Operation Steinbock or Operation Capricorn, sometimes called the Baby Blitz, was a strategic bombing campaign by the German Air Force during the Second World War. It targeted southern England and lasted from January to May 1944. Steinbock was the last strategic air offensive by the German bomber arm during the conflict.
Operation Steinbock
Göring with Hitler and Albert Speer, 10 August 1943. Göring favoured the bomber over the fighter even at this time.
The Ju 88 was still the mainstay of the German bomber force in 1944
The Do 217 was also available in numbers for Steinbock
Battle of Berlin (RAF campaign)
The Battle of Berlin was a bombing campaign against Berlin by RAF Bomber Command along with raids on other German cities to keep German defences dispersed. Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) Bomber Command, believed that "We can wreck Berlin from end to end if the USAAF come in with us. It will cost us between 400 and 500 aircraft. It will cost Germany the war".
The ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church which was hit on 23 November 1943
GEE airborne equipment, with the R1355 receiver on the left and the Indicator Unit Type 62A on the right.
Diagram of the operation of the Oboe system
German searchlights and a Target Indicator (on the right) light up Berlin
