(Page 69) First Steps

It seems that allocations to units did not necessarily correspond with the number of aircraft they actually had on hand. Kommando Braunegg: Me 262 aircraft totals movements on- and off-strength for November and December were recorded as:

Also during November, NAGr. 6 received one new Me 262 but this is not reflected in the strength and operational readiness statistics for November 1944–January 1945:

Sources: Bundesarchiv Rl 2-III/882: Flugzeuge.- FB-Meldungen, Bd. 9 (Sept.–Dez. 1944)

RL 2-III/619: Flugzeuge: Tägliche Zuweisungen an die Luftflotten etc..- Halbmonatslisten VO-LE, Bd. 9 (Juli–Dez. 1944)

RL 2-III/620: Flugzeuge: Tägliche Zuweisungen an die Luftflotten etc..- Halbmonatslisten VO-LE, Bd. 10 (Feb–Apr. 1945)

RL 2-III/732b–734: Personelle und materielle Einsatzbereitschaft, Band 64–67 (20. Aug. 1944 – 10. Jan. 1945)

RL 16-1/53: General der Aufklärungsflieger, Brieftagebuch mit Vernichtungsvermerken (Mai 1943–-März 1945)

National Archives HW 5/627: Government Code and Cypher School: German Section: Reports of German Army and Air Force High Grade Machine Decrypts (CX/FJ, CX/JQ and CX/MSS Reports) MSS/R389–MSS/R390 (6–7 December 1944)

An order of 4 November 1944 called for the establishment of four Me 262 reconnaissance Staffeln at a rate of one per month, starting on 1 January. On 17 November, Gen.d.A. laid down that there were to be two Gruppe staff flights of four aircraft while the Staffeln themselves would have 12 aircraft apiece. Each Staffel was to be organised so that it could operate divided into two or three Kommandos which would be as mobile as possible.

The plan was contingent on deliveries of 5 aircraft in December; 20 each in January and February; 25 in March; 30 in April; and 25 in May. Alowance was made for a 35% loss rate.

Source: Bundesarchiv RL 16-1/41: Neue Flugzeugmuster für die Nah- und Fernaufklärung (Mai–Nov. 1944)

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