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Big and slow, the B-17 delivered twice the payload of its predecessor. It has since been renamed Joint Base Andrews. The consensus in this discussion is that WWII bomber crews were rotated home after 25 combat missions. Though they were supposed to refuel at Prestwick, Scotland before heading out over the Atlantic, the crew elected to skip stopping at Prestwick and proceed to their next waypoint, Reykjavik, Iceland. It therefore fell to Memphis Belle as the face of bomber aircraft during the war. A bomber crew of the 392nd Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator. (LOL). Its just a lot of booze gone to waste. 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. ok how combat flights did the guys did before beening sent home ..for i know it most crews where 25 mission or 50 misson before beening sent back home to train new crews ..i have read that some people flew 25 misson or 50 misson before going home ..so was it 25 or 50 missions ..along with did they fly once a week or twice a week or every two weeks in a one year tour as a air crew.. VIII Bomber Command 25. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station . Consider for example the Operation Tidal Wave strike by American B-24 bombers against oil reserves in Ploesti Romania in 1943: of 178 bombers and 1,726 men on the mission, 54 aircraft, and nearly 500 men failed to return (310 killed and 186 captured). Attacking German cities In 1942 in an attempt to break German morale the RAF began attacking German towns and cities in earnest. His name was B.Z. That movie "Hearing impairment" is an insult to Deaf people. How many crew members were on a B-17 bomber? What happened to the real crew of the Memphis Belle? The 300 men shot down were obvious casualties, but when the battered bombers returned to their home bases, they carried another 301 wounded in their fuselages. On 23 Dec 1943, the Memphis Belle, having completed its combat assignment with the Eighth Air Force (8 AF), 91st Bombardment Group (91 BG) in Europe, and its subsequent stateside war bond drive, was assigned to MacDill Field, Florida. 2 What happened to the real crew of the Memphis Belle? She refused to pay for the oil change of the car I bought. Closing in of Reykjavik, they ran into snow squalls, low clouds, and rain. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the bonds became known at War Bonds. Just sayin. The Eighth Air Force lost more men in the war than the U.S. Marine Corps. , studied Self-Teaching & Curiosity at Lake Howell High (2016). Between its initial flight on Dec. 29, 1939, and September 1945, nearly 18,500 Liberators rolled off the production line at five plants. by Richard Mallory Allnutt (Chief Editor) Kermit Weeks Douglas A-26B Invader (41-39401) made its first successful post-restoration flight on February 20th, 2023, making a thirty-minute hop from Chino Airport in Chino, California. Im trying to find out how many B17s were operational in the European Theatre of Operations. The B-17 Flying Fortress was flown extensively by men from the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. Therefore, a total of 75,446 airmen (60 percent of operational airmen) were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. Before anything, consult the FEO! I told her I didn't mean I would call CPS. 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. A radio operator, he was in the crew of one of two bombers that in which the group leader flew, with radar where the belly gunner would normally be. Is there Delhi quota in Lady Hardinge Medical College? Before the introduction of the B-29 Superfortress in 1944, the only war birds with pressurized cabins were the experimental ones. When WW2 ended, a total of 12,700 B-17 bombers were built. After completing 25 missions, Hell's Angels remained in theater until 1944 and flew a total of 48 missions without any injured crewmen or abort. Divers from the Research Center of the Scuba School of Lake Bolsena and the Fire Department of Viterbo . Pilots need to take flash photographs after dropping the bombs otherwise, it might not be included in the required number of missions for a single tour. However, others stayed behind to complete 30 missions to avoid having to return from the states for a second tour of duty. In 1942-43 it was statistically impossible for bomber crews to complete a 25-mission tour in Europe . The wreck, a B-17 "Flying Fortress" bomber, crashed in Lake Bolsena on Jan. 15, 1944. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. So, the answer is YES, if anyone ever asks you if the might 8th AF ever bombed Japan. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The technique of skip bombing scored several sinkings. Those uncertainties aside, on May 19, the Memphis Belle flew its 25th combat mission on a strike against Kiel, Germany, though manned by a different crew. Hot Stuff later crashed in Iceland under the command of Captain Robert Shannon in May of the same year. I simply wish to offer you a huge thumbs up for your Lieutenant General Andrews is remembered however, Joint Base Andrews in Maryland is named in his honor. Your chances of completing all 25 missions, at least unscathed, were slim to none. Americans, for better or worse are conditioned to respond to a happy ending, especially when it goes against all probability. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The Germans really dialed in shooting bombers out of the sky with their sophisticated FLAK systems and method. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Your email address will not be published. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 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. The four men by the waist window are using grappling hooks on two rods to lift the bomb onto the dolly, a three-wheeled cart. At its peak, the Mighty Eighth was the most powerful. How many B17 crews actually managed to complete 25 missions during WW2? Further, this isnt really obvious if you take a cursory look at 8th AF operations, but the B-24 groups didnt start large scale operations until after the P-51B was available. The second bomber to have completed 25 missions is said to have been the Hell's Angels, but it wasn't widely promoted since its name wasn't aesthetically pleasing to the War Department. The 314th BW needed replacement crews and the 8th AF crews were to absorb experience, which they could later pass on to their fellow crews. On the night of 13/14 February 1945, 796 Lancasters took part in a. Martin Baltimore. The crews were men from the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth countries, and occupied Europe, especially Poland, France, Czechoslovakia and Norway, as well as other foreign volunteers. I hope my information is correct. I live by HAFB museum and visit every Memorial Day. There is no definitive answer to this question as it is impossible to know for certain. Whistle Stop Rail Trail, 07 June 1944 Crews - 9 Crewmen One of the two Waist Gunners removed from crews. They arrived to find the weather at their destination quite dicey with snow squalls, low clouds and rain. Your chances of completing all 25 missions, at least unscathed, were slim to none. The Memphis Belle was supposedto be the first B-17 bomber to fly 25 bombing missions and return back to base safely each time. World War II - Bombers; World War II - Pursuit . The B-17, dubbed the Flying Fortress as a result of her defensive fire power, saw action in every theater of operation during World War II. Pilot. