An ORBIS Publication IREI Aus$1.95 NZS2.25 $A R1.95 Sing $4.50 Behe 95 MT A ih c ™ Armed Forces of the World: South Africa (Part2) 2) eee B-17Flying Fortress in Action : 4 yf The Battle of Schweinfurt PT lone note ile aon ele a) Bombers of World War IlVolume 1 Issue 8 CONTENTS Heavy Bombers of World War II ‘Ammstong Whitworth Whiley a Arrotid Lancaster 18 The Dans aid 7 Handley Page Halifax 16 StortSaring 18 Vickers Welington ur BosingB-17Fying Foess 18 BAT RyngForvessin Acton 18 TheBattl of Schveinfut 18 ThePloest Oi Raids 154 Consolidated B24 Liberator 185 BosingB.28 Superfortress 15 Misubishi GM Bety 15 ‘TheB2Raidson Japan 11 Ipsstinll4 158 Heinkel 111 1 HeinkelHe 71Greil 189 DomerDo2l7 183 Jinkers)u88 bomber versions) 160 Armed Forces of the World Soath Aca Pat2) ii Picture acknowledgements Published by ‘Ore Fumning La @erospoco Fblshing Ls 1989 eleurproties, dgcrans araetamy rowing Bot Pees a estate ipeenacrauass Cents aurea ar on Ve Sela min BE Set ron Rema oR Artes Totn Fetal ‘i Ree 279310 Pinesin Get isn byTe Arta rss Digtribution and marketing ofces: ‘Grow pusisng Sins House 20:22 Besley toner WEEN ae Tolman: 01-379 6711 Giruition Direstor: 0 Sess Morketing Doctor Misha! oye wenn ea + MACHINE! Cope ar obtansle by pac iro aus susergtan one Subscription Rates en MACHINE Baek Nanters Orbe Pubaning RAS Roa ‘Australia: ck suber ae cbse from An MACHINE Back Numbers. Go ‘don Got (ae La. 14 Won Sot 20 Box 1g'¢ Malboume, ve S001 South Ain, Europe, Mala and New Se ast ave of ieulty we to the addons In our fear’ ger fo Grr South Alan How te obtain binders for WAR achive’ UK & Ere: Detais of how to obtain your Sind Gorse et wa Sin ope re wien Oop lishing Lia fo WAR MACHINE Binders Grne House, 20.22 Sadar. anos Wea ast Nal: Seer tiaale ouahyour ically wnte wo WAR MACHINE Sido, Sie Nala Mi Nasa Sea, ‘Alii: Fr dea of tow ta obtain your finders see noes ey sues arene ToWWAR MACEINE Boner Frat Post Py th'23 chances Street St gonads, NSW 2005 Tho ners supped a those Hs Wow Zeeland’ Binders aro avaiable MSERINE Binders Selon & Goto NEL Ue fa Box a8 Wilngton South Aen ints are syeabietheugh Spyonmenst cenaiNews Agen incase Sf ateuty write to WAR MACHINE Bn des. tray PO Box 294 Sorat Note: Binders and Sack Numbers are Guiarabie sued! fo waist of socks ‘ins ever attempts made fo toop the Bron ofthe sued ad binders cons the ublaersresore tengo feeae Eumstonces dia, Bndors doped fhe publeaion ae those pace forthe Uk market oniy snr nt esa y darts co indore produced for ant ete UK Singers ar syes may be Sot niet the ve ces Unis Sate Te, yan vac pa aes een es ane SOUL caceli a E Sonera ras Wate aera = hod by OFHeavy Bombers of World War Ii American general Billy Mitchell had predicted that large forces of heavy bombers could alone win a war. Hisideas were slow in being transformed into aircraft, but eventually mighty new warplanes took to the skies. Great dramas unfolded as the enemies set out todestroy each other's homelands. .en Hier embarked on his subjugation of Europe, the Luftwatle's role ly confined to providing ale suppor for the German army, with ‘phasis laid upon the use of strategic bombers, plans for such a having been abandoned in 1937. Thus at the outbreak of war in spected to cocupy no more than three years: Wit litle to fear from fighters, these aircraft also proved perfectly capable of c at daylight raids well beyond the advancing German armies, Royal Air Force, on the other hand, was steeped in the bomber jal war-winning role of he bomber, and gent io war with tn the Vickers Wellin: Armsiong Whitworth Whitley and Hendley Page Hampden) in ha much greater emphasis had been laid on long range, giving rise me pretence at stratagic operation from the outset. , the manner in which ihe fortunes of war changed for Ger many (starting with her inability o crush the UK during the summer of aght about a progressive reassessment of the Luftwaffe sy the air war beyond the English Channel, and the night represented an unpremeditated use ofits relatively smal mbers fr strategic purposes and, in view ofthe Uk's wholly inadequ night defences, these achieved far more by night than had proved esible by day. But the proliferation of batlefronts in 1941 forced a nbers away from the Channeland, asa rest for fighters and ground support aircraft, the Lut ined both in strength and relative Prewar Germany produced ast and agilo. bombers such as these Heinkel ill rather ‘han heavy, sow and eamborsome types ‘The policy produced dramatic results nthe Garipwarvears, bat shewas unabiet0 ‘match the coloseal devastation wrought by Ihelled heaviesateron ‘Meanwhile RAF Bomber Command was, in 194), reaping the h from the strategic seeds sowm in 1936 with the arrival on operatic Short Stirling and Handley Page Halifax four-engine heavy bombers, Jater joined by the magnificent Avro Lancaster, all of which had conceived as dedicated long-range strategic night heavy bom Thereafter the strength of the Briish heavy bomber force incr steadily throughout the war. In 1942 Bomber Command was joined the United States! mighty th Air Force, whose Boeing B-1fs and Cons dated B24s were to hit Germany by day in ever-growing strenat partnership with the RAF. ‘Thus by the time the Allies were ready to set foot on Europe in mid-1944 their day and night bomber fleets were cz delivering devastating blows far beyond the ground battle, in ‘appalling damage on the enemy's capacity to sustain his war m By contrast Germany, beset on all sides in the ar a The fateful decision by Germany to abandon plans for a true strat bomber force long before the war, while fatally compromising Luftwaffe's ability to strike at long range, was in all probability su fiuous in the eventual context of World War Il Such a force, opere radially from within continental Europe, could never have ro potential strength of the Allies’ massive resources, dispersed mere peripherally to sinke diametrically across Festung Europa, “Ameria transformed the war with her big ideas and enormous industrial ‘ort Nowhere was this expressed more spectacularly than nthe vast roduction ofgreat bombers, thegreatestar which was the Boaing 17. This formation is o18-17Gs from Ridgewell England, 1944.Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Tes unholy that any ther operational deroplnne of World War i came neat to matching the austere, angular appearance of the ‘Ammiong: Whit ‘worth Whitley or Yo erste su fous nose-down galt-when flying ‘Sraight and level” Developed the Armstrong Waitwortt A.W23 omber/trangport, the Whiley ‘was deagned to Specifoaion BAS and was fs own on If Mateh 1806 Tat Year ir was selected to become the few Bomber Commands standard heavy bomber, replacing the Handley Page Heytord Ioplane A total of 8) craft Had been ordered, and hose ‘materialize as 3f Whiley Mic orn bare with two €82:KWV Geo tp) Arn Strong Sddeley Tiger Dada, and 446 Whiley Me Dorabors wih igar Vitis, Early Whiley MIs possossed ‘a dinedval on thet outer wings F ‘squadron oecetve Whiloy Mes was 1Np_10 at Dshforth in March 187, "the Whiley Mle I wae aeady dis ‘ppeanng from frente service when ‘war broke out although the ast exam les det not leave No. 166 Squadron ‘inl ApH 1840) In the mean the ‘Wtey Mic I also with igor Vil) had appeared: this weron.of ch 60 ete ptodiced eatured a retractable ‘distin ventral gun postion Trervest on Nos 7,81, 8672 91 108 and 166 Squadrons énioring RAF service in August 1508 Also introduced that year Was the Whiley Me TV yh TES eW (102o.hp) Rol Rayce Martin IV V-12 pgs an the Whiley Mic TVA with SSW (L14®-bp) Metin Xe only 40 Were preduced, but they served t it Teduae a naw power-operated at GunNash and Tompson al turret Th usb’ Being abandone ‘The main production version waa the Whitley Mie V. aehose delivery arta to Nes 7f and Te Squadrons it Septeminer 1889. and of which 1478 were bul before Jane 1943 when pro Suction was halled. Alo powered by ina, the Whitley Mk featured a <38-cm (Ibn) longer fuselage and Straight leading edges othe iss ‘Although it vas tho Tigor-pawored M&F int performed almost all te ccaiy lealletdropong sorties of the fist sx mons of the war (eluding ‘he frat sorte over Germany on the right of S-4 September 1889 by 10 ‘Whiteys of Nae 5 and 38 Squadrons) atwas to Whiley Me V tht assumed the bombing roe rom March 140 on wards, and on I-(2 May, umechatehy Gf the Gorman atack fh, West mieys and Handley, Page Hamp dlens dropped the fs! RAF bors on the Geman mainland in an attack on rallway targets near MUschen Glad ‘The following month Whitley were the ft RAP berber to atack targets Infaly, ying fom the UK and real ing in the Tun and Genos Though ne achieve fame for ousanc the immensely raged. White Yeoman senvioe wth Bor apd despa being ol Sd vulnerable inthe Ing enemy night defences T efor instance among the ut raided Berlin on the 26 August 1940, and tt was a3 the Diotofa Whiley duning a rac on Ca: (ano on 12-12 November tht yea at Teonard Cheslre (ster Grou Ca tain VG) was awarded the DSO, Wing Commander P. C. Pickard (te achive fame asthe Mosquito leader the raion Amens geo) led Wh ofNo 61 Squadron nthe arborne ald on the radar nallton at Bruneval on Gi-oe Febrary 1982 Whideye daw their last raid va Bomber Command caring anata Cslondon iberughtot 2030 Apa Ie Specification Hemszong Whitworth Whiley MeV ‘Type: bveman bomber Whitley MV of No. 78 San, RAF in ‘ary 1842, shorty before the ‘squadron re-equipped with Hblifaces, The Whiley saw good Service during he ear years but ‘was relegated tolimited night Operations by mid-war.