RE: Air Unit Redeployment?
Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 8:56 am
Generally, if you can find a flat field and remove any bushes and the like, it can become an airfield in this era. It's unfortunate that both the Germans and the Soviets used aircraft with rather poor landing gear or poorly designed wheels. In WWII, long paved air strips were not needed for most aircraft, as the amount of meters needed for take-off and landing were mostly less than in the jet era.
In mid 1941, the majority of the Me 109 pilots would be capable enough of making a landing with their aircraft even though it had rather poor landing characteristics. Landings mostly became a problem as pilot quality decreased. In 1943, in Sicily and on the Eastern Front, there were times when units lost more aircraft due to ops losses than to enemy action. Most of the pilots could get out, but the plane was worthless after a hard landing.
In mid 1941, the majority of the Me 109 pilots would be capable enough of making a landing with their aircraft even though it had rather poor landing characteristics. Landings mostly became a problem as pilot quality decreased. In 1943, in Sicily and on the Eastern Front, there were times when units lost more aircraft due to ops losses than to enemy action. Most of the pilots could get out, but the plane was worthless after a hard landing.