America program

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The America program was an armaments program for the German air forces in World War I that began in June 1917. It served to increase German air combat capabilities and should end the air superiority of the Entente .

When the USA entered the war against Germany on April 4, 1917, armaments planning had already been completed and initiated by the end of September 1917. Although the United States is known to have only 55 military aircraft at that time and the aviation industry was insignificant, the German military leadership valued the efficiency, motivation and determination of the political leadership of the US industry highly.

With the America program a counterweight to the American aviators should be developed. It provided for an increase in German aircraft production and an increase in pilot training. At that time the German Reich had forty hunting squadrons . A fighter squadron consisted of eight to nine fighters. In the America program, the aim was to double the number of hunting squadrons. Despite this production offensive, many hunting squadrons never reached their full strength. Furthermore, it was not possible to break the air sovereignty of the Entente. This was due to the fact that the Albatros DV and Pfalz D.III hunters were technically inferior to the machines of the Entente.

A bomber of the German air force

The Supreme Command agreed in early June 1917 demands a memorandum of Ernst von Hoeppner , the Commanding General of the Air Force ( Kogenluft ) to, provided for the following program:

  1. New formation of 40 fighter squadrons (JaSta No. 41-80) and the staff of Jagdgeschwader 1
  2. Reorganization of the aviation departments (A) 184–200 (aviation departments of the armies)
  3. Enlargement of the 13 flying schools and the two artillery flying schools
  4. Creation of a second hunting relay school
  5. Reorganization of a replacement department (to train personnel replacement)
  6. Transfer of 28,643 men to the air force
  7. Monthly production increased to 2,000 aircraft and 2,500 aircraft engines from March 1, 1918
  8. Allocation of 1500 machine guns per month to the air force from October 1, 1917
  9. Covering the monthly requirement of 12,000 tons of gasoline and 1,200 tons of oil from January 1, 1918
  10. The number of workers in the aircraft and engine industries increased by 7,000.
  11. New formation of Jagdstaffel 81 from units from the Eastern Front
  12. Establishment of five staffs for hunting group leaders
  13. Establishment of the command of the giant aircraft departments
  14. Relocation of the flight department 305 to Turkey
  15. Line up of the staffs of bomb squadrons No. 5, 6 and 7
  16. Establishment of a "Sedan Air Training Unit" to teach general staff courses

Points 11 to 16 were only added to the program later, while the America program was already running. The number of new flying detachments (A) was later reduced from 17 to 6. For this, however, they should now receive nine aircraft instead of the previous six and a further 28 flight departments (A) should also be brought to nine aircraft each.

In connection with the America program, guidelines for the further development of aircraft were also developed.

Despite the material restrictions to which the German Reich was subject at that time, the America program was implemented.

literature

  • Günter Kroschel, Helmut Stützer: The German military aircraft. 1910-1918. Mittler, Herford 1994, ISBN 3-89350-693-4 .