[tthen assedon toCoastaland giider- lowing duties. Powerplant: two 854-KV (1,145-hp) Isefoyee Men X V-I2 piston en Performance: maximum, speed dem (280 mph) at 800 f normal lankage Weights: omply 8777 kg (18380 tp rm take-of 15198 Kg (34 800 Dimensions: span 2360 (84 Oin) Ti m68 fin) Bena ving area 10863 m= 1mm (0.308 gun inthe nooe ‘Une am (030) machine-< i turet plus a masta bom C000 Ib) Ground crew preparea Whitiy Mi Vioraperationsin 1940, Th airerat ‘ew from Dishtorthand sports ‘gpical camouflage forthe period The Whitley MV was hemainstay ofBomber Command along with the Wellington untlthearrivalof the Hala and Lancaster. one would dispute the statement “e Avo Laneastr vas the nest aay bomber ot Wid Wark ether ade during the conti. anit fone stange to recall that ad Sin the unsucoossfl ten ‘Manchester mever isnot enrelytueto say te taster was iia a our ser 08 fur-engine It tons the baste aiirame had 10d belare Manchester es, the FAP bomen But he ‘Avro 683 Lancaster verted Manchester atime with an nlarged wing over panels and four EMS @St-kW) Roll Royce Mazin Xe Thsprotoiye intially retained the Manchesters tpl tal assembly, Dit was later medlifed tthe twin ft ad assembly which became sam dard on production Lancast "The prototype flew on 8 January Jol and later that month wed 1 the Aeroplane and Armament Ex: erimental Establsment, Boscom Boum, to bec in i "Thenew bem success, and large production orders were placed Sich was the speed of development in w reduction La Botsber 1 ated aneaster BM 1) Lancasots soon began Manchesers, tnd ‘pets of precuction tht @ Merin enainas was threaten: ‘ya Galery cence precuction By Packard in the USA of the Menin tot only for Lancasters but for other types. An additional insarance wa in anther way. the use of By cuting away the underfaselage ‘and removing nose and dorsal (urrets tosave weight theLancaster BMeels(SpeciallofNo.€17Sqnat Wadtlingion were able to carry the £22,000-1b@97%-kg) Grand Siam ‘ret used to great ffecton he Bielfels Viaduct 1,795: (1294-400 Bristol Hercules VI or Vagal engines Meanie. the Merlin Lancasters wwere going rom sven to strength ‘The prototypes enqines gave way 10 aiden (84 kW) Marin Xe and 225, of 1 6ab-hp (1208-0) Mein 2 in Productan airrat Early thoughts of ‘ting a ventral turret more sly ci carded, and the Lancaster BMGT had three Prazer-Nash hydraulically operated turrets with eight 7mm (6368im) Browning machine-guns to each i the nese ad id-upper loreal postions and four in theta tu Yet The bomb-bay, designed original | ;ihe aerate bore the inscription lity over to. 7 Coering's inaccurate 000) efbarnbs sively to carry Tombs tp to 3628 sid 12.000 Ib) an ee Falls eocesoms 2 Grand Slen the ied by any arcra 1 the raid nici azerat boing los, faders Neteton ond Sher ~ Seles posthumously, for anton. whieh perhaps S51 he: Ar Stal that raids by heavy born practicable proBes ‘Lancaster went bandit mentof bombs The mis got larger tbe doors, to make the ey proteuded he fselage line, Even jevelopmenis the ofalled allogether tt 3 the at cl Norway, and sank her z 2ovl-tb) “Tallboy od by Barnes Wat ventional igh ed ah 1b) Grand Slam a way beneath the ‘Squadron fist usod the sm operationally against the duct on 14 March 126, considerable destructo 2 cf the olher variants built sma the Lancaster BML Mk’ fram 1348) 10 ‘heoustout the Tas wae delivered by Whitworth on 2 Febrazy isd encompassed rootypes, 4423 Mi Is. 30 eis, 180 Me Vs and Mills pour off the fine atV.Roo's ord factory A totalof 7.377 were builiby avariot of Sactarers andthe sheet fseifort combined with siderable quales ofthe payed a considerable partin action ofthe Reich. Right: summer evening in 1943: briefing is over, pre-fight checks completed, the aircraft bombed-up; Soon the calm ofthe dispersalarea ‘willbe shavtored by thazound of Merling. The nightly raide were Inevitably metby force AA and night ‘ghors, and the nearest aircraft's Seven missions areno.small oat of 7377 These wore 2) Armatrong Whit ‘Statics show fea at er Command squadro Eanoastera, which few TSi.00 series and drop in ac tn fo GDR 612 tons (618 280 tonnss) of high explosive bombs more than §1 milion noendianes. Specification ovo Lancaster BML ‘Type: sever seat heavy bomber Pomemplant: four 1222 kW (L,e10-M0) Roll-foyoe Metin XIV V-l2 piston Performance: maximum 462emin (287 mph) 2 ft, crusing spec pose (210mph) at 6086 m (2,000, service ung 7470 m (04,900 f0, range foram (530 med) wath 7.000-1b (gi7s-43) tombloaa Weights? empty 16798 ka (36600 tb um ake-ot 3178 ke (70,000 Dimensions: span 31081 (102 0m Tengen a 18 m(@9 M13 in) eigen 10 (201 On), wing area 120.49 m* (2szoea ty ‘Aemament: 1 7-mm (0803-2) machine guns (wo each in nese aed dorsal tur ot and four in tall ture), plus fbad comprising one (6878 Eo Tjbomb or po 680 eg (14000 smaller borisThe Dams Raid A fundamental attribute ofthe bomber weapon 1 World War I was its ability to strike key fgets that, as a result of their remoteness Geep inside enemy territory, were othermse invulnerable to aliernative means of attack —a fon thal has since been assumed by the Jnng-range ballistic and stand-off missles, One the most spectacular and successful ofthese = operations was RAP Bomber Com- nds attack in May 1643 on the Rubr dams, whose associated power stations served Ger ‘many great industrial complex ‘Central to this audacious adventure, code- named Operation ‘Chastise’, were the de ;clopment ofa special demoliion weapon and the selection and training of highly exper (enced Bomber crews to carry out the attacks, For some month ane of the UK's most accom: plished aeronautical engineers Barnes Wallis, had been advocating aerial attacks on these ‘key targets and, having arrived at the conclu son that any conventional bomb capable of breaching the dams would be far too heavy (ven forthe Avro Lancaster), Wallis turned his tention to a less conventional weapon. He Gemonstrated that if a 2722-kg (6,000-Ib) ‘charge of RDX could be detonated against the ‘underwater mass ofthe dam, the shock waves would be sufficient io weaken and eventually 0 collapse the structure. To do this Wallis de- Signed a cylindrical mine which, pre-rotated, (inreverse direction) immediately before low- Tevel release at an exacily determined altitude and distance from the dam, would ricochet along the water surface before sinking against ine dam wall and detonaiing by means of hydrostatic fuses Hand-picked force ‘As teste ith half ize weapons dropped bya Vickers Wellington were performed to de- onstrate then feasibility, Sir Arthur Harns, commander in-chief of Bomber Command, ‘ras instructed on 17 March 943 oy the Air Stat ‘eresteaspeciel squadron toattack the dams, identified by an Aur Minustry committee as the Mohne, Eder, Sorpe Lister, Schwelme and En- nepe dams. The principal Main Force group with Lancasters at that ime was No. 8 Group, and its commander, Sir Ralph Cochrane, ted Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gib: son DSO DFG (then commander of No. 108 Squadron) to head the new uni, soon to be Gesignated No, 617 Squadron. Only four days [Bter the squadron officially came into being as hand-picked crews began assembling al Scampion Lincs Gibson, humseli a veteran of three tours of operations, was allowed to select the Lancaster crews and, without yet being informed of the ullimate target, set about in structing them in the daunting task of releasing a bomb at a height of exactly 183 m (60) above water at night, at a speed of 402 km/t (280 mph) and atadisiance of between 366 