R.A.F. and Luftwaffe airfields WWII

[Ratch]

What differences and similarities were there between operational airfields of the main adversaries during the Battle of Britain and the ensuing years?

For example - bicycles were a popular mode of transport on British airfields, was it the same on German (captured/operated) airfields? 

Did the Luftwaffe use starters similar to those used by the RAF?

We sometimes see Erks with bats controlling the movement or directing aircraft. Did the Luftwaffe use a similar system?

I'm sure other things will cross my mind, in the meantime I hope you guys can help with these enquiries.

TIA

[Heather Kay]

From what I've gleaned from studying photos in reference books for years...

 

Bikes - yes. 

I know a lot of German planes used inertial starters, which involved a couple of chaps winding a big handle stuck in the side of the plane to spin up a flywheel to turn over engines. I'm sure there must have been battery starters as well, but they're not obvious from photos.

Can't answer for ground control. There would usually have been a man on each wing tip when the aircraft was taxiing, but I don't know about directing with the bats.

[Ratch]

Did the Luftwaffe carry out photo-reconnaissance missions? if so, which aircraft performed this role?

[Ratch]

Thanks @Heather Kay most of the photos I've seen don't show the run-of-the-mill operations. I suppose the photographers thought the pilots (and their aircraft) were much more interesting 

[Heather Kay]

The Germans seem to have been keen photographers of most activities, but not all the results end up being published. As you can imagine, I spend an inordinate amount of time peering closely at grainy photos, attempting to work out what's going on in the background. 

 

In answer to your question about reconnaissance photography, they did a lot. There were specific aircraft that carried massive cameras, such as the Dornier Do17P and Junkers Ju86R, which flew at extreme altitudes. Equally, every aircraft with more than one crew member could be used for photo recon, with the observer or rear gunner pointing a camera over the side.

[Ratch]

3 minutes ago, Heather Kay said:

There were specific aircraft that carried massive cameras, such as the Dornier Do17P and Junkers Ju86R, which flew at extreme altitudes. Equally, every aircraft with more than one crew member could be used for photo recon, with the observer or rear gunner pointing a camera over the side.

Excellent, thanks again.

[Heather Kay]

[Ratch]

Did women serve in the maintenance role on front line airfields?

[Black Knight]

Not in France 1939 - 1940 but certainly from about April/May 1940 on the home front, then not in France after D-Day nor in the Middle East, CBI nor the Pacific but some did on Malta during its seige

 

[Ratch]

Thanks Fred, I didn't expect they would.

[fightersweep]

Looking at a lot of photos from the 1940 period, I get the impression that a lot of the airfields that the Luftwaffe operated from had a more "rustic" feel than their RAF counterparts. More in the field repairs, temporary hangars, lots of tents etc. Generally a more temporary feel and lots of "roughing it".

 

Regarding marshalling bats: I've seen footage and photos of Luftwaffe ground crews using what looks like batons and also flags to marshal. Not sure if I've seen bats being used, but then again, most photos I've seen from both sides generally use good old fashioned hand signals more.

 

Cheers!

Steve

[Ratch]

Cheers Steve, yes we do see mainly images of the Luftwaffe operating from fields. The RAF did too, living in tents, small huts for Watch Offices etc. I guess that early in the war (before '43) airfields were more like the small flying clubs that flew from small fields like Sywell near me - at least for fighter operations. Bigger airfields with hangars were probably allocated to bomber units. In this country many airfields were constructed. Did the Luftwaffe undertake a similar programme or were they harried so much they didn't have the opportunity to develop that way?

[Graham Boak]

We called them satellite fields, in the UK at the start of the war.  2TAF fighter-bombers were to train on even less well-supported strips.  Remember that many of these photos of the Luftwaffe show them operating from basic strips, but they used the fixed airfields in those countries when they were available.  As there were not a lot in the desert or on the steppes, then you will also find photos of the DAF and the VVS operating from similar, if not the same, ones.  If you go back earlier, to 1940, I guess that the French hadn't built an awful lot of bases in their North for a large force to operated against England.

