German Flak Defences vs. Allied Heavy Bombers, 1942-45

A detailed look at German heavy flak guns, the defensive organization that oversaw their operation and the radar that made them some effective.
Since the end of World War 2, the strategic bombing of Germany has inspired numerous studies and countless books. With more than one million tons of bombs dropped, close to 300,000 civilians killed, 700,000 wounded, and in excess of 3,500,000 industrial and residential structures destroyed, the Allied bomber offensive was industrial war on a grand scale. The air battle that raged over Germany has often been described as a battle between Allied and German fighters and German day and night fighters and Allied bombers.
What has been frequently missed by historians on all sides was the impact of German anti-aircraft defenses (Flak). Often dismissed as ineffective and a waste of valuable material and personnel, the German flak arm in fact made a major contribution to the defense of the Third Reich. At least half of the American aircraft shot down over Germany fell to flak, and it was estimated that flak accounted for 1,229 of 3,302 aircraft lost by Bomber Command between 1942 and April 1945. These numbers speak for themselves, but they also hide other important facts. Anti-aircraft fire had two roles to play. One was to shoot down enemy aircraft and the other, more important, role was to force bombers to drop their ordnance sooner or from a higher altitude, thus reducing bombing accuracy. Flak also damaged aircraft, causing them to slow down and lose altitude, thus becoming easy pickings for marauding German fighters.