CAF-Centex Wing Museum: aviation in WWII Europe changes war forever.

Aviation plays a decisive & evolutionary role in the war and military operations in all of the WWII European theaters.

The North American P-51 Mustang first introduced in 1942, became one of America's most capable WWII fighter. 

Of the over 15,0000 P-51s manufactured, only 70 are still flying.

Unlike the war against Japan, aerial bombardment in Europe failed to deliver a knockout blow by destroying enemy morale. Air power however, was critical to achieve ultimate victory.

Quick History of WWII in Europe. 5 Minutes.

After WWII the world will never be the same. Developments in aviation especially went on to change both the military and civilian worlds.

Slide show of European nations' WWII war planes.

List of aircraft of World War II

This complete list of aircraft of World War II includes all the aircraft used by those countries which were at war during World War II from the period between their joining the conflict and the conflict ending for them. Aircraft used by neutral countries such as Spain, Switzerland and Sweden or countries which did no significant fighting such most of those of South America (except Brazil), are not included.

Ten Great WWII fighter planes. 8 minutes.

Arguably one of the songs most associated with WWII "We'll Meet Again" - By Vera Lynn. 3 Minutes.

 

Dame Vera Lynn's 1940s song with WWII photos.

Aviation Becomes the deciding factor in WWII. The US factories gear up in response to the German's reliance on air power. At the end of the War, America's aviation manufacturing capabilities (see link) becomes the largest industry in the world.

The German Luftwaffe become a vital part of Hitler's decision making and takes a major role in the conduct of the war.

One of the accelerating forces driving the change was the German Air Force. Herman Goering as head of the Luftwaffe was also a close Hitler confidant, a cabinet member and Nazi party founder. As a result the German Air Force had a over sized role in the conduct of the war. Many Germans believed to the end, that the Luftwaffe would come up with a secret weapon and win the war. Because of Goering's power, the Luftwaffe basically created the operational conduct for all air power during the war. Arguably, only with the British deployment of RADAR did ground forces begin to stand a chance against their tactics.

All sides start to explore Jet aircraft. The Germans, however become the only force to use them.

LEFT: The V-1 or “buzz bomb” was an automatic aircraft (today known as a “cruise missile”) with no accurate guidance system and only capable of sowing terror among civilian population centers. They were used in large numbers and although many were intercepted by fighters many reached their random civilian targets.

RIGHT: The Messerschmidt Me-262 surpassed the performance of every other WWII fighter. The Me-262 was faster than the P-51 North American Mustang by 120 miles an hour. The Me-262 appeared in only relatively small numbers in the closing year of World War II. Messerschmitt factories produced 1,443 Me-262s, but only about 300 saw combat.

The US also developed its own jet fighter (never deployed.) The Bell "P-59 Airacomet" bears resemblance to Bell's prop planes, the P-39 and P-63.

WWII changed the rules of war and aviation for ever.

Airborne troops became a signature tactic in many European battles.

Basically, aviation during WWII in Europe becomes a fully integrated part of the over all war strategy. It became vital in the following roles:

• Close Air Support & Troop Transport.
• Tactical (battlefield) Air Power.
• Strategic Bombing.

The B-25, like Centex's own "Yellow Rose" played a very important role in North Africa, and Italy.

The"Yellow Rose" is one of 33 remaining B-25 out of 9.984 produced.

Both Close air support of ground forces and "Tactical air power" will become an integral part of all operations and battles for the remainder of the war. Aerial bombardment of a strategic nature will we used to destroy manufacturing capabilities, logistical infrastructure, communications and supply and of course terrorize civilians. Unlike the war in the Pacific, bombing alone could not be expected to win the war. Deadly and costly ground battles would be required to re-occupy captured territories. Aviation still proved the decisive factor here as well. Close coordination between the German Army (Wehrmacht) and the Air Force (Luftwaffe) became the successful signature of the Blitzkrieg (Lightning War.)

Aircraft take on new logistical roles as well. The ME 323 for example is a large transport for men and equipment. This type of aircraft is now a vital component of all major military operations.

