Martin Caidin wrote the definitive book on the plight of the bomber crews in Black Thursday, which chronicled in great detail the 2nd Schweinfurt bombing raid of October 14, 1943, where 60 bombers and their crews were lost. They knew what they needed to know to successfully perform their duties but other than that, they had limited information. I am returning to your web site for more soon. how many ww2 bomber crews completed 25 missions Hot Stuff was being flown home to the US since Captain Shannon had completed his tour of service. Bomber Command aircrews suffered a high casualty rate: of a total of 125,000 aircrew, 57,205 were killed (a 46 percent death rate), a further 8,403 were wounded in action and 9,838 became prisoners of war. A 1944 documentary film was produced detailing its exploits, and in 1990, a Hollywood feature film entitled the Memphis Belle perpetuated its glory for decades. Big and slow, the B-17 delivered twice the payload of its predecessor. What does the B stand for in B-17 and B-24 and the P in P-38 stand for? So, the answer is YES, if anyone ever asks you if the might 8th AF ever bombed Japan. The "Belle," named for Col. Morgan's sweetheart went on to complete 25 missions, the last ones were filmed by William Wyler's movie crew. A dear friend of mine was the navigator/turret gunner of the lead plane on the 2nd successful Pelosti mission and I saw the commendation for that and for the 50 missions that B24 crew made.. B-17E Suzy-Q The Suzy-Q, a 19th BG B-17E, was the first USAAF heavy bomber to complete 25 missions and return to the US. On March 24, 1945, the 332nd Fighter Group of the U.S. Fifteenth Air Force departed from its base in Italy to escort B-17 heavy bombers on a 1,600-mile round trip flight to the German capital. The B-25 was designed by North American Aviation, Inc., in response to a prewar requirement and was first flown in 1940. Bomber crews needed to complete 25 missions before they were allowed to go home but that number was almost statistically impossible in Europe. After all the adversity, damage and close calls, no one was ever seriously injured, and her entire crew made it home. I read several years ago somewhere on the net that the Delta Rebel II didnt get recognized because of its name and Confederate soldier painted on the nose. Last month, through his fundraising efforts, Lux returned to Iceland for a 70th anniversary memorial service attended by some of the descendants of the crew of Hot Stuff and a plaque was installed telling the story of Andrews, Hot Stuff and her last, ill-fated flight with a granite monument planned to be installed at a future date. Hot Stuff was in the 8th Air Force 2nd Air Division, 93rd Bombardment Group, 330th Bomb Squadron. On the night of 13/14 February 1945, 796 Lancasters took part in a. The Air Force changed the 'pursuit' designation to 'fighter' after WW2 which is one reason you may have noticed P-51s being referred to as F-51s in . Since 1943 Word War II aviation history considered the "Memphis Belle" as the first heavy bomber to reach the 25-mission mark. #14: The tradition of wearing the silk scarf started from pilots in World War I but its more than just for fashion purposes. At the end of their tour, the crew of Hells Angels signed on for a second tour and continued to fly, going on to fly 48 missions, without ever turning back from their assigned target. B-24D Hot Stuff She was originally B-17G-105-VE 44-85718 and is now painted to . He got a certificate for The Lucky Bastards Club for flying at least 30 missions and includes a list of all his missions. With a crew of 10, the bomber usually carried . My hero. How many missions did B-17 crews fly? In 1942, during the first three months of Americas combat flights over Europe the average bomber crew was expected to complete 8-12 missions before being shot down or disabled. Double credit missions were more about long/latitude vs how hazardous the target was. In the article comments, we were contacted by Air Force veteran Jim Lux who stated "The first heavy bomber in the 8th Air Force to complete 25 mission in World War II was the B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff. According to Warbird News, our government was anxious to report uplifting and inspiring stories of the war that would capture the American publics imagination. Martin Maryland. It does not store any personal data. But Mighty Eighth War Diary shows no raid on 2/7/43. Your email address will not be published. Now I dont know what to believe! Pilot. America's Aerial Gunners in World War II Were Believed to Be an Aero Trader performed. The crewmen of the B-29 bomber Enola Gay was separated from other military groups and were trained (for the deployment of atomic bombs) in secret. VIII Bomber Command 25. You didnt know if you would be headed back out on another mission in 24 hours or 5 days. Damage to the "waist-gunner" area of the bomber accounted 21.6 percent of all the hits the plane took. 1 What was the first b17 to complete 25 missions? For those members of the RAAF serving in RAF Bomber Command, more than one in three were killed; amounting to 20 per cent of all Australians combat losses in the Second World War. Can someone hack my PC through online games? So you see, whether youre the pilot or tail gunner, surviving never meant being comfortable while at it. Do modern Germans regret having lost their eastern territories at the end of World War II? 12 December 1942 This mission is composed of two elements. I guess flying a P-47 doesnt count, only B-17 & B-24 when it comes when it comes to keeping records. AFTER THAT I WAS SENT TO KB-29 AIR REFUELING SQ IN LOUISIANA. Vintage Aviation News is a company founded by a group of passionate aviation enthusiasts who love the history and technology Aviation and Flying