and 411m (400 and 480 yards) from a target Secrecy to the last ‘The date for the attack namely 16 May, had been decided fo produce a coincidence of ‘maximum moonlight with the highest seasonal ‘Water level at the dams, and it was only on the previous day that Gibson was permitted to brief is crews on the actual target By then 20 specially modified Lancaster B Mk Ills had Been delivered to Scampton, bomb doors had. ‘been removed and a pair of V-crutches added below the aircraft contre of gravity, between which was suspended the 127-cm (0-in) dia eter, 4196-kg (6 250-b) weapon (codenamed. ‘Upkeep), dorsal turrets, considered super fiuouson this operation, were alsodeleted. The weapon-release height whose precision was ‘ital io avoid premature disintegration on im pact Wit the Water, was to be ackieved by the Use of two spollichts under the nose and tail of the Lancaster whose beams converged to form figure 8 on the surface ofthe water al exactly 183m (60%) Inthe event 19 ofthe 21 crews took off for the attacks, Gibson divided his force into three Wave formations, himself leading nine aircraft ‘against the Milne dam, A Second groupof ive Tancasters, led by Flight Lieutenant Joseph C ‘McCarthy DFC (an American serving with the RAF) was o attack the Sorpe damn. The remain- ing fve Lancasters, heades by Plight Lieu'= nant W. © Townsend CGM, DFM, were to operate as a ‘mobile reserve! "The Sorpe formation took of ust before 21.30 on the evening of 16 May, flying a northern route to divert any Getmian opposition fol lowed farther south almost immediately by Gibson's force, itself operating in three fights Seamoton Wiaveanvesn2355 onretumnbome. Le. of three aircraft, ut fights bemg led by Gibson, Squadron Leader Henry Maudslay DFC and Squadron Leader ‘Dinghy Young DFC: The reserve group took ofl at around midnight The Lancasters flew out over the Norfolk ‘coast and dropped to a height of about 30m. (100 ) to avoid detection by enemy radar, the Sorpe formation crossing the Dutch coast near Viieland and Gibson's formation some 80 km (G0 miles) to the south, Flak over the Nether lands decimated the former, sinking the Lan- caster flown by the New Zealander, Flight Lieutenant]. L, Munro DSO DFC, dastraying its radio and intercom, and forcing the pilot 10 abandon his attack and return home. The ait- Craft own by Flying Officer G. Rice struck the Waters of the Zuider Zee and, despitea miracu- Jus recovery, had its mine torn of, also forcing the pilot fo turn back ‘Two other aircraft in the Sorpe formation, flown by Flight Lieutenant Barlow (an Australian) and Sergeant. Byers, were shot down by Flak, thei crews all being Jalled. Only McCarthy himsel, who was fying some 97 km (60 miles) behind his formation, having been delayed on take-off by an unser viceable aizraf, survived in the Sorpe group ‘The final run-in Meanwhile Gibson was leacing his section of three aircraft ataslitleas 12 m (40 f) above the Dutch countryside as their bomb aimerscalled ‘warnings of houses, trees and other obstruc- tions looming ahead. Near Rosendaal the Lan- ‘caster flown by Flight Lieulenant Bill Astell DFC was hit by Flakand crashed, Skirting the main Ruhr defenoes, Gibson led his aircraft 0 the north of Hamm belore setung final course for the Mohne, easily sighting his massive farget in the moonlight, As the dam's gun de- fences quickly came into action, Gibson flew | 8 Neliondandtens back fovea ramus’ Sint fonn PB,attack, his mine detonating in the exact, ff the dam. Pulling up 10 circle the 2% Gibson saw Flight Lieutenant} V. Hop: Lancaster int by Flak as it approached sm is mine overshooting the parapet and. Sikang the power station beyond, however, wth fire raging inthe stricken aircraft ts fuel exploded and desitoyed the Lancaster dus crew. As the next aircraf, flown by Squadton Leader H, B, Martin (later DSO and. x, DFC and two Bars, AFC) made its attack, Gibson flew over the dam to draw aif the Flak ‘Martin's mine also dropped accurately and de. ‘nated against the dam, but stilt remained ‘nisct_ Next came Dinghy’ Young, accompa fied by Gibson and Martin to distract the enemy gunners, his mine erupting on the fexget Iwas the next allack, by Plight Lieule- nant DJ. H. Maltby DFC, that caused the great conciete structure to collapse, the circling pilots watching in awe as a huge breach, 91 m 00 yards) across, opened and the pent-up ‘mass of 134 milion tons of water burst forth imo the valley below. ‘Ordering Martin and Maltby to return home, Gibson called up Young (as his deputy control- lerincase he wasshot down), Maudsiay, Flight Lieutenant D, J. Shannon (later DSOvand BEC and Bar) and Puot Officer L. G. DSO, to set course with him to the Eder. lo- ‘sted in a deeper valley than the Mohne, the. Ener dam proved a far more dificult target to attack, Shannon making six abortive runs be- fore suocessiully delivering his mine on target Maudslay’s mine struck the parapet and blew up on impact, destroying the Lancaster. It was “heudattmeothersThemeintorenst nena nae ‘andar isons forthe Sn an Smite later Thoremainingieresewesieratiwavest alone 22 ing ne natenoute nines fk Sinahanenerdwisva apts fom nthe Mahe See stave tha dm Fas dre by athed completed thx runs Fou bombers iedtabreachtha dom utHopgood sarc ashi reno, Sropsinghismine Mavdsay’s mint parent ond Sexooahi aera emg, ‘rian arerah nay reaenoa edo th 3 Heavy Bombers of World War II the last remaining mine, dropped by Knioht, thatfinally breached the Eder, ausingan even treater spectacle than at the Méhne as 200 milion tons of water burst down the narrow valley. Farther afield, McCarthy made his way alone tothe Sorpe, where he dropped his mine accurately but only succeeded in crumbling stretch of the dam's parapet. Gibson ordered three of the reserve aircraft fo back up this attack, but only one managed to do so and the dar survived without being breached. Thelast two reserve Lancasters were ordered to make for the Lister and Schwelme dams; the latter ‘wos evidently attacked but without success, {and the aitcral! detailed for the Lister was apparenily stot down, for ils crew failed to retum ‘The breaching ofthe Mhne and Eder dams was unquestionably an astonishing featofarms, superbly conceived and planned, and ril- liantly executed by 133 young men, ofwhom$é, in eight Laneasters, dic not coma back. The attack served, more than any other, to demons- A veontssetaarack Hage saverat Iadeaoved ee ‘Ore os. onsore tuentornore =, Jo ssieroisoe ‘shan hiby tabla ‘lodingmine trate the slall and courage that now existed. vathin RAF Bomber Command as is assault on Germany gained momentum. lis leader, Cay. (Gibson (awarded the Victoria Cross for hisun- surpassed bravery and determined lead: ership) became synonymous wath the genera- tion of young men who, night after night, braved enemy Flakand fghtersto take the wat to the German homeland. Though he himself ‘was to lose his life over enemy territory a yeat later his squadron — proud bearer of the sou- briquet Datbusiers ~ survived as.an élite uni charged with the mounting of particularly hazardous atacks and with the destruction ofa Jong lst of vital targets UvEHS Handley Page Halifax r-engine Handley 5 ongnaly designed 5 October 1839 at Merlo tad been cirorat arsived in No of in Navernber 1540 and ft raid on 0-1) March Production was widely sub Sporting the aistinctivetailmarkings adopted by squadrons ofBamber Command'sHio.4 Group, ths Halifax Malt ofNo 4685an, RAAF, was ‘Based atLeconteldinthemig-war ‘years, The arerattfeatares the large HSradomeundertherear fuselage. contacted and quickly accelerated examples inocuced a wing span in- the airborne froes(being the ony fe Metin powered Halax MeL creased fom 3012 (81) in) to craftovow tebe Harulsar and w ‘min wo-oun reso turret and ne dorsal S175 (1040 Zn), Tho Maax Mik V-oned by the Halifax Mik VI jut bo turret being flowed by the Halifax with Dory nding gear served With fore the’ end of the war. Procucton MICIIA Series I wrth Metin 3X¢and2 Coastal and Bomber Commands the totalled 6176 Halles, the. pombe vio-un dorsal turret in the Halifax Halifax Mle VI wih Hercule 100 en Versions fying total of 7582 sorties Mie Series 1A a large trangparent ince ana Halla Mle Vil with Her and dropping 221 610 tone of bombs. faring improved {ne whole nose Gules XVle (both versions witht shape, thie etsion dio IModucing Greased uel capaci) janed Bomber Specification Defanttype four-sun dorsal turret Car = Iett Max Mie ll V Handley Page Halifax Mic VL Halex Mi I vas powered bp and Vi versions aloo