Vintage German Newsreel of The ME-323. 2 minutes

Strategic bombing achieves new importance during World War II. 

Large bombers, like the B-17 became a common sight over much of Europe & North Africa battlefields.

Aerial bombardment of a strategic nature between 1939 and 1945 defines any nations' government engaged in World War II undertaking independent air campaigns of a clearly recognizable strategic intent. This includes the sustained bombing of railways, harbors, cities (civilian areas), and industrial areas in enemy territory. The strategy behind the Air power theory, that major victories can best be won by attacking the enemy's industrial and political infrastructure, rather than purely military targets. Strategic bombing is distinct from both Close air support of ground forces and "Tactical air power" (which is the battle for control of the air space.)

 The P-38, Lightning proved a formidable fighter.

Germany develops the tactics of Close Air Support from the war's very beginning.

In September 1939, Germany invaded Poland and the Luftwaffe (German air force) began providing close air support to the German Army. The Luftwaffe also began eliminating strategic objectives and bombing cities and civilian population in Poland in an indiscriminate[13] and unrestricted aerial bombardment campaign. France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany and the UK's Royal Air Force began attacking German warships along the German coast with the North Sea.

In 1940, The British launch the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history.

The 1940 attack on the Italian Fleet in the protected harbor of Tranato is considered the concept behind the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 13 months later. 

HMS Illustrious, the carrier that launched the first Ship to Ship naval engagement.

The Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11–12 November 1940 during the Second World War. 

The Royal Navy launched the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, flying a small number of obsolescent biplane torpedo bombers from an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea. 

The attack struck the battle fleet of the Regia Marina at anchor in the harbour of Taranto using aerial torpedoes despite the shallow depth of the water in the harbour. The devastation wrought by the British carrier-launched aircraft on the large Italian warships was the beginning of the rise of the power of naval aviation, over the big guns of battleships. According to Admiral Cunningham "Taranto, and the night of November 11–12, 1940, should be remembered for ever as having shown once and for all that in the Fleet Air Arm the Navy has its most devastating weapon.

As the war progress, the Germans open a new chapter in aerial warfare by targeting civilians centers.

The bombing of English civilian centers during the "Blitz", changed the Allies conduct of the war from the air as well.
As the war continued to expand, bombing by both the Axis and Allied powers increased significantly. Military and industrial installations were targeted, but so were cities and civilian populations. Targeting cities and civilians was viewed as a psychological weapon to break the enemy's will to fight. From 1940–1941, Germany used this weapon in its 'Blitz' against Britain. From 1940 onward, the intensity of the British bombing campaign against Germany became less restrictive, increasingly targeting industrial sites and eventually, civilian areas. 

The US developed many  types of Heavy Bombers that played significant roles in WWII and the European Theater.

July 1942

B-25s Deploy to North Africa in July 1942. Fight with the British at El Alamain and then redeploy to asset the American forces struggling at Kasarine Pass.  This was the first major US - German engagement of WWII. LINK

By 1943, the United States had significantly reinforced these efforts. The controversial firebombings of Hamburg (1943), Dresden (1945) and other German cities followed. The effect of strategic bombing varied depending on duration and intensity. Both the Luftwaffe and RAF failed to deliver a knockout blow by destroying enemy morale. However, strategic bombing of military targets could significantly reduce enemy industrial capacity and production.

The B-26 bomber and the B-25 were both very versatile Medium Bombers and saw significant action throughout the European Theater.
Aviation creates new methodologies for waging war. Operation "Market Garden" becomes the largest airborne operation in history.

The C-47 tow engineless Gliders used to increase the utility of troop transport.

Gliders used as troop transports.

Gliders used as material & equipment transports.

Three months after the successful Allied amphibious assault at Normandy, German forces had retreated to the Netherlands. On 17 September 1944, the Allies attempted to exploit previous success with the largest airborne operation in history, MARKET GARDEN. The size of the operation was enormous: it included over 5,000 transport aircraft, 2,613 gliders, and almost 5,700 sorties of bombers, fighters and other close air support aircraft. 

Airborne troops added a new component to Army ground operations. Parachute trained soldiers can now be used to deliver whole companies quickly to the battlefields from the air.

