Chapter II, Part 9: Operation Sommersturm
- Location
- Hamburg, Germany
Operation Sommersturm, August 17th – September 15th 1944
The Operation Sommersturm was a strategic bombing offensive started by the Luftwaffe during Operation Bagration. Although the Luftwaffe had destroyed Tankograd and the dams, there still existed many targets that needed to be eliminated. However, due to modern jet planes urgently being required in different roles, the Germans had to rely on other planes, of which there were only few available, though.
Germany had captured several dozens of Allied bombers, but only seven B-17 and five B-24 were air worthy. Then there were some hundred He 177 ready, but that particular plane needed modifications because it lacked strong enough engines. In the end, only the last Ju 390, two Me 264 prototypes, eight He-277 B5-R2 and five Ju 290 could be added to the air force. These 28 bombers were added to the I. Gruppe of KG 200 and were modified to fit the German needs. The Me 264 and the Ju 390 got surplus Rolls-Royce-Tyne motors, which enhanced their abilities drastically. The He-277 and He 177 models had to be remodelled completely, so that this particular update wouldn't work for them. Because of that a new plane was to be developed, the He 377. In the meantime, Messerschmitt got the order to build another 90 Me-264 for which the Jumo 022 turboprop motor was elected as engine, which had been developed in record breaking time.
Operation Sommersturm started with the KG 100 and the I./KG 200, which meant just 88 bombers. However, the Soviet air defence was patchy at best and ECM was easily able to jam the early Soviet RADARs. In some cases, the Soviets did not even know that there were enemy planes in the air until it was too late. With 1.540 km combat range the He 177 soon proved to be inadequate for this task, subsequently they were soon retired from that task. So only the I./KG 200 could continue the operation.
Due to modern equipment being added to the DT-bombers, they could easily attack targets up to the Ural Mountains if they started from Gerdauen air field in East Prussia. Targets even farther away could only be reached in shuttle bombing missions. These bombers would start in Gerdauen, fly to and attack the target and then land in Manchuria. There they would be refuelled and then sent home with goods and resources from Japan, which meant that no offensive action took place from Japan towards the USSR. The Nowosibirsk aircraft factory was destroyed using such tactics.
Although being a success the operation had to be halted in September 1944 due to the low number of battle ready planes. So far only three planes, a Ju 290 and two B-17, had been shot down. However, the nearly daily use without replacement parts to replace broken ones let the number of available planes drop to eight. Because of this the operation was abandoned. In the meantime, though, Messerschmitt was producing Me-264 bombers which should enable the Germans to start another offensive during the coming winter.
The Operation Sommersturm was a strategic bombing offensive started by the Luftwaffe during Operation Bagration. Although the Luftwaffe had destroyed Tankograd and the dams, there still existed many targets that needed to be eliminated. However, due to modern jet planes urgently being required in different roles, the Germans had to rely on other planes, of which there were only few available, though.
Germany had captured several dozens of Allied bombers, but only seven B-17 and five B-24 were air worthy. Then there were some hundred He 177 ready, but that particular plane needed modifications because it lacked strong enough engines. In the end, only the last Ju 390, two Me 264 prototypes, eight He-277 B5-R2 and five Ju 290 could be added to the air force. These 28 bombers were added to the I. Gruppe of KG 200 and were modified to fit the German needs. The Me 264 and the Ju 390 got surplus Rolls-Royce-Tyne motors, which enhanced their abilities drastically. The He-277 and He 177 models had to be remodelled completely, so that this particular update wouldn't work for them. Because of that a new plane was to be developed, the He 377. In the meantime, Messerschmitt got the order to build another 90 Me-264 for which the Jumo 022 turboprop motor was elected as engine, which had been developed in record breaking time.
Operation Sommersturm started with the KG 100 and the I./KG 200, which meant just 88 bombers. However, the Soviet air defence was patchy at best and ECM was easily able to jam the early Soviet RADARs. In some cases, the Soviets did not even know that there were enemy planes in the air until it was too late. With 1.540 km combat range the He 177 soon proved to be inadequate for this task, subsequently they were soon retired from that task. So only the I./KG 200 could continue the operation.
Due to modern equipment being added to the DT-bombers, they could easily attack targets up to the Ural Mountains if they started from Gerdauen air field in East Prussia. Targets even farther away could only be reached in shuttle bombing missions. These bombers would start in Gerdauen, fly to and attack the target and then land in Manchuria. There they would be refuelled and then sent home with goods and resources from Japan, which meant that no offensive action took place from Japan towards the USSR. The Nowosibirsk aircraft factory was destroyed using such tactics.
Although being a success the operation had to be halted in September 1944 due to the low number of battle ready planes. So far only three planes, a Ju 290 and two B-17, had been shot down. However, the nearly daily use without replacement parts to replace broken ones let the number of available planes drop to eight. Because of this the operation was abandoned. In the meantime, though, Messerschmitt was producing Me-264 bombers which should enable the Germans to start another offensive during the coming winter.
