What with 44 starting the Tacticals are softening up France for the upcoming invasion.
In January the XVth was also orderd to support the Anzio landings by bombing Italy.
The 8th has been free though and now the XVth was on 5th February 1944.
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Clear skies were reported across most of Europe and the men had been resting for a couple of days now.
A 'maximum effort' day was required by myself.
The 8th would set out at 9.00 targetting an Aluminium processing plant deep within Germany. The target, known as Duerener Waren, is located roughly halfway between Berlin and Rostock.
A force of B17's led by a pathfinder section took off on time with no major hiccups. The force totalled 195 B17's. The entire 8th FC was scheduled to fly escort for the boys all the way to and from the target. In total 613 escorts flew to protect the big birds (1/3 P51B's, 1/3 P47D's, 1/3 P38L's Mustang III's).
Enemy resistance was expected to be tough since many planes and skilled pilots are still in service with the Luftwaffe.
The first escorts joined the formation on schedule as they crossed the Dutch border. As predicted the enemy sent up the full fighter force on station in Germany. The combat was bloody and intense and lasted for hours. The enemy concentrated on the bombers, clearly trying to prevent them from unloading their deadly cargo over Waren........
Come late afternoon all of the 8th was back on airfields across England and the debrief began! The toll on bombers was horrific. Out of the force of 195 B17's that took off 106 were shot down [X(]. The escorts faired well though and only lost 27 planes. In return they had mauled the attackers shooting down an estimated 180 enemy fighters of types ranging from 109's, 190's, 410's, 210's and JU88's. Recon photos of Waren show the site as being smashed to an estimated 90% damage.
A heavy toll but war is dirty.
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Meanwhile whilst the 8th was crossing the Dutch border..........
The XVth was also on a maximum effort raid targetting the large Aluminium production site called Wieland which is near Ulm in southern Germany.
For this mission 320 B24's flew with orders to bomb the Aluminium plant, the nearby Leipheim Fighter production plant and the Railways at Gunzburg. They were escorted by 336 fighters, 80% of which are the long legged P38L's.
This force met no resistance across the Adriatic. The first enemy fighters appeared near Venice. Although the numbers of planes involved was less than the 8th's sector the combat was no less bloody involving the typical Axis flyboys - 109's, 190's, 210's and JU88's. Some pro-Axis Italian flyboys also joined the show - G55's, MC205's.
These guys also focussed on the bombers but were never allowed to decimate the formations to a large extent.
Bombs were released over all targets from 24,000 feet but only significant damage was reported on the AFAC (wiped out) and the Gunzburg railyards (a smoking wreck). The main target - Wieland was only moderately hit!
Losses over Italy and Southern Germany from this raid ammounted to - 11 Fighters, 56 Bombers and a reported 90 enemy fighters.
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Whilst the main events were going on Tacticals from both England and Italy pounded railyards, airfields, oil sites and AFACs around Paris, Rome, Turin and Pisa. Most sites were only moderately damaged except some railyards in Paris. Losses in these raids also occured mainly due to flak but also due to a few local fighter interceptions.
Over France 37 tactical bombers and escorts were lost to 31 enemy for example.
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At night time the huge Bomber Command armada played it's part in delivering tonnes and tonnes of high explosives over Hannover and Brunswick in central Germany. The scale of the raids is impressive -
Hannover - hit by 900 Lancasters - 23 lost to fighters and flak
Brunswick - hit by 560 Halifaxes - 9 lost
Both targets were left burning heavily.......
205 group based in Italy also joined the fray by bombing the crucial town of Graz in Austria. Trying to get Swift [:D]
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The screenshot says it all with regard to losses and what can be achieved in BTR.....