The plan was implemented in the hopes of bringing a swift end to the war against Germany.  By early September the collapse of Germany seemed imminent.  A much quoted intelligence summary from the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces G-2 expressed the situation in this manner: “ "The August battles have done it and the enemy in the west has had it.  Two and a half months of bitter fighting has brought the end of the war in Europe within sight, almost within reach."” It failed to accomplish its objective of securing a crossing of the Lower Rhine.  It failed also to open a passageway across the North German plains to Berlin.  Total casualties, including both airborne and those from 30 Corps, topped 11,000.  While five of the six bridges were successfully captured, the bridge at Arnhem was not.

The successful British Supermarine Spitfire, one of the main fighter of the RAF.

The one most often given reason for the operation's failure, was a result of major intelligence errors. Some have made the case that important intelligence was overlooked due to euphoria brought on by recent allied successes.There are many theories as to why the operation failed. It did however give General Eisenhower the opportunity to perfect new tactics for conducting fully integrated military operations.

Centex's own P-39 and P-63 help turn the tide of war in Russia.

In the hands of Russian pilots, the P-39 and P-63 became the Soviet's top scoring planes in aerial combat. 

These innovative warplanes were supplied in the thousands (7,000+) to the Soviet Union. After being being rejected by the US for the P-51, the Russians use them successfully for both close ground support and decorated fighters.

Close air support was also one of the main benefits of the 7,000 P-39s and P-63s the US sent to the Soviet Union. They helped turn the tide of battle in Russia.

Bolstered by Lend-Lease, the Soviets took what they could from the US and used the ideas to develop a few more capable Russian made aircraft in an effort to turn back the tide of the German offensive.

Of the six Soviet aces generally credited with fifty or more victories, four scored most of their successes while flying the P-39 Kobra. The Soviet (and Allied) second ranking ace of the war, Alexandr Pokryshkin, scored 48 of his 59 victories while flying the Airacobra. To the end of the Second World War these men were able to use this underrated American fighter to take on some of the best German pilots, equipped with the latest versions of the Bf-109 and Fw-190. When the fighting ended there were still 1,178 P-39 Kobras in service with the Soviet air forces. Despite its technical faults, the Airacobra had become the most successful of all lend-lease aircraft sent to Russia, and had played an important role in the final Allied victory.

The Commemorative Air Force Centex Air Wing Has both a P-39 and the only regularly flying P-63 in the worlds,

German jets appeared too late and too few in numbers to really pose a threat to Allied bombers.

WWII pilots' valor and sacrifice becomes legendary. The Army Air Force takes great efforts to create films to further encourage the "Home Front" to accept their exceptional losses.

Here are two vintage films about the war in the European Theater. The first is about bomber crews, the second is about their fighter escorts.

Combat America - Vintage WWII Bomber Educational Documentary with Clark Gables. 1 hour 

The United States Army Air Corps sent Clark Gable to England to live with and film a group of pilots and their crews as they prepare and eventually fly bombing runs over Belgium, France and finally Germany. Captain Gable interviews the men, films them as they train and begin bombing. Vivid handheld action footage from inside the cockpit of a bomber documents the pilots first raid in Germany. Footage shows the planes being attacked by the enemy fighters on route to the target, dropping their bombs on the target and encountering the enemy fighters again on the trip home.

Fight for the Sky - 1945 World War II Fighter Pilot Educational Documentary.

Allied fighter pilots versus the Luftwaffe in Western Europe, 1945. Scenes include:activities of the 8th Air Force Fighter Command in Europe. General Doolittle discusses a mission. Pilots are briefed for an escort mission over Germany. P-47's are relieved in flight by P-51's. German pilots rush to intercept U.S. planes. U.S. bombers and many German fighters are downed. Fighters destroy enemy planes, transportation and communications.

For More in formation on The Central Texas Wing of The Commemorative Air Force 

Please visit our website.

On-line & printed guide designed by:

 Blogs By Bornstein

For More in formation on The Central Texas Wing of The Commemorative Air Force 

Please visit our website.

On-line & printed guide designed by Blogs By Bornstein