Archie to SAM: A Short Operational History of Ground-Based Air ...

ANTIAIRCRAFT DEFENSE THROUGH WORLD WAR II
Figure 13. US 90 mm M-1 gun. The standard US heavy antiaircraft gun
during World War II was the 90 mm M-1. (Reprinted from US Army Air Defense
Artillery Museum.)
402 Allied aircraft on the ground and 65 in the air, but the Allies
stated their losses as 236 destroyed and badly damaged
on the ground and 23 in air-to-air combat. On their part, the
Germans put their losses at 304 aircraft destroyed and 232 pilots
lost. Anglo-American pilots claimed 102 aerial victories,
and Allied gunners claimed 185 to 394 (the former figure, confirmed
kills; the latter, confirmed kills plus those awaiting confirmation).
The Allies recovered 137 German aircraft wrecks in
their area of control and, from their remains, credited the
fighters with 57 kills and flak with 80. 47
A clearer view of the confused battle is perhaps possible by
focusing on the attack of one airfield. The German fighter unit
JG 11 launched about 65 fighters against the Anglo-American
airfield (Y-29) at Asch, Belgium, where four RAF Spitfire
squadrons and two US fighter groups were stationed. When
23