Only one B-17 returned from their flight

[FlyingClayDisk]

A couple of tactical points stand out to me. First, the limited range of the P-47 Thunderbolt and Spitfires leaves the Luftwaffe to attack the B-17 formations relatively unhindered. Second, close escort roles handicap fighters by tying them to bomber formations.

Moreover, RAF bomber command and their American counterparts who bailed out of enemy-occupied territory are taken prisoner of war (POW). Fortunately, the Luftwaffe was eventually defeated, but elements of the Battle of Britain were reserved. During the Battle of Britain, the Bf 109's short range was an operational handicap—also, the German airmen who bailed out ended up as POWs.

Lastly, the Bf 109's limited endurance clouded similar issues with the bomber escort role.

Dad absolutely had little love loss for the P-47.  He always said, right about the time things started getting really "hairy" (as he called it) over Germany they'd have to turn around to go home.  This was no reflection on the pilots, but rather the range limitations of the aircraft itself.  He said when the North American P-51 Mustangs showed up it was a whole different game. 

Historically, the P-47 was a superstar in ground attack roles, but in air cover roles it couldn't turn fast enough, nor climb fast enough against the Me-109's.  It could take an astounding amount of punishment, but this didn't mean much to the bomber crews who were depending on it to defend them against the Me-109's.  The strengths of the P-47 were in dive attack roles and it did have a capable max ceiling, so as long as it stayed high early in the fight it was helpful, but once it got down below the bombers it was vulnerable due to it having to lumber back up to altitude.  Later in the war the range of the P-47 was increased, and this helped, but according to my Pops the happiest thing in the world to his eyes back in those days was to see the P-51's show up.

I asked Dad once what scared him the most.  His answer was surprising to me.  Despite the immense Luftwaffe fighter menace, he said the only thing which really terrified him and other crews was the flak.  He often said the flak was so heavy it looked like you could get out of the plane and walk on it.  The flak jackets they were issued were heavy and awkward, so what the crews would do is take them off and stand on them (so they wouldn't get their balls blown off).  Most flak injuries came from below, thus standing on the vests was actually a pretty good defense.  He often told a story about a tail-gunner they had who was terrified of flak.  Crews called it "flak-happy".  Guys would freak out and panic.  He would beg all the other crew members for their flak armor and then use it to line the area in the tail where his station was.  The weight was so great on one mission the pilot had to trim the aircraft to compensate.  Sadly, he was killed by Me-109 cannons from the side.

I'll have to see if I can find it, but somewhere around here I have a picture Dad took of the inside of one of his B-17's following a mission.  He was standing just aft of the radio console on a mission when a 4" diameter hole appeared in the floor and ceiling of the aircraft simultaneously.  It was a flak round set for a higher altitude which went right "through" the aircraft just in front of where he was standing.  Said if he'd have taken one more step, well, I wouldn't be writing this right now.

How anyone survived sh!t like this just amazes me.  I always looked up to my father as a hero, but he always said he was just doing a job like the tens of thousands of other soldiers during those dark times.


 

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A couple of tactical points stand out to me. First, the limited range of the P-47 Thunderbolt and Spitfires leaves the Luftwaffe to attack the B-17 formations relatively unhindered. Second, close escort roles handicap fighters by tying them to bomber formations.

Moreover, RAF bomber command and their American counterparts who bailed out of enemy-occupied territory are taken prisoner of war (POW). Fortunately, the Luftwaffe was eventually defeated, but elements of the Battle of Britain were reserved. During the Battle of Britain, the Bf 109's short range was an operational handicap—also, the German airmen who bailed out ended up as POWs.

Lastly, the Bf 109's limited endurance clouded similar issues with the bomber escort role.

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Another tactical point - RAF Lancaster bombers rarely operated during the day, opting for night missions instead.  This made them far less effective than their American B-17 and B-24 counterparts which operated almost exclusively during the day.

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If I'm not mistaken over 75% of the aircraft on the Regensberg leg of the Schweinfurt-Regensberg mission who were slated to go to North Africa either crashed en-route, ran out of fuel, or were so badly damaged once they reached North Africa that they were unable to fly again in the war.