2. Overview
Know the role air power played in World War II (European Theater) and its significance
Know the impact of the Allied air campaigns

3. Interwar Airpower Review
Axis Powers
Germany – Largely tactical in supporting the German Army’s Blitzkrieg strategy. Medium to light bombers; no heavy bombers
Japan – Dysfunctional split between Army and Navy. Limited airpower in support of Japanese Army. Naval air was formidable, but was designed around the protection on the fleet, not a separate sustained air campaign
Allies
Russia – Air Force tied completely into supporting Russian Army.
Great Britain – Reasonably balanced force of Fighters for defense and strategic bombers for attack – bombing for mass effect (industry/population)
United States – Reasonably balanced force between the Army and Navy. Precision daylight strategic bombing would be key to victory.
Strategic means designed to strike at the sources of an enemy’s military, economic, or political power

4. Blitzkrieg
Germany began World War II using its Luftwaffe—the German air Force—in combination with ground troops
Germany rolled over a number of countries in short order—including Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium

5. The Battle of Britain
Britain held off a possible German invasion by maintaining air superiority over England, despite being outnumbered 4:1 in aircraft. How?
Radar – Early Warning and Fighter Control to target
Loiter time over England (German aircraft: roughly min)
German bomber aircraft not designed for a strategic campaign, they might have been successful if focused solely on the RAF

6. Strategic Bombing
Genesis of Strategic Bombing strategies were developed during the interwar years
United States: Precision daylight strategic bombing designed to cripple German war machine through crippling key industries (golden bullet)
Great Britain: Bombing strategy aimed at both destroying industry and the German people’s will to fight

7. Allied Strategic Bombers
United States
United Kingdom

8. Great Britain
United States

9. Costs of Strategic Bombing
High bomber aircrew casualty rate
Schweinfurt raids in 1943 (unescorted fighters): bomber loses of nearly 30% of the entire force sent
Bomber Command crews suffered an extremely high casualty rate in the war: 55,573 killed out of a total of 125,000 aircrew (a 44.4% death rate)
Significant portion or the losses were due to unescorted bombers without long-range fighter protection
Numbers dropped significantly following the introduction of long-range fighters with drop tanks

10. Effectiveness of Strategic Bombing?
United States Strategic Bombing Survey (1946) Analysis
Planned Production Level
Actual Production Level
1943
1944
Engine Production
Aircraft Production

11. Effectiveness of Strategic Bombing?
United States Strategic Bombing Survey (1946) Analysis
1943
Fuel
1944

12. Effectiveness of Strategic Bombing?
United States Strategic Bombing Survey (1946) Analysis
The long and bitter battle for control of the skies over Europe culminated in victory in the spring of There was no German air opposition to the landings in Normandy, and the strategic air forces struck targets deep in Germany at will. The Germans lost more than 22,000 fighters.

13. Tactical Operations: Growing Pains
In Africa, the United States and Britain used the same air policy at first
It became clear that if the Allies didn’t change tactics, their huge losses would continue
The solution was that Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) and the US Army brought all their attack and support planes under centralized control
This way, if a base were attacked, all Allied bases could defend it or retaliate together
Common Strategy Developed:
Step 1: Obtain Air Superiority
Step 2: Air Interdiction
Step 3: Close Air Ground Support

14. Overview
The role air power played in World War II (European Theater) and its significance
How air power was developed during World War II
The impact of the Allied air campaigns