served in para- Typet aeven-crew might hey bor r Bristol Hercules XV1 vadias and late? tooping and gider towing roles wth ber Powerplant: four 1€00-bp (1242-4) EE short stirling ‘The Short Sting wo the fst of RAF Bomber Commas tio olour-enaine ny bombers that maunted the great oh ofenaive over Eugope during the four yeas ofthe war andthe onl = conieive ftom the out! at rengins areraft Designed 10 & fom the Stskng Wa masa tal seala pro}tyDe ‘ing followed by the fll pe which was destroyed In May 1508, Produc erie Ware itt mado tN * 1940 (athe height um) ane the Sling ‘operation on [0-1 pe fit bombed ‘monte later ‘The Sting Mic Lot ich 798 were produced wat Hercules Xt radia, but ‘String Melt wh Weight Cyclones a a a= ea Sting Mik as powered ercales Vie ana. wi 878 bull Mk Is converted) cont The Stirling washampered career by en wingspan, anda bomb bay which Couldnotbeadapted tocarry tie Bott Hereues 100 radial piston Performance: maximum speed 502 km/h (912 mph) at 6708 m 200 mo 6188 2000) minutes) service ceiling 7313 (240008) rau wh $2879 (1000: lb) bemblond 2028 ka (1280 mes) Weights empsy 17650 ke (2.00 rasa tako-o SOSH (8 00 I) Dimensions spar 31 75m (Lo4f 2m Tenginalsa mT fn) hese 2p ott Giny, wing area 118-43 Gars0sa Armament! one 7.7-mm (0,0%in) Iactine-gun tn bose a lout -mm (O20ssm) machine gus neachof do tal and tal nels plus a maul Dombload af 8857 kg (13,000) ‘Two Merlin.powered Halifax MkII Series afte, 35 (Madras Presidency) San the first unit ‘equipped with he type, are seen on ‘ir teat during the winter of 1941.The Gorsal turret rested much dragand ‘Some later models ha thieremored. ae kage‘Short Stirling (continued) Stirling MEI Series! bombers were Giliveredinanuary 194] with no Gorsal turret. These early deliveries ere camouflaged indark green and Garkearth down the fuselage sides ‘and wereassigned tocscorted deyight missions, in thisintance sahivo.7Sqn, fed the main bomber variant italy obsolescent, and flow its last raid m Specification seduced the two-gun doval turet September Dal year The Stating Mie Short String Mk I Strlings were the fist operational a. 1V"(of which 877 wore bull) was a Type: seven- or eight-orew night ratlocanytheonginal format Oboe’ ansporvGlider tug wikout nose and heavy bomber ‘Sevaidin IML andin August IM2tcok dorsi tunels andwas widely usedon Powerplant four 1.650-p (12014W) fo inthe frat Palhinder operators operaions by the asborne orcasdur- Braol Heteules XVI radal piston en- (.4600eq ‘Two posthumous Vos were won by lgtiolas yoarofthewar TheStling ince Armament: so 7 Suing pilots (Fhaht Sergeant RH M&W transport (160 bull) without Performance; maximum speed machine-guns in ex Maioton of No. 142 Squadron and armament, aimed the RAF in 483mm (270 mph) at 4400m Salturrels and f Flt Sergoant A. L. AaronofNo. 218 1848. Suing bombers equipped 18 (14.800), service ceiling 8180m guns in tal turn ‘Squadron both during rads on norte squadrons (7.00 range with 6380'kg (14000- Borabload of femtaly By 1944 the String Me as 1 ombioad 849 em (690 mies) ia Vickers Wellington Dig No. 425 Alouette) San, RCAF New Wellington Mil trom Dishort, ‘and thisaireraftwasostinafaidon Stuugart. Bomber Command's Wellingtons lew ther last mission in October 1843, bul the ype soldered Sin cogwaand anspor nits anit the war'sen Employing the efficient geodetic I-10 tomedoos: the Wellington T. Ms gincs mm (0508) guns in ioestructixe thewitrenenne Viekers XVI and XVI were taners, and Performance: maximum speed twol-?mm (0 Wellington continued n service wih many Mk Xs Were converiod o fying 41 em/h (288 mph) at 3810m beam positions Bombor Command until 1844 farlon- classrooms, Wellingtons wore also (12600) inital chm 2am (30) Bomb of 2041 Kg (4500 Tb (ger tan ts contemporaries the Hand- wed astest-bedslor early jelengines per minute, service ceiing S730 m fey Page Hampden and Anmsttong The Welington Chis XV and XVI (80D!) range with 204-4 (4000 Whitworth Whiley, Designed to meet wero taspan conversions ofthe Me 1b) bembload 2478 em (1640 mies) Armourers prepare the fuses of 4 1882 requirement, the Wellington ICA tolaof Ii 481 aera was pro- Weights: empty 86053 (IS by Ib(Z27-kg) bombs before mo fist lew on 13 June 1:06 and inte dood mes take-of 15422 a (94.000 1b) bomb trainunder the fuselage che ‘Webington be ior with Pegasus = Dimensions: span 26.251 (861 2in), Wellington The aircraft had» pox dias joined the RAF (No. 8 Squadron) Specification Jongth 1acsm GAR Tiny height 8m starton day missions proving essr in Cclober 1888. The Wellington Mx Vickers Wellington Mik 1 CU7MS ny wingarea T8041m' @4003q meatfor German ighiers ba TA (wath Nachand Thompson mse and TYpe:su-crow ght medium bomber 1) Itself admirabiy sulted for nish (GUgustumets) andthe Wellington Mk Powerplant. two 1119 kW (1800.5) Armament: two 7.7-mm (0,903-in) setting the trend for BAF bo TC (win bieral guns in place of the Brstol Hercules XI radial pision en machine-guns is nove tue, ur 77- throughout the war ental ure) flowed, tegether wil the Merinpovered Wellington MI fad Heroules I or X- powered Wel lington Me It and at ming of the war sx squadrons were fying tie Welinazon. Barly dayliaht raids re salted in hoary lassen owing to the Wellingtons latge defenceleas ares andin 1840 theateraloined the ait ing foree. On | Apr O41 Wet lipglon dropped ie RAPS frat 1814-kg (4.0004) bomb, Subsequent bomber versions included the "Twin Wasp powered Wellington Mik IV. anc Wel Engton MeV and Mic VI fioh-atrade aireralt wih pressure cabins and Her fules or erin engines respect these later versions aid nt see com Dat servco, The Wellington MX win ereules XVIls was the hal bomber version and the lat raid by Bomber Gorumand Wellingtons took place on 89 October 1943. In the meantime Wellingtons bad been ying on ma time dutes the Wellington DW. Me vith large mine-exeloding beope ha Ing operated in 1880 and Welhnaton MelGminelayers soon afters Coa. fal Command versions included the ‘Wellington GR. VII wis Peoasus sand ASY radar, the Welling fon GR Mies, 201 ana SV with Hor ules Levan Light and prowsion forPursuing an operational theory that hgh fving, heavy armed bombers were the surest means of stuking rategie targets in daylight, the US Corps issued a requirement ig lbi or which be Bol Model a8 Flying Fortress was desced an rt ‘own on 2 July 185. "Twelve YIB-I? (lator BAIR servico test aueralt on fered sarvice in 1887 and wero fa lowed by small numbers of 176 and BTC bombers in 1840-1 and by the BLAPD in I94l. Tho B-ITE irodicod ‘he enlarged vortica tal surfaces and ta gun positon characte of all ‘subsequent Bills well az power: ‘Operated twingun turrets a of tho {ockpitand below tha conte fusalage. Sie BAS wera produced, tis ver Sion being the fret US Army Alt Fone savy bomber to seo combat in ‘Europe with the th Air Force. A total of 400 BAT bombers with enlarged ‘one-piece nose traneparency, Was produced dunng 19424, and those Were flowed by the principal vatant the BATG. which in reply t cals or Improved nove armament te countar {he bufwalfes head-on tacks, nto ‘duced the two-gun hin tut pro: ‘duction elle 8560 B17 areal Boeing, Dovaias ana Lockheed- Vers ‘The Portess Was deployed panipaly In Burope dutig the war, wi much snaller numbers operating inthe Fat Bast The type cared cut mam raids large formations feach brisling mith heavy machine ‘Guns and providing mutual protection Against enemy Mahters, pounding across the daylight skies over Hitlers Rotoh, In die course heavy loasee forced the. Amencana to introduce (scart fighters ~ the Po, P-#7 and 81 Ono tomporary expedient involved the ise of @ small number of 17S ‘modified as YB-40 "escort aircraft some aircraft carrying up to 20 machine-guns Fortesses (B-17Cs, Fs ahd Gs) oeved in sina umber with EAP ember and Coastal Commands. Specification, Booing B-7G Piying Fortress Tope: crew dylghtmedim/heavy Powerplant four 895-4 (1200-tp) ‘init Cyclone R-16Q0-7 redial Pi Perlormance: maximum speed 4zkwh (28? mph) at Team (25.000); cumb o 6286 m (0.0009 in S37 minutes; servico colling 10880 m This Booing 8-176; ABitoLace ofthe Ti ltnts, 47%h BG was based at (5.900 range wath 272-4 (6 000- 1b) bombload 3220 am (000 rales) Weights: empty 16581 ka (26 135 by ravi take-off 32660 a (000 Ip) Dimensions span 362m (103 9:1) Fength 2276 m (P49 in) bet. 82 m G8ft Tiny wing area 131.92 m" (4zoosa't) ‘Armament win 127-mm (OS-in) gun turrets under nove, aft of cockpit under cette fuselage and in al, and ‘Siglequn mountings sides of noe, In adio operators hatch and in waist (beam) Postions, plus 2 maximum Bembload of 785 (17.6001B) Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress cutaway drawing key 8 Tang smit27mm 2 ronabre SE cine 2 tim 2 ee ines 8 £8 Biren 35 coer Stou® tae Tie Eee 117 Wiegtomseeefdogs) 142 Supercharger fenkbwestoe ico ee ee eee eee sia 182 Witplendmg ee soeegThis Bowing B-17G, ABitoLaceofthe ith BS 447th BG was based at attesden. Spectacular nose art lemaie ormasinvariabiywell ‘Grocuted. Thiscontrasted ith a ‘fetal an on none arty RAP Bomber Command. 