22/12/2024
Just extracted randomly from a German document, It shows the enormaty of D-Day.
Medium to strong forces were deployed every night. Particularly strong operations with up to 1,300 aircraft were only carried out on the first two nights of the invasion. After rolling attacks on coastal fortifications on the first night of the invasion, the targets were almost exclusively railway facilities, mainly in northern France and between Faris and the Loire to Saumur, Vierzon, Saintes and Limoges. A total of 551 locomotives were rendered inoperable by attacks with bombs and on-board weapons in June 1944. A further 295 locomotives were destroyed by sabotage. Air activity to supply the gangs was particularly active, with a focus on Brittany, but it is also likely that the gangs in southern France were also being supplied with supplies, even if the records of the aircraft used for this purpose remain incomplete. In the landing area and over the Bay of the Seine, 5 - 12 night fighters were constantly deployed, but over half of these were directed against the V-1s and reached a strength of up to 50 aircraft per night on several occasions. Units deployed to attack ship targets flew up to 14 missions in June in 20 nights, with the focus being between Dinkirchen and Estapels. Over the Atlantic and in the western Channel, 178 missions were recorded during the day in June 1944. In the invasion area, a total of 32 newly built airfields were identified during June. The following airfields were identified by aerial photography: Asnelles S.M., Crepon, Creully, Ver-sur-Mer, Martragny, Sommervieu, 1 km north of St. Croix G.d. Tonne, 1 km north of Brousy, C km SSOuistreham.
The total strength of the enemy fighter units deployed in southern England and in the beachhead was around 5,400 fighter aircraft at the end of June 1944.
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