HEAVY BOMBERS
Posted 2/7/2011
Printable Fact Sheet
| |
| Photos | |
 |
A Consolidated B-24, its rear fuselage blown off, begins its plunge to destruction on German soil. (U.S. Air Force photo)
|
Download HiRes
|
|
|
|
|
In the summer of 1943, the U.S. began building up its heavy bomber forces in Europe at a more rapid rate, and greater numbers of B-17s and B-24s were dispatched against targets inside Germany. However, whenever they flew beyond the range of their P-47 escort, however, they risked being mauled by Luftwaffe fighters.
On Aug. 17, the targets were Schweinfurt and Regensburg, deep inside Germany; 60 of the 376 bombers were shot down, the AAF's most disastrous air battle to date. On Sept. 6, the target was Stuttgart; 45 of the 262 attacking bombers were lost. Though P-47s had been equipped with jettisonable belly fuel tanks, which somewhat extended their range, they still were unable to provide escort protection much beyond the western border of Germany.
Click here to return to the World War II Gallery.
| |
