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Modern What If: Luftwaffe Night Force Gets Several Major Boosts

AbeLincoln1865

New member
There were two major reasons in my opinion for the failure of German Night Fighters in WWII. The first was that the Germans did not develop the cavity magnetron for any of their ground or airborne radars. The second was that Hitler cancelled intruder operations against Bomber Command in the October of 1941. So, let's say the German did use the magnetron and Hitler had let intruder's continue flying until late 1942-early 1943, when American fighters started arriving in great numbers. How would all of this affect the war from 1939 until the end? How bad would Bomber Command's losses get? I'd love to hear everyone's thought on the topic.
 
There were two major reasons in my opinion for the failure of German Night Fighters in WWII. The first was that the Germans did not develop the cavity magnetron for any of their ground or airborne radars. The second was that Hitler cancelled intruder operations against Bomber Command in the October of 1941. So, let's say the German did use the magnetron and Hitler had let intruder's continue flying until late 1942-early 1943, when American fighters started arriving in great numbers. How would all of this affect the war from 1939 until the end? How bad would Bomber Command's losses get? I'd love to hear everyone's thought on the topic.
Would Goering being in charge of the Luftwaffe not be a good valid third reason.
 
But somebody else in charge could have help with establish a better f German Night Fighters program, ore am i wrong.
Goering only really took charge of the Luftwaffe in 1936, after his chief of staff Walther Wever died. Before that Goering was only nominally in charge, with Wever and Erhard Milch really running the show. However, I doubt Wever staying in charge would affect the Night Fighters too much, as it seems no one in the Luftwaffe anticipated the need for them.
 
Goering only really took charge of the Luftwaffe in 1936, after his chief of staff Walther Wever died. Before that Goering was only nominally in charge, with Wever and Erhard Milch really running the show. However, I doubt Wever staying in charge would affect the Night Fighters too much, as it seems no one in the Luftwaffe anticipated the need for them.
Okay, thanks for the explanation @AbeLincoln1865, do not now much about this period of the German Luftwaffe, but still find it interesting.
 
Actually... the cavity magnetron making straight up superior radar is something of a falsehood that likes to get spread around. The US's primary radar arrays lacked these components and were considered some of the best in the entire conflict with German radars only being a close second. Yeah, the topic on how good WW2 German radar came up and everything pretty much points out that the cavity magnetron is a dead-end technologically. Actually the German High Command looked into magnetrons and found that their stability just made the radars worse... and when the radar did work it wasn't as good as it was hyped up to be.

Basically, the rule of thumb is assumed to be that German sets tend to be within the same ballpark as WAllied sets with advantages in several areas. The one weakness in German radar capabilities is the centimeter wavelength department.
 
Actually... the cavity magnetron making straight up superior radar is something of a falsehood that likes to get spread around. The US's primary radar arrays lacked these components and were considered some of the best in the entire conflict with German radars only being a close second. Yeah, the topic on how good WW2 German radar came up and everything pretty much points out that the cavity magnetron is a dead-end technologically. Actually the German High Command looked into magnetrons and found that their stability just made the radars worse... and when the radar did work it wasn't as good as it was hyped up to be.

Basically, the rule of thumb is assumed to be that German sets tend to be within the same ballpark as WAllied sets with advantages in several areas. The one weakness in German radar capabilities is the centimeter wavelength department.
On AH.com there is a good timeline about a modern person being transported into Bomber Harris body, I wonder how it would be if somebody from 2018 was transported into the body of Hermann Goering.
 
On AH.com there is a good timeline about a modern person being transported into Bomber Harris body, I wonder how it would be if somebody from 2018 was transported into the body of Hermann Goering.
Bomber Harris? That asshole of immense proportions? A man that is almost as bad as MacArthur when it comes to ego? Anyone that slips into his body will be quickly outted as an infiltrator or something.

Goering on the other hand might have his vices, but at least he is willing to work with the army without being forced at gunpoint. Sure he had his absolute fascination with the Zerstörer concept... but it wasn't an overbearing 'uber alles' fascination. Goering putting a lower priority to his Zerstörers wouldn't be completely out of character for him as he really wanted what amounts to be a combined arms force that happened to be in the air.
 
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