posted 09-16- 09:51 PM               

"We took off from Schweidnitz to attack a Russian tank column which was advancing between Streigau and Jauer. Flying with me in an Hs 129 B-3 as Number 2 in my Schwarm was a young pilot with fewer than ten operational missions to his credit. On our third approach against a T-34, his shot hit the side of the tank, just below its turret. The 75 mm round blew a hole about one metre (3 ft) in diameter in the left hand side of the hull and the tank immediately caught fire. During the following operation that day, while we were operating against tanks in the city of Streigau, a tank exploded after the first shot. The impact of the 75 mm cannon was extraordinary."

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"Don't move, if we scatter, he'll pick us off! Stand Together!"~~Aladar

posted 09-18- 08:01 PM               

Ihaven't checked on the Hs 129 for quite a while, but if I remember rightly, there were several pages dedicated 2 just that wonderful little attack a/c.If I can get my scanner 2 work, I'd be happy 2 scan the relevant pages & email them 2 u, if u like.

Although 2 vastly different a/c, the Hs 129 was everything 2 the Germans that the Il-2 was 2 the Soviets.But unlike the Il-2, which was produced in massive numbers (over 36,000 built, beating out the Bf 109 by at least 1,000 airframes as the most produced a/c in history), the number of Hs 129 could be counted in the hundreds, if I remember rightly.

As a result, the Germans were basically left with no other purpose-built tank destroyers, & the only other a/c able 2 fulfill that role was the Ju 87G, which although a capable tank killer was even more unwieldy in the air than the standard dive-bombing Stuka, & eventually could only be flown at night unless it was protected by massively overwhelming air cover (something that the Germans could longer accomplish after mid-1943).

The reasons why the Luftwaffe was never able 2 put in2 decent quantities a tank destroyer like the Hs 129, why they were never able 2 field in large numbers a strategic heavy bomber has never been fully explained - the He 177 was a superb heavy but was plagued 4 most of its life with several major problems, the most important of which was a propensity 4 it's twin "double- powerplants" 2 catch fire.Only around 1,000 He 177's were ever built, and just as almost all its design problems had been ironed out in the 2nd Qtr of 1944, the RLM cancelled all heavy bomber production and most medium bomber production in favour of day/night fighters - just as the He 177 was on the verge of greatness, & was about 2 fulfill it's destiny as one of WW2's premier "heavies".

These stories go on and on - with the superb He 219 nightfighter being another victim of RLM incompetence.Whilst everybody marvels at the amazing efficiency & magnitude of WW2 Germany's industry, most don't realize that Nazi-controlled bureaucracy made 2day's worst federal government departments seem genuinely productive & efficient in comparison.Though it didn't come near Fascist Italy's official cronyism & corruption(which was a major factor in Italy's pathetic output of only approx. 10,000 military a/c produced between 1940-43), Nazi government bribery & political intrigue cost WW2 Germany dearly, and 2 the relief of the Allies, succeeded in consigning many of the German's best a/c designs either 2 the scrapyard, or at the very least made sure that only a fraction of the airframes needed were ever produced.