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 1-5 of 281. 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. He got a certificate for The Lucky Bastards Club for flying at least 30 missions and includes a list of all his missions. Nine-O-Nine was a Boeing B-17G-30-BO Flying Fortress heavy bomber, of the 323rd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, that completed 140 combat missions during World War II, believed to be the Eighth Air Force record for most missions, without loss to the crews that flew her. After completing 25 missions, Hell's Angels remained in theater until 1944 and flew a total of 48 missions without any injured crewmen or abort. According to Warbird News, our government was anxious to report uplifting and inspiring stories of the war that would capture the American publics imagination. According to decades of World War II aviation history, the crew of the " Memphis Belle " became the first B-17F Flying Fortress crew to complete 25 missions following a strike against Kiel, Germany. Answer (1 of 14): The twenty-five mission mark was more honored in the breach than the observance, as the saying goes. This may may account for individuals citing very high mission counts as they may have counted flights that did not include successful strikes on primaries. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Unknown crew of 392.'. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. completed a remarkable 201 combat missions, a feat that made it the highest mission scorer of any Allied medium or heavy bomber. IX bomber completed 213 missions but this aircraft was destroyed in a crash at Calgary Airport in Canada, two days after V-E Day, see . Interesting question. 21' - 11.7mils. Your email address will not be published. Hell's Angels B-17 Crew The first heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions in the European Theater, May 13th, 1942. B-25, also called Mitchell, U.S. medium bomber used during World War II. For the USAAF it was heavy bombers crews that successfully reached 25 combat mission in defiance of actuarial norms. How many B-17s were in the Pacific in 1942? Those interested in Hot Stuff and/or are looking to support the erection of the Icelandic monument to the brave men who served on her can connect with the organization HERE or the groups Facebook page. One reason it survived was the tail gunner had six confirmed kills and several more unconfirmed. For nearly four months, he flew out of Foggia, Italy, on 50 missions that usually took between 5 and 8 hours each. Employees of the Glenn L. Martin Company rolled the B-26B Marauder that would soon be dubbed Flak-Bait off the Baltimore production line on April 26, 1943. Waldock says that because Hot Stuff crashed and never made it home it never became as well-known as Memphis Belle. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The first refueling stop before heading out over the Atlantic was scheduled for Prestwick, Scotland, but the crew decided to fly directly to their second refueling stop at Reykjavik, Iceland. So much so that the odds of a B-17 crewman surviving the 25 missions required to complete a tour were only one in four.. Until the 1944 introduction of the P-51 . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Told you he was a wild man. Do modern Germans regret having lost their eastern territories at the end of World War II? It is mentioned that the units flying out of Africa and Italy had no such standard mission tour cap . WAS TOO YOUNG FOR THE BIG ONE, HOWEVER I MADE IT TO KOREA AND VIET NAM BEFORE RETIRING IN 1969. I told him he was telling lies. The first heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions in the European Theater, May 13th, 1942. `MEMPHIS BELLE never quite rings true. And during World War II, theres no shortage of incredible stories and interesting facts involving the aircraft and itscrew members. Bomber crews needed to complete 25 missions before they were allowed to go home but that number was almost statistically impossible in Europe. How many B17 crews actually managed to complete 25 What happened to the German Waffen SS soldiers aft My adult daughter disowned me. For nearly four months, he flew out of Foggia, Italy, on 50 missions that usually took between 5 and 8 hours each. According to decades of World War II aviation history, the crew of the Memphis Belle became the first B-17F Flying Fortress crew to complete 25 missions following a strike against Kiel, Germany. #11: Missions would often last for 8-10 hours. They knew what they needed to know to successfully perform their duties but other than that, they had limited information. But Mighty Eighth War Diary shows no raid on 2/7/43. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. His ob states he flew 125 combat mission over Europe in his P-47 bomber and received 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 24 Silver Stars. Imagine trying to move around? how many ww2 bomber crews completed 25 missions. William Waldock is a professor at ERAU and he says that Hot Stuff flew her final and 25th mission in February of 1943, which was over three months earlier than the Memphis Belle completed her 25 missions. It completed its 25th mission on February 7, 1943, three and a half months before the B-17 Memphis Belle.. Dad flew 37 missions for RAF. Robert A. Lewis. Upon impact, the aircraft disintegrated except for the tail gunners turret, which remained relatively intact. They were the only crews in their squadron to see combat with the 20th AF. My hero. . How many B-17 bombers were shot down in ww2? Second Lieutenant Charlie Brown flying a B-17F Flying Fortress was crippled and badly injured but Luftwaffe fighter pilot Lt. Franz Stigler spared him. WHAT A GOOD FLYING, FORGIVING AIRCRAFT WITH PLENTY OF POWER WITH 4 R-4360 PRATT WHITNEY ENGINES.PLENTY OF FLYING EUROPE FROM HOT WEATHER IN SOUTHERN ITALY TO THE COLD OF ABOVE THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.