The story of Luftwaffe night fighter airmen and their operations on the Eastern Front is one that defies the traditional stereotype of the Germans as well-organised and meticulous planners. Instead, it emphasises their successful improvisation in the face of unanticipated problems and a very tough Soviet opponent.
Initially, Luftwaffe night fighting in the East was conducted in an ad hoc fashion, with success dependent on improvisation, and the luck and skill of individual crews. No night fighters were assigned to the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, so for the first year-and-a-half, the Luftwaffe paid scant attention to nocturnal air defence. The number of Soviet night incursions increased dramatically in 1942, and by year’s end the Germans began to organise small, dedicated night fighter units to combat them. 1943 marked the significant expansion of the night fighter force, with the provision of radar trains and the latest Ju 88 and Do 217 night fighters. This enabled it to better combat the constant Soviet supply runs to partisans behind the German front, increasingly heavy bombing attacks, and the almost ever-present ‘night witches’ conducting harassment missions in their pesky single-engine biplanes.
Luftwaffe night fighter units on the Eastern Front were forced to cover thousands of kilometres of frontline and rear areas with a limited number of aircraft and crews. Despite the many challenges they faced, the Luftwaffe personnel engaged in these operations persevered, and several pilots rose to prominence, claiming the same degree of success as their Western comrades-in-arms.