25,600); range wath 2722. (6000 1) bembioad 1220 fan (2,000 rales) Weights: empty 16381 (26136 rasumure tak S2560 ey (2000 Ip) Dimensions span 31 62m (1008 i legginge Te m(M4 49 in) height S82 ett Tiny: wing area 131.32 m" mde 1) ‘Armament: twin 127mm (05a) gun furrets under nase, aft of cock Under centre selage and nfl and Stigle gun mounting n aes af oss, ‘nradio operators hatch and in waist (beam) positions plug a maximum embload of 78 ep (17.600 1B) (© Plot recs Limited B-17 Flying Fortre: in Acti __ er bombing accuracy at high altitudes, and a An unusual clean 8-176 ‘marshalled fo alton de Unitin England Sach prs Condition woud not be ane hose artand batle amaze ‘Soon make the aiera oor Basinesshie| larger tailplane cchanges, but the main @ cally better defensiv ‘mm (05.n) Brown mm (03-in) call manually almed f weapons were ina i sal turret, a twin man of the radio compartmes positions, a ma previously a bling: {powered ball tu Desmall. Inthe eve turret had to be vaca! med the whole turret f the alrcraft board, the at least one occas tool was not on bo: olfcer ofan 8th Air F in another B-17 and across taligB-17 Flying Fortress in Action Pease recesses =o er epee arse ie tma nts acorn Resa acer eae Aco wmastistirioimteat Pan ra eee pee eee Tetainncler hance mbactene Baer eee peer ana Pee seereraienroe Eero =e pas TOienaees wd a oft bbe test TG a ee Sean eal ea tia! ieee ili tan reba peace paar epee inna are eee een oe na aera ep a beets eae area Pabicacrs et at ee tatc a a agin ee ear e e Paot Press Limited An unusually clean B-17Gis ‘marshalled fo ahalton delivery oa tnitin England. Such pristine Concition would not belong lived; ‘nose artand battledamage would oonmake the aircraftiookmore Dusinesslie, larger tailplane. There were many internal changes, but the main diference was in radi cally better defensive frepower, with 10 127- ‘mm (0.5.1) Brownings and two of three of 7.62 ‘mm (03-in) calibre. The small guns were ‘manually almed from the nose, while the big ‘Weapons were ina two-cun power-driven dar- sal turrel, a twin manval installation in the roof Of tne redo compartment, two tran waist positions, a manual tall turret (ling what was previously a blind spot) and under the fuselage 4 powered ball turret whose occupant ad to besmall Inthe event ofa belly landing the ball turret had to be vacated, and ifthe door jam- med the whole turret had to be severed from the aircraft by a special spanner carnied on board, the occupant then eseaping| ast fell On at least one occasion it was found the special tool was not on board, and the operations officer of an &th Air Force bomb group took olf in another B-17 and passed the implement ‘across tailing on a long piece of sting. In April 1942 the B-17F introduced many itm provements including a frameless Plexiglas ‘hose which in later versions had two 127mm, (0.5m) guns in Ke mountings. Hundreds of B-17Fs formed the backbone of the growing might of the 8th Air Foros, which fom August 1942 operated aver Germany and other European countries. Aller much action the Luftwalfe decided head-on ata especialy effective and to counter main change in the B-I7G was to add a chin turret with two more guns, making a otal of 13, allof 12.7-mm (0 Sin) calibre (only one gun was fited in the roof of the radio compartment, making the odd number, and later this was often omitted). The B-17G was the final main stream vanani, and 8680 were bul. the last 71,000 or so being unpainted instead of olive: drab.B-17 Flying Fortress in Action Compared with its later rival, the Consoli- dated 8-24, the B-17 was rather simpler, less demanding to fly and certaly easier to bring home with severe battle damage and a tired ‘and wounded crew. At the same time the con- ‘cept of mass day bombing demanded the use of vast formations. 0 that hundreds of guns ‘could fre on each incoming fighter. Holding Sationon missions lasting up to 1Dhours was an exhausting lask, and it Was not uncommon for anrraft to be damaged or destroyed in coli- ‘ions, Compared with the B-17C the flly laden B-17G.could bealmost 70 per cent heavier, and this made it a sluggish performer, thundering upwards or over 4O minutes before passing the &100-m (20,000: level and cruising at a mere 260 Jaw (180 mp, Bach mission thus became ‘a severe test of endurance, though after long @xperience the original problems of intense ‘cold, which froze guns and even crew mem bets (especialy the waist gunners, standing knee-deep in spent shell-cases at their open window hatches) were largely overcome, to the point that an aborted mission was rare Multi-mission Bombloads varied from 1814 kg (4.000 Ib) on typical European missions up 16 an amazing 8455 ig (21800 Ib) ‘using extemal racks. In a few missions stand-off guide bombs or vertical guided bombs were used, and U-boat pens wrere sometimes attacked by rocket-boosted bombs which impacted at supersonic speed. Alogether 12731 B-Is were buil, over 200 serving with RAF Coastal Command and the secret No. 100 Group on electronic counter measures carrying jostle high-power jam- ‘mers and other special devices. But the main memory of the Bris vast feels of bombers, Teaving spiralling wate contras from each of the four engines, rumbling slowly across Europe on missions in which they dropped 640,098 US tons of bombs, a figure just pipped bythe RAF Avro Lancaster butfarinexcessof all other types of bombers in history Flying Fortresses of the Bth Air Force roloaso a ‘Saecntie of bombs on mole markers during a raid ‘Berlin in March 1945 Flying in ght formation, (ach ship gave antt-aircraftcover toits Companions. 150Fast Woman was B-17F-40.80, builtby Boeing in Seatle and attached to ‘the 20rd Bomb Group's 898th Bomb Squadron Sheis shown asthe ‘group's aircraft probably looked when they began their assaults on ‘German targets latin fanuary 1948, fying from ther base at Molesworth, Huntingdonshire. The'F model was grealy improved over earlier Fortresres; more power, mare and better armament, more fveland ‘increased gross weigh‘ and payload made her tough alacker. 151The Battle of Schweinfurt Envisaged as an easy way tocripple the Reich's industrial base, the horror ofthe ‘Schweinfurtraicis had the opposite effectin virtually crippling the confidence and ‘commitment of the US Army AirForce.Butin the American tradition, they never gaveup. Doggedly pursuing ils daylight bombing cam- ‘aon, the USAAF ah Air Force basen the k’was by mid-1943, adequately powerful to extend its operations deep inlo Germany, the prevequisle inthe absence of escort fighters ‘capable of accompanying the entire raid, was to launch suffetent numbers of bombers to ‘swamp the enemy fighter opposition. Belist thatthe German bal-beanng musty, centred at Schweinfurt in southem Germany. repre Sented a vill component in te enemy's War industry that might be severely damaged ina Single heavy raid, prompted io selecion fot atack by the th Air Force's newiy-designated istCombat Bombardment Wing (eavy)in Au- ust 1948 “The original plan (Operation Juggler) called forthe despatch of 150 Boeing B-L1Fso the 4 (CBW (Heavy) to bomb the big Messerschent factory at Regensburg-Prifening and then ‘0 yon to bases in Norh Aires, lalking of shorty before the 240 B-1TPs ofthe Ist CBW which ‘were fo aiackSelweinfur. lish ane Amer. {Gan Supermarine Sptires ond Republic Pls ‘would provide penetration cover afar as Brus Sols forthe Regensburg vai, thereby attract. ing the qreatmajonty of enemy fightersinto the air oo 200 f inerfere seriously wth the main raconSehweinfurtby forang tem oland and Tefiel atthe erica time a8 the main force pushed through Early losses From the oulset of the raids, which were Jaunchedon 17 August, bad Weather destroyed these carefully laid plans. Thick fog over the 4lh CBW bases delayed the Regensburg raiders, but eventually they were ordered off $0 a8 (0 ensure ther aval over the Alsican Bases in daylight However, being based fart er inland i the UK, where the fog persed fonger the 1st CBW was unable wo takeoff unt three-and-a-half hours later by which ime the covering fighters were themselves on the round Telling, Furthermore the 4th CBW Early morning briefing for 8h Air ForceB.17 crows [brloroaraidover the Reich, The prospects were. Bah actualy was much worse. The B17 could (ake aotofdamage, butthe crews wereas Vulnerable as ever. and many ships returned with Geadandaving. 