operate independently in combat. The CO leads his Gruppe according to the missions given him in the air.
20. The day or night fighter Staffel is the smallest unit which is independent for administrative and maintenance purposes, Operations and supply of all kinds are controlled for it by the Gruppe.
21. BF.109 (Messerschmitt)
SE low wing fighter, single seater, flying endurance without drop tanks 1–1 1/2 hours. Used as fighter (with 1–3 cannon or 2 × 21 cm. RP and 2 MG) or as high altitude fighter with 1 cannon and 2 MG.
A short increase of power for climbing and greater speed is possible by using the GM 1 boost device.
22. F.W.190 (Focke-Wulf)
SE low wing, 1 seater, flying time without drop tanks 1–1/4 – 1–3/4 hours; more maneuverable than the Bf.109.
Use as fighter (with 2–6 cannon and 2–4 MG). ‘With special equipment as night fighter too.)
23. Me.163 (Messerschmitt)
Rocket fighter.
24. Bf.110 (Messerschmitt)
TE low wing, 2–3 crew, endurance without drop tanks 2–2 1/2 hours. Used as long range fighter. Armament 2–4 cannon or 4.21 cm. RP and 4 fixed MGs.
25. Me.410 (Messerschmitt)
TE low wing, 2 seater, endurance with drop tanks 1–3/4 hours. Used same as Bf.110, cannon have greater caliber (3 and 5 cm.)
26. In the fighter arm the following weapons are used: MG, heavy MG, cannon up to 5 cm., RP with the necessary firing tubes.
In fighter aircraft, only fixed weapons are used. They are built into fuselage, engine and wings. Aiming takes place by pointing the whole aircraft with the aid of reflector sights.
27. As ammunition; regular MG ammunition and special types, including incendiaries, armor-piercing, HE, and Hexogen armor destroying ammunition are used. Rocket 21 cm. projectiles are used, corresponding to the Army smoke projectiles. They are hung under the wings in tubes. Their use takes place by day with time fuses against closed up bomber formations.
28. For the engines of fighter aircraft fuel with tetra-ethyl lead, either 87 octane (B-4) or 100 octane (C-3), according to construction of the engine is used. Tetra-ethyl lead raises the anti-knock qualities of the fuel. Arbitrary interchanging of B-4 or C-3 is not possible.
To prevent loss of power at high altitudes the special GM 1 fluid can be used as additional fuel. Nitrous oxide is fed into the engine by the GM 1 apparatus. Use is possible in the Bf.109 and F.W.190 over 25,000 feet for about 17 minutes, up to 50 minutes with the ME.410. An increase in speed of about 40–70 km/hour is obtained at about 28,000 feet.
Another method of raising engine performance is by water-methanol injection. This helps to cool the engine and brings about an increased performance by greater manifold pressure. Methanol has a favourable influence on anti-knock properties. The increase in power is greatest at low altitudes. It has an increase of about 30 km/hour at all altitudes up to full boost altitudes (where the engine had its best performance). Used in periods of 2–20 minutes.
29. The fighter arm makes it possible for the command of the Luftwaffe to form temporary centers of resistance. Transfer of these strong points can take place during the battle. This must be taken into account in a far-seeing deployment of forces. Choice, improvement, equipping and supplying of airfields for fighters as well as all measures for radio navigation and control must be arranged accordingly.
30. The goal of the fighter commands is to lead large combined formations of fighters onto the enemy so that it can be destroyed before it reaches its objective. Continuous combatting of all enemy formations is the goal, but it is nevertheless dependent upon the situation and strength of forces.
Reserves are, as a matter of principle, not held back. The holding back of parts of units for the protection of certain objectives (local fighter protection) is a special exception. (This applies mainly to rocket fighters – Me.163).
Enemy fighter sweeps are for the time being only combatted as a secondary matter (strength situation). Against enemy recce aircraft only the smallest units (Rotten) are used.
31. A requirement for the control of fighter formations is as perfect a picture as possible of the air situation. This is the job of fighter command, which uses the Air Reporting Service for this purpose.
The variable enemy strategy coupled with numerous continually changing deceptive maneuvers makes difficult the clear formation of the air picture.
By night as well as by day in bad weather, above clouds, shadowing aircraft and air recce aircraft have special significance. They must be so operated against the already located enemy formations that they can give timely running data about strength, formations, aircraft type, and altitudes.
By timely relief of these aircraft by the command posts of fighter commands, continuous observation and identification of enemy formations is to be striven for.
32. Weather observance by aircraft and meteorological advice lead to weather predictions by the fighter commands. This decisively influences the preparatory measures for the battle (readying of forces, transfer of units, and instructions for the proper night fighter procedures to use).
The weather situation is to be continually observed during the combat, to arrange timely necessary changes in operations.
33. The Luftflotten, Jagdkorps, and Jagddivisionen determine the operational preparations and operational methods in advance in Tactical Regulations (Kampfanweisungen). These include in detail:
Regulations for the conduct of combat.
Regulations for the use of different combat procedures.
Regulations for the cooperation of the various air defense forces.
Regulations for the control of ground organization.
Instructions for Radio Navigation and D/Fing devices.
Instructions for the supplying of ground facilities.
Instructions for the Weather Service.
