The most important battle of WW2

plan_D · 01-18-2005, 08:50 PM

If you said that to them, evan. They'd go over to Germany and cause a riot.

evangilder · 01-18-2005, 08:58 PM

I didn't say how big that field was! hehe

Lightning Guy · 01-18-2005, 10:41 PM

THe RAF's numbers were less and less of a problem once the Luftwaffe started focusing on London. As I noted earlier, the RAF fields, factories, and command centers would have had to have been continually hit for the Luftwaffe to attain air superiority. Since this didn't happen, air superiority over England was fairly well assured by late '41 early '42. Yes the Luftwaffe killed alot of civilans, but they certainly were crippling the RAF which was flying more and more offensive sorties by this point in the war.

Plan_D's mention of Normandy brings up some interesting thoughts as well. The Allied forces enjoyed . . . strategic surprise over the Germans, complete air superiority over the beaches, major naval support, a properly equipped amphibious force and still received heavy casualties. How would the Germans have faired trying to invade England without any of these advantages?

01-19-2005, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lightning Guy

THe RAF's numbers were less and less of a problem once the Luftwaffe started focusing on London. As I noted earlier, the RAF fields, factories, and command centers would have had to have been continually hit for the Luftwaffe to attain air superiority. Since this didn't happen, air superiority over England was fairly well assured by late '41 early '42. Yes the Luftwaffe killed alot of civilans, but they certainly were crippling the RAF which was flying more and more offensive sorties by this point in the war.

Plan_D's mention of Normandy brings up some interesting thoughts as well. The Allied forces enjoyed . . . strategic surprise over the Germans, complete air superiority over the beaches, major naval support, a properly equipped amphibious force and still received heavy casualties. How would the Germans have faired trying to invade England without any of these advantages?

If the Germans had continued to hit the tactical targets, the RAF would have retreated to lick their wounds so as not to get so weak they could not respond to an invasion. This was the RAF plan but it never had to be implimented.

The answer is - miserably! Again, I think had the German's attempted Seelowe, as planned, the odds are better than not that the first invasion flottila would have been swamped in the channel, they'd have suffered tremendous losses, and it would have been called off without the British having had to fire a single shot. The channel is known for unpredictability and high swells. The odds of getting two strait days of calm are practically nil.

=S=

Lunatic

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 01-19-2005, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plan_D

The RAF was battered, yes. However the RAF was producing planes without any trouble from Luftwaffe bombing, the RAF was bombing France and Germany. The RAF had gained complete air superiority over Britain, the Luftwaffe would not have been able to stop the RAF bombing the invasion fleet.

Do you think Normandy would have been it's amazing success if the Luftwaffe had complete air superiority over the Channel and Northern France. I can assure you, it would have not been. The LSTs would have been blown out the water before the troops even got ashore.

It may seem Lanc is getting over-excited but he's right. Britain was not going to lay down and die, Churchill had already prepared men for guerilla warfare when the Germans occupied their villages. There were like 5 men in each village trained for guerilla wafare, guns, explosives, knives, stealth they were all trained in.

Dont take me wrong, I agree with you fully on all of this. I was just making a joke about Lancs overexitedness. Britain would never have laid down and died. They would have fought valiently and they would have won, I will not deny this and everyone else knows this too. Just as even posted you threaten a Brits football team and his favorite pub you are going to die.

Nonskimmer · 01-19-2005, 11:24 AM

Or his favorite beer. Even though I hate the stuff.

(private joke.)

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 01-19-2005, 12:30 PM

I love beer! I really enjoy the taste of a good Hefeweizen, Kristalweizen or Pils bier. I am sure that even RG_Lunatic can not argue that the Germans are masters of making beer. I would kill for one right now, just one! When I get home after I take a long bath and make (probably quick

) love to my wife I am going to pour myself a cold glass of German Bier and drink it as slow as possible to savour it.

Nonskimmer · 01-19-2005, 12:34 PM

Oh, I love beer too! Just not the same beer plan_D does.
Sorry about that, it was one of those "you had to be there" kind of things.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 01-19-2005, 12:49 PM

Oh my bad. I love beer from all over the world but not too much the US beers even though I have found a few that I do like. (No RG_Lunatic this is not because they are brewed in the US but because they use too many preservatives in them). But I love a good German Bier, or a Guiness or Kilkenny and even a Czech Budweiser.

plan_D · 01-19-2005, 01:59 PM

Well, it was one of those things that he had to be there for but not you NS, 'cos I'm going to KILL YOU!

I'm a fan of German beer more than any other country, but all of Europe has good beer. American beer is shite, everyone knows that.

Nonskimmer · 01-19-2005, 02:04 PM

Most big brand Canadian beer is **** too, but not the stuff I like.

Btw, I love German beer!

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 01-19-2005, 02:11 PM

I agree about the American beer it all tastes the same and is too light. The Europeans especially the Germans have been making beer for thousands of years and really have it down to an art. What I like most about it in Germany is every town down to the smallest village has its brewery and whenever I go and visit one I like to taste them all. About a 20 minute drive from my house in Ansbach is a monestary. The monks there still brew there beer the way they did hundreds of years ago and you can buy it in small wooden kegs. It really is great tasting and one of the best beers I have ever had.