 

I suspect most of the significant bases were built in Germany prewar, but for most of the war the pressure was on operating away from home.  They also didn't have the problem/advantage of a massive additional air force of a friendly nation to supply with bases.

[fightersweep]

15 hours ago, Ratch said:

Cheers Steve, yes we do see mainly images of the Luftwaffe operating from fields. The RAF did too, living in tents, small huts for Watch Offices etc. I guess that early in the war (before '43) airfields were more like the small flying clubs that flew from small fields like Sywell near me - at least for fighter operations. Bigger airfields with hangars were probably allocated to bomber units. In this country many airfields were constructed. Did the Luftwaffe undertake a similar programme or were they harried so much they didn't have the opportunity to develop that way?

 

I think that may also be geographical. Most of the fighter airfields in my old neck of the woods, ie: 11 Group, were very much of the expansion period type (and older) such as Hornchurch, Debden, North Weald, Biggin Hill, Kenley, Martlesham, West Malling etc. All permanent stations with full facilities built to defend London. My nearest ex BoB airfield was RAF Rochford, a forward satellite that still had good facilities being the borough airport (now London Southend Airport). However, some of the airfields in the south west for example seemed a lot more basic.

 

@Graham Boak makes some excellent points above.

 

Cheers!

Steve

 

 

[FalkeEins]

20 hours ago, Ratch said:

Cheers Steve, yes we do see mainly images of the Luftwaffe operating from fields. The RAF did too, living in tents, small huts for Watch Offices etc. I guess that early in the war (before '43) airfields were more like the small flying clubs that flew from small fields like Sywell near me - at least for fighter operations. Bigger airfields with hangars were probably allocated to bomber units. In this country many airfields were constructed. Did the Luftwaffe undertake a similar programme or were they harried so much they didn't have the opportunity to develop that way?

 

 FWIW, here's a page of Luftwaffe airfield images which might be of interest

https://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2016/12/luftwaffe-hangars-shelters-and-airfield.html

[Ratch]

I get Dangerous Webpage Blocked 😭

 

[FalkeEins]

don't tell me, google chrome ?    ( site needs a new SSL certificate apparently...)

[RAF4EVER]

11 hours ago, Ratch said:

I get Dangerous Webpage Blocked 😭

 

Am getting the same,I use Firefox

[Hook]

On 3/6/2023 at 4:49 PM, Heather Kay said:

inertial starters

There's a engine starting hand crank in the 1/72nd Special Hobby Bf 109E series - part B13.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

 

[Ratch]

And, of course, there's that scene in The Great Escape where Donald Pleasance cranks the 108.

[RAF4EVER]

On 20/03/2023 at 21:19, Ratch said:

I get Dangerous Webpage Blocked 😭

 

Still getting this,on Firefox

[Col Walter E Kurtz]

On 10/04/2023 at 20:12, Ratch said:

And, of course, there's that scene in The Great Escape where Donald Pleasance cranks the 108.

"There's nothing wrong with my eyesight.. look I can see... ermmm... that Pin... erm I mean  that Me108 Engine Crank Handle.. over there on the floor...."  brilliant film!

 

The irony is that Flg Officer Donald Pleasance WAS a real war hero . A RAF Wireless Op with 166 Squadron in Lancasters and became a POW in 1944 . Lancaster lll reg NE112  crashed in France 31.8.1944 ( though I don't believe he was in the Stalag Luft camp at Sagan where the Great Escape took place. His facial scars were from him getting injured exiting the bomber. He flew 66 Ops from 1940 when he joined up Previous to this he was a C/Objector, but he changed his view. 

 

It must have taken some strength of will and inner courage for him to relive his traumatic experiences as a character in a film portraying his own life - experiences! Hats off to the man indeed! 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Col Walter E Kurtz