132 hhpd attracted the undivided attention of the Gorman defences losing 24 B-17s (from the Shih, 96th, Stn, 100th, 38, SBN and 380th Bomb Groups) of the 148 aircraft that crossed the enemy coast 'By the ime the Ist CBW reached the Belgian coast the enemy fighters had rearmed and 1e- fuelled and were again on the alert; and fighters that had been called from distant sec: tors of the Reich earlier in the day Were now ‘concentrated in the vary areas to be covered, bythe Schweinfurl raiders. As 280 B-I7Fsofthe Sst, 92nd, 203d, 205th, 306th, S6Ist, S7eth, 38st and 384th Bomb Groups entered Belgian skies the leading ox of 60 bombers was assaulted by successive waves of fighters from 1G 28, followed by elements of JG 2, JG 3 and WG & Before the target was reached and Dbotnbed at 14.87, this one box had lest 21 it~ crafl, and seven others had turned for home ‘without bombing. In al, the target was struck by 1838. 17s despite the persistent attempts by the fighters. By the time the Ist CBW arrived back over ils bases it had lost 98 aircraft fogether with 871 crew members, 19 other B- ‘7swere withdrawn from the combat-reaely list for lengthy repaus. eee Subsequent reconnaissance disclosed that ‘only two of the ve vial ball-bearing plants had been significantly damaged (the VKF and KGF facilites), post-war intelligence showed that bearing production was reduced by only 21 ber cent, and then for not more than three weeks, Indicative of American realization that the raid had falled.in tsaim was reflected inthe abeenoe of any Distinguished Uns Gratons ‘among the Ist CBW's groups. by contrast, ev. ry one of the 4th CBW's groups that bad ‘bombed Regensburg won a DUC. ‘As combat reports were studied it became all too clear that, vith the current level of Gor ‘man ability and determination to resist the Ai 0 ‘The road to Schweinfurt was a bloody path to follow: flak ighters and accidents took ther tll ‘Some athe end formations found their way back Ihomeby tracking the string of burning wrecks on theground. deep penetration raids, the unescorted day: light raid plan was failing. An immediate out come was accelerated delivery of the B-1TG with increased forward gun armament (in a ‘cin turret) in the longer ferm the range of the ‘American escort fighters (the P-47 and Lock. hheed P-38) was progressively increased by the tue of larger dropianks unl eventually these two types were joined by the superlative North American P1D, ‘Unknown to the Americansat the time, the 17 ‘August raid on Schweinfurt prompied the Ger- mmansio start dispersing the ball-bearing indus- Keeping tay othe day's mission atkimboton iinet nome ofthe 3th Bomb Group Losses Sohoary thatthe USAAF near stopped Garant” 2 nosey topped cay hgh Sreteorcbombing.ee ES ee as a NT See A ee ‘SoeingB-17F-1080 of 22nd San of ‘GesistBomb Group based at essingbourn, Cambs, under the 1st Semberdment Wing. No group was ‘ore famous than he Ist wich ained the highestnumber of ‘Seomy aircrafl destroyed and ‘Safered tho heaviest ossesin tho ~ ‘rar. Themarkingsare those of Spring 1843 vintage. _Right:A formation makes the halfway stage ofthe ‘iussion. Now or the Tong haul bach, coping with “nterceptions, lak, battle damage, freezing, “hjuner and sheer exhaustion ‘ry throughout Germany. A second heavy raid vras launched on 14 October by 420 B-17s and. Consolidated B-24s. Once again bad weather ‘mierfered and prevented the B24 element from assembling with the B-I7s and it was ocordingly ordered to lye diversionary foint ver the North Sea. ‘Thus it was that no more ‘han 29] B-lfs eventually sot out for Schwein furl the leading Ist Division fying an almost direct route to the target, and the following Sra ‘Division following a dogleg route in an attermpt fo confuse the enemy as fois eventual target, ‘The former therefore took the brunt of the Ger rman fighter reaction, the 206th Bomb Group, for ‘istance, losing I ofits I7 aircraft Once more 60 American bombers were lost to the Luft walle, the majonty of them to the pilots of 1 Jagdkorps. Ironically, on this occasion the ‘pombing results were judged to be excellent ~ againal an industrial farget thal had largely cis- appeared. Even the claims by the American ExT gunners to have destroyed 288 enemy fighters had eventually to be confirmed as:n0 more than 53 Schweinfurt martyrs ‘The American Ist Division, again raided Schweinfurt on 24 February 1944 when 233 B- ifs and B-17Ce, this time with long-range fighter escort, took off for the long fight over Getinany, losing only 11 of their number. The RAP novr took a hand, and on the same night 6953 Handley Page Holifaxes and Avro Lancas- fers dropped 2,000 tons of bombs. And on the night of 0-81 March 1944, uring the disastrous RAF raid on Nuremberg, more than 100 Halifax and Lancaster crews dropped about 400 ons of ‘bombs in the Schweinfurt area, believing ito ‘be Nuremberg. Further attacks by the Bih Air Faroe BL Tsand B-24s wore flown by day on 21 July and 9 October 1944 against Schwwemfur, ‘and the last aid, by medium bombersof the US Sth Air Force, took place in April 1948. While the martyrdom of Schweinfurt assumed the proportions of an American bombing epic, it served well to demonstrate the characteristic flaws in the whole Allied Stategi¢ bombing plan: that no decisive result ‘would be achieved through bombing without Comprehensively accurate intelligence as to the enemy's ability to disperse his vital war targets, and without prer winning of air super tonty in the enemy's alr space. Right-Flame, smoke and debris stream froma. GyingB-17sher Nak had tor offthe entire nose ‘Section withthe plo co-pilot Bombardier and ‘navigator inside.The Ploesti Oil Raids ‘Haltthe supply of Hitler's ol! was the simple objective behind the Ploestiraids. The achievement of hat objective involved the Americansin perhaps the most dramatic air campaigns ofthe war. Eilectively deprived of oll from overseas throughout World War l, Germany became heavily dependent upon the output of the Romanian ollelels after her allack on the USSR in June 1941, and the vast refining complex at Ploesti (supplying the German forces with some 60 pet cent of their natural oll require ments) soon attracted the attention of Allied strategic planners, nly in June 1842, with the passage through the Middle East of Consolidated B-24D bom bers, did aircraft of suffcient range to reach Plogsti become available, and 13 such aircraft were flown against the target on 11-12 June Only very light bomblcads could be carried on the high! from Fayid in Egypt and, as a result of bad weather over Romana few bombs found their larget and litle damage resulted. The bombers encountered no opposition, but six aircraft force-landed in Turkey and Syna. The raid, beyond confirming the ability of the B-24 to cover tha distance, achieved nothing but to warn the Germans of the danger, who pro: ceeded to deploy heavy gun and fighter de- fences in the area, This falure did nothing to doter the Amor: icans who, a year later, planned to mount a heavy, low-level raid by five groups of B-2s As only two such groups, the 96th and 3761 Bomb Groups (Heavy), were then operational inNorth Africa, three others (the 44th 98rd and bath) were transferred from the UKto Bengha aim Libya when the raid, codenamed ‘Tidal ‘Wave! was to be launched. A total of 179 botn- bers took off early on 1 August 1943 and set Course for Corfu two aircraft were lost through accidents early on, one being the lead airc ofthe 876th (lend that cause ying low into the inferno ofa flaming ol refinery, ‘S.groupolb 24D Liberatorssurge towards their oun targets. ‘such confusion that three groups failed to make: 4 correct course alteration, The force was now heading for Romania in two formations, one of which found itself approaching Bucharest having missed a tam: ing point, leading the 931d Group, Colonel Addison ‘Baker spotted the refineries and lumed the formation towatds the target. Con fused by them direction of approach and in te face of intense ground fire fom the thoroughly alerted defences, the pilots had difficulty in idennilying their briefed objectives and simply bombed targets of opportunity, ‘The B-2ts of the déth, Seth