Herrmann, Major Hajo

1913–

   Herrmann was the German bomber Commander who masterminded the use of the Messerschmitt Bf-109G as a freeranging night-fighter. The Germans were having little success in shooting down Allied bombers with flak and Herrmann suggested to Field Marshal MILCH that daytime fighters could be used to shoot down the bombers over their target areas because flares, fire and spotlights could give enough light to pick out the bombers. This method was first tried out in July 1943 over the Ruhr and fifteen fighters shot down ten bombers. These ‘Wild Boar’ tactics were very successful and Herrmann was given 150 planes, better radar and infra-red detectors. These units were nearly shot down over Berlin in August 1943 by their own flak but they continued to wear down the Allied bombing offensive over Berlin with enough success to cause HARRIS to abandon it by the end of 1943.