luftwaffe v RAF

Its a very common notion that the Germans were far more experimental and forward thinking than us. They were indeed very advanced, and were cornered into trying out there designs in the metal.
However there where some amazing British designs, prototypes and research that we didn’t really have to try out, probably because we were so sorted with the designs such as the Spitfire and Lancaster. I hate to say it but I guess the modern deigns coming from the States also kept us on a pretty conventional footing (think B-29s versus unpredictable rocket fighters).

At the end of day, the Germans advanced fighter design ahead of us, but lagged behind terribly with bombers.
Gotta love their crazy protos though, who would have been brave enough to take on a unit of Trieblfluges!

Also Peter Hinchcliffe’s “The Other Battle” – a superb account and analysis of the Battle between RAF Bomber Command and the Nachtjagd

Best book on that subject period, IMO

Technologically,the Germans led the field in design overall.

I don’t buy this. The Luftwaffe ended the war with the same basic design of main fighter it had started it with (Bf109) and another that had already flown before the start of the war (Fw190). German manufacturers utterly failed to come up with an effective strategic bomber for the entire length of the war (He177 was late and when it did arrive, a disaster). Their jet designs were in service marginally ahead of the British designs but were much less reliable. (The RAF did not put Meteors in Europe in 1944-45 in strength because they did not need to, but this has been perceived as being because it was behind the Me262. Even Vampires and Lockheed F80s barely missed the war in Europe). The German aviation industry simply wasn’t set up for long term development the way British and particularly, American manufacturers were.

The explosion of creativity seen in German industry in the latter part of the war was at best a sign of desperation and a need to make up lost ground in one jump, and at worst a dangerous distraction. For all the designs that did work, there were ten which would have never worked in a million years. The engines on the Me262 could operate 10 hours between overhauls, consuming resources and time. The Me163 was an evolutionary dead end that killed more German personnel through fuel explosions and awful in-flight characteristics than ever it shot down bombers. The RLM made big revolutionary jumps because it had to. Note that the Allies had an axial flow turbo jet during the war – the Metrovick F2. It didn’t put it into series production because the Welland/Derwent and Halford H1/2 were more dependable and easily available.

in the final analysis which side had the better aviation expertise/technical prowess,and were we simply lucky to overcome the luftwaffe or were the germans simply overwhelmed with our tenacity? bearing in mind what the luftwaffe had on the drawing boards and in prototype form before 1940 would they have defeated us in the air war had these by then proven aircraft been in production at the wars commencement.:cool: 😎

Technologically,the Germans led the field in design overall.

However a shortage of raw materials & fuel,experienced crew,political interference & pushing untried designs in an effort of desperation, coupled with overwhelming allied forces in the latter part of the war led to the final collapse.

In short after 1941,the Hitler effectively surround himself with such a large enemy force,which cut off so many of the resources he needed,that it was only a matter of time before defeat was inevitable.:)

I agree…far too many factors to look at the war as a whole.
But in the end they were simply out numbered and out produced.

Your question might be bettered suited if you define parameters…such as during the summer of 1940.

Pretty difficult that one.

I think if you look at the designs that were produced in the UK for war, we were pretty good at what we did with such examples as the Spitfire and the Lancaster and the development of the jet engine, albeit a bit late, but the Germans technical leaps were something that worried the British.

The Germans were very good at experimenting with things and came up with stuff like the V1 and V2 rockets, the V2 having the ability to asend extremely high and drop on targets with devastating effects. The developing rocket fuels they used, although dangerous, were effective and even used to power early designs like as we all know the Me163 Comet. It was a German scientist that the Americans finally had on there side to develope the rockets that would finally win the conquest of Space.

Although the British were good at aviation designs, I think the Germans were far more superior in the technology they were developing. I’m only glad that it was not tested to the full as things would probably be rather different around here now.

IMHO you’re asking too wide a question ~ far too many variables (leadership, priority, production, fronts, Russia, USA, etc., etc.). I suggest you narrow the field and consider things campaign by campaign or something similar. And in that regard I recommend you read Deighton’s “Fighter” as part of your process.
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=37243
Good luck, D

edit:
Also Peter Hinchcliffe’s “The Other Battle” – a superb account and analysis of the Battle between RAF Bomber Command and the Nachtjagd