and 386th Groups now arrived, ‘nly to find their assigned targets covered by rolling clouds of dense black smoke and a wall of flak ‘The group commanders displayed ‘great skill and courage in finding and attacking bther plants inthe target comples. but suffered considerable casualties. The “lth Group lost seven out of 16 aircraft o ak, the Seth 13 out of 41. As the B24s emerged from the blazing aigel area German fighters were waiting, and to the loss from flak of 38 bombers were now added eight more to Messerschmitt Bf 108s Seven others force landed in Turkey, two col ded and one ditched inthe soa, Tusa total of Sg bombers om the force of 179 despatched was Jost, and 58 more were badly damaged Only two of the 4th Group's B24 returned, including that ofits commander, Colonel Leon Johnson. who was awarded the Medal of Hon or, four olher Medals of Honor were awarded to participants (three of them posthumously), a unique recognition for a single operation Moreover, all ve groups received Disting uished Unit Citations. Despite the confused nature ofthe attack. the raid nevertheless succeeded indestroying wo ‘of the principal component plants, and the >joesti Complex was unable to regain fll pro duction for eight months, during which time the ‘lies had advanoad north in Tay, thereby halving the distance between suilable bomber pases and the target Apart from a number of bombs which fell at Ploesti during a raid on nearby marshalling yards on § April 1944, the next formally briefed raid on the oil refineries was carried out by 206 B-2As of the 15th Aur Devastation ofthe Romano Americana ollrefinery ‘after astrike byB-24 from aly. Oil supplies from Romania nally cried up st etre the Soviet Forceon 18 May that year. Heavy damage was again caused despite the introduction by the Germans of an elaborate system of stoke ‘Screens, A change in tactics involving the use ‘ofsome T0 Lockheed P-38 fighters and fighter bombers, was employed in a low-level allack on 10 june ~ with the prohibitive oss of 24 itera Between April and the end of August, when Pioesti was overrun by the Soviets, a total of 19 allacks was carried out by the 16th Air Force's B-lisand B-24s, which dropped 18 469 ions of Dbombsin the course of 479 sorties, for the loss of 228 aircraft. Deprived of Ploests oil, Ger ‘many was forced to depend almost entirely on the manufacture of synthetic ol, an industry that was itself fo become paramount among Aled bambing objestves in the fal eight Aliberator barely escapes from the targetat Pioest before being envelopedin the cloud of ‘ame and smoke ofa burning lstorage tankOne ofthe last-24s togetinto action, this B-24)-190 was given a ‘artery dambovantbantob by the dard Bomb Group operating ‘against the apanese mainlanctrom leShima inthe spring of 1345.Tho ‘dorsal terret was omitted. refiecting heapprosch ofviciory TheRAF few soveral hundred Liberatorsin india, where they were ‘themalor weapon used bomb Japanese argetsinBurma and hina, Produced in larger mambers than any other American arcaf ring the wat ‘ourengine aera in flor didnot enter the desnstage ut 838, and the prototype XB-26 was flownan 29 December rat your Mina eveloementPatehes flowed in Io belare the fr marge prodution ver $n he BAD append ate a4 policy decison o concentrate B22 puma ithe Paci theatre (where thatypetiong rence was ed fo good ‘tia resulted in mc ofthe 278 B 24Ds being deployed 3 bur the ehh and eth Air F “Europe aed Nozts Aitca also received th alvcaf, one oftheir oustanding raids being the ataceon the Pees e Tefneres on | August 1945. A total of Tol B-2E bombers with cbs Consolidated B-24 Liberator NG German head-on fgiter ‘tacks and was lowed By 3,100 B 2attatcrat with various makes Of nose Turret Major prosuetion version wa 0 B24), of ‘were Dl neorporating = Mator Products nose ture new-fype autopilot and bomb: Sight The B-24h, (1/87 Dui) featured yo manually operated ‘al guns ina soldated ‘ure. and the 24M (869 bull intoduced a Motcr Pro ets fee-gun tal urel, This Hage manufacturing elon (which produced aloialof 8 slSaueral niveanda tall Years) involved Consolidates, Lowy ibs Ford and North American plan's the otal including many areal or te EAP (in which Liberals served with 42 squadrons) and US Navy Cth ‘bom Liberators served unde the de Signation PBAY) and also the 23 ssenger C87 version tere prodsoed ‘Specification (Consolieted 8.24) berator Type: ignt/ten-crew daylight metlum/heavy boribor Powerplant: four | 200:hp (895-4?) Prater Watney 1890-65 radial piston Performance: maximum speed 481 km/h (280 mph) at 76 (23,000 o bd m (20.000) in 25 minutes, service oslling 8599 m Tei 0 fam (2000 rales) ath a 208249 (8.000) bombloas Weights: empty 16888 ka (36500 Ib) ‘maximum take-off 484 (65 C00 Dimensions span J383m (10 Oi) mG.) height 4m Used as an electronic warfare acral is Liberator RIV ow ‘with No. 229 gn, RAF Fang in ‘head of bombing formations, these Sircrall/ammod German ground andnight fighter radars. (a8 in) Gots0ea't) umament to-gun turets ine ta upper Nelo af o cock and centre fselage, and single manuel guns in wast beam) postions fara tolal of 10 12.-mm (0 Sia) ‘machine-guns, plus 2 partial bomb Toad of Seba ke (60015) wing area 97.36 m* Formation fying isan artin tse, and formating a heavy aircraft while joing upin formations of <0 or ‘more, offen inpartialcloud, ook Concentration. The Americansused ‘Bright coloured assembly ships usually with polka dos fofectate the forming efcombat boxes. Such (gaudy aircraft didnot yon missions Butrotumed o basewhen the ormation had eet course.eS Boeing B-29 Superfortress ign af the Boeing 8-28 Supertor: ‘aeas heavy bomber started in [el treet 2 US Amy Jur Compe reque: ment for @ ‘Hemisphore Defense ofl, an aicrat capable of ar eg, 000) of bom for railes) at 6¢4 ka 00 mph), only alter the Ja tack on Peat! Hanbor Pat e USA’ solani wae the project fen top Briony. and the fie 28-29 endo tas fown on 2 September 1942 The ig four-engine mid-weng bor Derhad by then bean ordered nlarge 1 inain and China The et YB-29 ser frwvere deliered tothe Wing nly 1945 and were bers three months ater. Production ‘ae concentiaied at Boeing, Wichita (BW), Bell Marieta (BA), Martin. mata (MO). and a new Boeing ut at Renton (BN) Four aroups of ‘2s moved 1o India extly in 19% ‘making thoi frst raion Bangkok on§ June, andon tha Japanese mainland 10 ‘ays later Porthe fast nine months te B2is were prncpally employed in igh-level daylight raids, but on & ‘Maren 1948 when operations Were ran pprimanly from fve vast baees in the Ngrianas islands they evitched to Jovrlovel nig atlas with davaca. tngincendiary radson japanese cites (Ge fiat of which on Tokyo ealsod {000 deaths). Two other main ¥ Sons of the B23 appeared during the ‘var, the B-2SACBN si furan veard upper tue! ana incase Wing ‘gan armament and increased bomb: Toad, The B-2045 Os Enola Cay ated Books Car of the 98810 Bor Sal ron diopped the alomic bombs Lite Fat Man ot Hiroshima and NNagasale on € and @ August 8 Te spectively, bringing the war fan ond, ‘Telal B29 production was 37, Specification Bowing B-29A Superforsess O-crew heavy strategic bom: 2.200 be) alpictonenaines Performance: maximum speed Sie kml (S88 mph) at limb tb en 0 $8 minutes) service cesing (G1.800) range 66 kr 100 aes) Weights: empty d2308 kg (7.36015) maximum ake-of! 6: Aeatureof he 829'sgun ‘Srmamentwastheuseot , Femotey controlled turrets pericoptealy bantedy gunners ‘cated within tne {selage.Thealreratt Iestrated, carving BTO (@ombig trough Baseclen Fini forthe ‘alradson japan. 