The French Connection - The Price in Lives and Aluminum

France has been battered and bombed for years and months in preparation for the D-Day landings. In that time, the 401st fighter squadron conducted just over 20 sorties to escort the low attack aircraft of the 105th bomb squadron, and a wide variety of high altitude bombers. Though the invasion would eventually occur regardless of the performance of one or two squadrons here or there, the 401st's experience reflected that of the RAF as a whole throughout the campaign: bloody, determined, and ultimately successful but at a massive cost.

Meanwhile, JGs 2 & 26, and ZG4 despite causing horrifice damage to the enemy were eventually swamped in men and materiel, unable to dominate the skies above France. All the while their strength was declining as the RAF returned with ever greater numbers of planes. Later, many LW pilots from the two JGs would later say they knew the war had been lost when despite annihilating entire squadrons, the Allies could continue their aerial campaign without pause. None the less, the remaining veterans pulled inwards and prepared to oppose the invasion with what was left of their strength.

RAF Losses

401st: 68x Spitfires, 50x pilots KIA/MIA (note, some may have been "liberated" by gameplay, but the non-heroic world losses stand)
105th: 15x Blenheims, 33x crew
Front Line Squadrons (Other Humans): 6x Spitfire, 4x Pilot
Home Defense Squadrons (Human second flights): 2x Spitfires, 0x Pilots
Secondary Fighters (AI): 19x Spitfires, 19x Pilots
Bomber Command Blenheims (AI): 60x Blenheims, 180x Aircrew
Bomber Command Wellingtons (AI): 54x Wellingtons, 270x Aircrew
ASR Elements (AI): 3x Sunderlands, 9x Crew  

RAF Totals:
Aircraft: 227
Fighters: 95
Bombers: 129
Personnel: 565

Luftwaffe Losses

JGs 2 & 26 (Human 109s) : 43x 109s, 26x Pilots
ZG4 (Human 110s): 16x 110s, 18x Crew
Supporting 109s (AI): 49x 109s, 24x pilots
Supporting 110s (AI): 4x 110, 8x Crew


Totals
Aircraft: 112
109s: 92
110s: 20
Personnel: 76


Loss Ratios RAF:LW
Single Engine Fighters - 1.04:1
Human Single Engine Fighters: 1.81:1

Attack Aircraft(110, Blenheim): 3.75:1
Human Attack A/C: 0.94:1

Personnel: 7.43:1
Human Pilots (Blennies and 110s only count as 1): 1.86:1