Museums preserve for the public. A bomber crew of the 392nd Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator. , former Teacher by Profession, Teacher by Soul. This crew of a B-17F has completed 25 missions and is going home. What is the song 'Norwegian Wood' really about? If wounded are included in the count, the total casualty rate goes up to 54.3%. The limit was based on other factors, like degree of difficulty and the places they were operating from. Because his leg got tangled up in heavy wreckage, he couldnt move. Therefore, a total of 75,446 airmen (60 percent of operational airmen) were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. MISSIONS - B-29'S Pacific War WWII - 6TH Bomb Group The 25-mission milestone becomes harder to pin down when considering changing crew members due to rotation, death, injury, illness, leave and equipment failures leading to spare planes pressed into service, errant wartime record-keeping, etc. Flak Bait: The bomber with the most combat missions in WW2 These records show that Flak-Bait was assigned to fly on 216 missions. More than 50,000 Airmen lost their lives in the four years of WWII and the majority of those losses were on bomber missions over Nazi Germany in B-17s and B-24s. #12: The co-pilot is tasked with contacting other crew members every 15 minutes once they enter enemy territory. Andrews, an experienced, instrument-rated pilot, bumped the normal co-pilot off the plane and flew in his place. Upon impact, the aircraft disintegrated except for the tail gunners turret, which remained relatively intact. She was the third. There were many B-24s in the 8th Air Force that completed 25 to 30 missions long before the first B-17 Hells Angels or Memphis Belle completed their 25th. Bomber crews needed to complete 25 missions before they were allowed to go home but that number was almost statistically impossible in Europe. He completed his initial training when he was 17, and was called up to active duty before he graduated from high school. The first 'Memphis Belle' was actually shot down before it completed 25 More than 50,000 Airmen lost their lives in the four years of WWII and the majority of those losses were on bomber missions over Nazi Germany in B-17s and B-24s. completed a remarkable 201 combat missions, a feat that made it the highest mission scorer of any Allied medium or heavy bomber. And, although air and ground crews rarely mingled, there was a special bond between crew chief and pilot. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Unknown crew of 392.'. a question about WW2 bomber crews.. - U.S. Militaria Forum When bomber crews completed 25 missions, they got credit for a combat tour and went home, but in late 1943, the odds were against their doing so. Thank you. For nearly four months, he flew out of Foggia, Italy, on 50 missions that usually took between 5 and 8 hours each. The 303rd Bombardment Group 358th Bombardment Squadron, B-17F Flying Fortress Hells Angels, after which the Group later named itself, completed its 25th mission on May 13, 1943. Im hoping you can help. Then, the bomb shackle is attached and the dolly moved under the bomb bay. Col. James H. Doolittle led 16 B-25 bombers from the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Hornet in a spectacular surprise attack that caused little damage but boosted Allied morale. I, too flew the C-124, first from Travis, 1956-58, then Hickam 1958-9; and later (college break) Dover, 1963-5, and McChord, 1965-7. great information you have got right here on this FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE-Wash. -- On Oct. 14 1943, 8th Air Force launched what became one of the most infamous battles of World War II.By the end of the day, the attack that came to be known as "Black Thursday," Mission 115 to Schweinfurt, saw the loss of more than six hundred Airmen who were killed or captured, the loss of 60 B-17s, and the future of the American daylight bomber offensive in . The most authoritative source would seem to be the combat mission reports of the 322nd Bombardment Group (BG), Flak-Bait 's parent organization during its 21 months of combat operations. , So proud to be Deaf, I have a Ph.D. in it. In fact, it is believed that Memphis Belle was the third to complete 25 successful missions. Identified as B-26B-25 MA Bureau No. Attacking German cities In 1942 in an attempt to break German morale the RAF began attacking German towns and cities in earnest. Wreckage of a Wellington bomber shot down by flak over the Netherlands, lost in a raid on Bremen, 13-14 September 1942. Perhaps you would be interested in submitting an article yourself? I have some 7500 hours at the controls, never for an instant not valuing the knowledge and expertise in that sideways sitting position, behind me. Bomber crews needed to complete 25 missions before they were allowed to go home but that number was almost statistically impossible in Europe. How do you identify neurotypical disorders? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Is producer and executive producer the same thing? Tuskegee Airmen - Facts, History, Names, and Planes | Red Tails In fact, the mythic Memphis Belle effect was such that there wasnt a death among those who had served on her for nearly 40 years after her last combat flight, in defiance of actuarial norms, and Americans, for better or worse are conditioned to respond to a happy ending, especially when it goes against all probability. With the American entry into World War II, production of the B-24 increased. Typically, the bombers had to fly right through the multiple volleys of gunfire, but it was the "waist-gunners" who absorbed the majority of the shrapnel, as they were positioned near an open window in the rear of the plane.
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