34. In order to be able to have operational readiness on tap at all times and also be able to give the flying personnel the necessary rest and time for training and so on, the following degrees of readiness are used:
(a) for SE fighters (1) sitting (cockpit) readiness: take-off must follow at once, not more than one minute later. (2) take-off readiness: take-off must follow in 3 minutes, pilots near their aircraft.
(b) for TE fighters (1) sitting (cockpit) readiness: take-off must follow immediately, in 3 minutes at the latest, for the greater number of the aircraft. Crews near their aircraft. (2) Take-off readiness: start must be guaranteed within 5 minutes of the aircraft.
(c) all other degrees of readiness are designated with the number of minutes or hours in which the start is to take place.
35. In view of the strong defensive fire of the close formations of enemy bombers and fighter escort, only the use of strong concentrated fighter formations promises success. Assembling of aircraft into strong formations, especially after intermediate landings following a mission, is always to be preferred to operations by small split-up forces. A later but concentrated attack usually results in more victories and less losses than too hasty operations by single aircraft or small formations. The assembly of fighters into large battle formations (Gefechtsverbande) takes place outside the approach routes of enemy fighter escort with their lateral covering of the area.
36. By day it is ideal to use units together in Division strength. Fighter combat should if possible take place outside of the Flak zones. If several enemy formations are approaching the employment of fighter forces against one formation and its destruction is to be preferred to the combatting of several enemy formations with weak fighter forces.
37. Contact is established by the vectoring of formations onto the enemy with the aid of various fighter control procedures. (Y-Procedure, Egon Procedure, and VHF D/Fing procedure). Aircraft not controlled from the ground listen to Reich fighter commentary (Reichsjagerwelle).
38. High altitude fighters are used primarily against enemy fighter escort. They are supposed to destroy them or lead them away from the bomber formation, before the other (German) fighters contact the fighter escort.
The use of TE fighter units (Zerstorer) is successful only against unescorted bomber formations or when the enemy fighter escort is fully tied up with the German fighter escort.
39. According to the manner in which the bombers fly, second missions against the bombers on the way out are a goal.
For this purpose a great number of airfields (fighter assembly defense of the Reich airfield) are so prepared that fighters from other areas of command which land there can orient themselves and find the same command and reporting facilities as well as comfort and supply facilities in order that they can quickly be put up for a second mission.
40. Fighters landing on strange airfields will, if a second mission is possible, be formed by the senior pilot present into a battle Gruppe for a new mission, regardless of their belonging to various units. The mission will be ordered by the Jagddivision of the area concerned. If signals connections are lacking the battle Gruppe is to be ordered up independently by its CO on the basis of commentaries, sighting, and so on.
41. The first attack of the fighters has the goal of breaking up the enemy formation. In further attacks the simultaneous attack of several fighter or TE fighter units is always to be sought. If the enemy formation nevertheless breaks through to the target, at least the aimed dropping of bombs is to be hindered with all available strength and means.
42. The target of the attack of each fighter is one aircraft. Aiming at the middle or spraying of bullets over the bomber formation does not lead to success.
The attack easiest from the flying point of view is the attack from the rear with a slight stepping down of the attacking formation. Attacks from head on and from the side require a high measure of flying ability and exceptionally good gunnery.
43. Fighter formations and individual fighter aircraft are vectored onto enemy aircraft from the ground with the help of various Fighter Control Procedures. By day, according to the weather conditions, vectoring until sight contact is established usually suffices. By night the controlling up to the range of the night fighter radar AI (about 3–4 km.) must take place.
44. In Day Fighter Operations, the following procedures are used:
Y-Control and
Egon Procedure (Erstling Weitführung – literally First Born Long Range Control VHF D/Fing Procedure)
45. By Y-Control, fighter formations are vectored onto enemy formations, or Rotten (2s) are vectored onto individual fast recce aircraft. The control takes place over two predetermined frequencies, which also must be maintained by the fighter formation during the turning over of control from one fighter control area to another.
The aircraft equipped with Y-apparatus are plotted by the Fighter Control station on the ground (hearing and range) and are vectored by course and distance onto an enemy formation, which is plotted with Radar (Wurzburg-1 Freya). In a closed formation, only one aircraft can fly as the plotted aircraft, or the exactness of plotting will suffer. If this aircraft is lost, another aircraft, designated in advance, takes over. All other aircraft with Y-apparatus may not turn on their apparatus.
The range of the fighter control stations is about 200 km. Range depends upon the altitude of the formation.
Average ranges with Y-Control.
At 3000 feet Altitude – 100 km. range.
46. In the Egon Control Procedure, the position of the aircraft controlled is determined by hearing and range.
On the ground a Freya Radar Apparatus is used in a Fighter Control Station and in the aircraft the IFF apparatus FuG.25a (‘erstling’ – First Born) is used. Range at medium altitudes is about 200 km. Only the aircraft of the formation leader is controlled, all other aircraft switch off their FuG.25a. Locations, flight orders etc., are broadcast to the formation by the headquarters which gets these figures from the fighter control station. Genlt. Galland made the following statement after reviewing the above document.
This VHF procedure was only widely used in the fighter force in 1941 before the Y Procedure was introduced. Luftflotte III in France had developed the VHF procedure for the Geschwader under it. With the introduction of Y and later Egon, the VHF D/Fing procedure was no longer used for Fighter Control except where the other two systems failed because of jamming or mechanical trouble. VHF D/Fing was still used, however, for simple radio navigation in cases where aircraft had to be vectored back to their bases for emergency landings.