Berlin was bombed 363 times during World War 2. On October 18, 1944, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) conducted a major bombing raid on Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany. This raid is considered one of the biggest wartime raids on Hitler’s capital. During the mission, a large armada of American bombers encountered German flak (anti-aircraft fire), which
On october 14, 1943 a massive bombing mission took place that would have a lasting impact on future missions during World War 2. This mission, known as the “Second Raid on Schweinfurt” or “Black Thursday,” is considered one of the most devastating and costly air battles of World War II for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Schweinfurt was
On October 9, 1942, the 1st Bomb Wing of the United States’ Eighth Air Force conducted a bombing mission against the steel and engineering works at Lille, France. Codenamed “Mission 18”, it set several precedents for future airborne campaigns and marked a vital turning point for the American Armed Forces. The impetus for the mission was the strategic need to
In October 1942, the United States Eight Air Force, part of the United States Army Air Forces, was relatively new to the European theatre of World War II, having been activated earlier that year in February. At this early stage of its involvement, the Eighth Air Force was primarily focused on building up its forces, running practice missions, and preparing
It’s May 1, 1943 and 78 B-17’s from the 306th Bomb group are heading over the channel towards France. Their target is the German U-boat pens at St Nazaire. There is heavy cloud cover and the B-17’s let loose their bombs. The mission was shaping up as a huge success. The flak was moderate and the German fighters didn’t seem
By August 1944, the Allied forces had achieved considerable air superiority over Europe. Most of the missions in August marked an intense period of strategic bombing against facilities supplying Nazi Germany with petroleum, oil, and lubrication products. A significant target in this campaign was the oil refineries around Ploiești, Romania. Finding the details about this mission is no easy task.