Questions about the air war over Berlin.

by theHarboguy

I'm building a diorama of the Battle of Berlin. What models of aircraft were flying over the city in the closing days of the war? What kinds of formations were flown? Were Dorniers and Me-262s in the air? Should I include Soviet, French and/or RAF craft? If so would they be flying in formations with each other and the USAAF or flying separately? I know this a pretty broad question, so any further reading anyone would recommend would be definitely be considered! Thank you!

NoAstronomer

By closing days do you mean the period from ~mid April 1945 to the surrender of Germany?

If so, the aircraft over Berlin, specifically, would be almost exclusively Soviet and German since the last mission the USAAF flew over Berlin appears to have been on March 28th, 1945. Though the USAAF did continue to attack other targets in the general vicinity. Some principle Soviet and German types might be:

Soviet

  • La-5
  • La-7
  • Yak-9
  • Yak-7
  • Il-2m
  • Pe-2
  • The last air-to-air kill by the Luftwaffe during the war was apparently a Soviet P-39 Airacobra.

German

  • Me-262
  • Ta-152 often used to fly top-cover over Me-262 bases
  • FW-190D also used for top-cover.
  • FW-190F ground attack
  • Bf-109G and K

It's unlikely you would see RAF and USAAF operating together since the RAF was primarily focused on night time strategic bombing without escort and the USAAF provided their own escorts. Berlin itself was too beyond the front line for Western Allied ground attack aircraft to bother with. Though you might see free-ranging P-51/P-47 escorts.

You might also see a high-altitude photo-reconnaissance Mosquito or Spitfire taking pictures.

Cooperation between the Soviets and the Western Allies was essentially non-existent. Indeed there were a couple of friendly-fire incidents between the two.

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