On August 17, 1943, the USAAF suffered staggering losses in the two-pronged attack against the Messerschmitt fighter factory at Regensburg and the ball-bearing plants at Schweinfurt, Germany.
To split the German defense, these raids were supposed to occur simultaneously, with the Regensburg force landing at airfields in North Africa. Unfortunately, fog delayed the Schweinfurt force’s takeoff, but the Regensburg force left on time.
As a result, enemy fighters hit the first force, landed, rearmed, refueled, and then engaged the delayed second force. Without escort for much of the mission, the bombers faced wave after wave of Luftwaffe fighters alone.
Although the raid caused heavy damage at both factories, 60 of the 376 bombers—about 1 in 6 of those dispatched—were shot down and more than 600 Airmen were killed, missing, or captured.
(Additional pictures coming soon)
(Left) The first bombs hitting the Messerschmitt plant at Regensburg on August 17, 1943. (Right) Reconnaissance photograph taken after the strike, showing heavy damage.
B-17s over Schweinfurt on August 17, 1943.
Related Fact Sheets
The Memphis Belle: American Icon and 25th Mission
Memphis Belle Crew
The “Memphis Belle” and Nose Art
26th Mission: War Bond Tour
“Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress”
Heavy Bomber “Firsts”
Combat Aircraft to Museum Artifact
Crippling the Nazi War Machine: USAAF Strategic Bombing in Europe
Enabling Technologies
Key Leaders
Early Operations (1942 to mid-1943) - Eighth Air Force in England
Ninth/Twelfth Air Forces in the Mediterranean
Combat Box/Communication and Life at 25K
Keeping them Flying: Mechanics and Armorers
Combined Bomber Offensive: Summer 1943 to Victory
Bigger Raids, Bigger Losses, and Crisis
Deadly Skies over Europe (Luftwaffe defense)
Bomber Crew Protection
Operation Tidalwave (Ploesti, 1 Aug 43)
Regensburg/Schweinfurt (17 Aug 43)
Black Thursday/Schweinfurt (14 Oct 43)
Fifteenth Air Force (created Sep 43)
Gunners
Women’s Army Corps
Fighter Escort: Little Friends
Big Week (20-25 Feb 44)
Target Berlin
Operation Frantic: Shuttle Raids to the Soviet Union
Blind Bombing
D-Day Support
Strategic Bombing Victorious
Epilogue
Return to the B-17F Memphis Belle Fact Sheet
Return to the WWII Gallery list