4,100) Dimensions: span 439m (142 $n) Tent 30.18 m2 101m), berg 9011 (ote Tiny. wing area 181-27 m G7s608q ‘Remament fou-cun ture over nos fwovaun tnzels under nove, unde and ‘over tear fuselage all wih guns of i2f-mm (Ose) ealisre, and one 20- rm and two 12mm (Sm) gue in tall plus a bombload of up to 8072 kg (aaa The mighty Superfortress. Oneotthe ‘most remarkable achievements of thewarwas hedesign, evelopment and production ofthis ‘Bomber inthe spaceofour years. All Boss wereassigned fotheassaullon Japan, the two arcralthere 1329s “eing own by te sath Bomb Wing WeryHesvy Span, and tho B-2BB-BA with reducod enamed ety’ by the Ales, the ‘Mitsubishi G4M long-range medium Dome japan aay ofthe War i hat sank the Bri December 19a], and japanose surrender ined in-service wih tbe yom the fist fo te ast ince of Wales ana HMS Re ‘outed the a ement for a long-range bomber ‘Gab prototype maces fist High 1é9a, and dunng tas inary perfor frm Giempt) 1p lan 80. mll rane, Aibest without boron The fst po ‘duction CaMlle (Navy Type 1 Atfack Bomber Model 11) vere inially de ployed eosin China tt mic 194 but fon te eve ofthe tack ot Malaya tha mers moved Ta Indo-Chuna. and ek had scossetlly tac of Wales and Repulse i nahter oppastion even funy increased to ellstve. propor tions the GM) wae seen to Be rary Identifie by its cnedra tailplane, the Mitsubiahi CaM Betty was produced n limited numbers during Ue iasttwoyearsofthe war. The ‘mainimprovement over previous ‘models was increased protection for Ihecrow. The alrcralt portrayed few Pp iit the Yokosuka Kobutal Atsuat uring the last days of the war vulnerable, possessing litle armour protection fot cxew and fuel tn, ane [Rives a pair of CAMs that Ada hissat were travelling Navy Type | Atack Bomber Model 22 vat rensed powerplant: The CAMZThe B-29 Raids on Japan — Once war with Japan became realty in De- ember 1941, itwas accepted by the United States that final victory could be achieved by oly two means: an apoalingly cost land in vasion ofthe Japanese homeland, or the blast- 1g ofthe enemy into submassion from the air ‘There were no other options. And the Boeing 2.29 Superioriress long-range heavy bomber was produced for exactly the later purpose ‘This altcraft Nad in fact been conceived in 1840 simply a8 a successor to the B-I7, almost two years before the United States entered the war, bu ater Peat] Harbor great urgency was lent to the process of putting the big bomber into production, its specification was the only fone that envisaged delivering 2 worthwhile ‘bomb load over the vast distances involved in the Pacific war, and in general terms it possos: sed about twice the performance of the B-17. ‘Gnoe the B.28 entered production it came to ‘be reuarded as the single weapon that mit ‘bring Japan to her knees, so the application of ‘manpower to bring this weapon into service ‘was nothing short of prodigious Giant pre-order First fight by the prototype XB-23 ook place con 21 September 1942, by which time 1.664 production aircraft had been ordered. the fol- {owing june the seth Bombardment Wing (Vary Heaty) was activated ai Manetia, Geor ia, and seven pre-production YB-23s were Selivered for crew training the following month Meanwhile 700,000 Chinese labourers were elo workto consiructnine huge airfelds, four in China and five im north east India, ands new command, the US 20ih Air Foree, was const tuted under Genera) of the Army Henry H, ‘Ammold, on 4 April 944. On 5 June India-based B-29s othe 68th BW took off io bomb railway yards at Banakok in Thalland. The logistic effort required to support the operations from these frases was enormous, ‘and involved the B-23e themselves fenvying ‘huge quantities of fuel and ordnance over the Himalayas to their staging bases in China, a task which cost many aircraft, as well as accelerated wear on engines and airframes The first B29 raid on the Japanese mainland vwas flown on 18 June hy 80 aircraft against Yawala; seven bombers were los, batof these only one ellic the enemy, These dificult rads ‘against Japan confinued for some months with fBirly heavy casualties (at least three B23 force-landed in the USK, where they were ‘copied as the Tupolev To), Mass build-up When American forces captured the Marianas in 1944 five great bases were con sructed, two on Tinian, two on Guam and one on Saipan, each large enough to accommodate a 1e0-atcrat wing. The first Mananas-based Taidon Japan was lownon4 November By [1] 2asofte Zora Wing led by Brigacher Gener- al Emmett ODonnell against the Musashino engine plantat Tokyo, butasa resultofnavigat ing dificultes only 24 aircraft bombed the target Tithe meantime the 58th Wing had moved! the Marianas, tbe Joined by the 313th, 314th and 816th Wings, representing an inital force Of almost 600 anreraft On 20 January 1844 Major General Curtis, LeMay assumed command of the XXT Bomber Command with headquarters n Guam, is task being fo inate a series of devastating fire raids on Japan. The frst such ‘aid, om the night of 9-10 March 1948, involved 302 alreraft altackang individually from be- Tween 1528 and 3050 m (6,000 and 10,000.) ‘Crews were reduced and gun armament omit fed in the interests of increased bombload, ‘which comprised more than six tons of the new M3 fire bombs, each of which was in eft a ‘luster of napalin containers For the loss of 14 B-28s 43.75 km’ (169sq miles) of Tokyo were reduced to ashes, Five such fire raids were flown in this inital phase against Japan, the ‘ities of Nagoya ((wo raids), Osaka and Kobe sharing the fate of Toi. ‘As the Japanese fighter defences ware in- creased io moet this temendousonslauah the ‘B2ashad their tal cuns reinstated, andin May raids by more than 40) ireraf were frequently flown, with losses gradually dropping from 1.3 [per cent to 0.02 in August. The Greatest raid Was mounted on 28-28 May when 464 B-29s out ‘of 498 despatched raided Tokyo, led by 12 pathindars. This raid, Mission 183, resulted in ver 2200 tons of incendiaries falling on the Boeing B-28 Superfotresses formate over Guar on ther vay tobomb stratesictargetsin apan, ‘Theendurance rhe 8-20 enabled the Americans {oattackfapan from vast airield complexes ust farbeyond therange of enemy bombers. predominantly timber-built areas of the Japanese capital of which 489 km" (189sq, miles) were devastated. In the 200-0dd fre Tris carried out by the B-29s over Japan the USAAF dropped 169,678 tons of bombs, of which 105 486 tons were inoenciaries In Toiga alone more than 80,000 people were killed and ‘over one milion rendered homeless, more than were caused by ellher of the two atomic ombatiacks which were flown by B-28sof the 80th Composite Group of the 816th Bomb Wing ‘against Hiroshima on 6 August and against Nagasaks three days later. Whether by fire of by atomic bomb, the B-29 achieved its alloted tasie Japan surrendered unconditionally at mdnight on 1418 August 1945,Mitsubishi GAM ‘Botty' (continued) was therefore introduced with in- numbors as the Navy Type 1 Attack Powerplant: «wo 1800-hp (1549-KW)' length 20.00 m (62 & Tsim. height Greased armament inreasediueland Bomber Model $4. Production MisibsniMRAPKageidladialpison 6 00m (13 {t @¥in). wing ares BGO-bp (ISMGKW) Mitsuki Kasei amounted to 1.200 GMs, 1,184 engines 7a 125m (40.0) ‘aclals|and tis version (Navy Type | C#Mzs and 60 CAMs Performance: maximum speed Armament tvo un (0.2034) Type ‘Back Bomber Model 22A an Model 4sstem/h (272 mph) at 4600m Ga machine-gum in nove, one 77-nim 228) remained in production unt the (5.050) climb i 800m (25.248 Ain (00m) Type Se machine-gun in fa of the ar in steady improved 424 minutes) seraice baling #8!0m each ade biter poston one 20mm Navy Type I Atack Bomber Model 2 Specification (29966 range 605¢1an (186 mies) ‘Typo 69 cannon in dove! turet and varlanig A firher improved version, Dltsubishs GAM ety Weights: empry 8160 kg (1788015), one mn Type sin tal ps 1o00 the GAMA, ah incresond crew pro: Type! seven-crew land-based naval nomial loaded 12500 kg (279588). (220018) of bombs er one BOOS tection, was also predioed in small bumber Bianensions s+ WB hyushin 1-4 ee BOO G2 ROY in, (LTBEIb) torpedo ‘The liyushin I-4wasroughiy inthe Same clase as theeinkelHe 1 and firtsaw servicein he Winter War WwithFiniand. twas the iret Soviet Bomber toraidBerin, and served Lint elas fewr month ofthe war, when itwas relegated o glider ‘owing. ‘armament of single nooo, dorsal and Soviet Naval Aviation anditwasanav- Powerplant: |00-np (@21-kW) M ental Tez-mam (Om) guna and lst sbimanned écecfinese bombers that 888 radial Piston ences menvly to such sora a8 the Bristol frst raided Beri from tha east on @ Performance! maximum speed ingby the great Bish and American Bulli, Gloster Gladiator and Poker August 1941. Thereafter the I-t paid 410 em/h (285 mph) at 4725 {0 frcrah yet wel over §000 Ide were DaXtduring ho Winter War against flequent vss to the Gorman capital (19.900, nial chmb Tate. 270m ea nd 1944,the Finland in 190640 in 1609 a modited mewope in (GBM) per minute, series celling marty in the last three years version with lengthened nose and though the 10000m (2810. range wih bor eoriginalproctypecthislowwing more stiour (the DBF) appeared. I-4cerved until theend ofthe war and ond 2800 kan (616 miles) fwmengine Pomper designated the and in 1940, in conformity mitt alterwarce Apart irom mcteaaing the Weights: empty 6000 Fy (132281) Tei-26 flow 1035, was developed changed Rustian practice, the de- calibre ofta guneandqiving ta tops. maximum fke-of 1000) ka 22086 1) through tte TeKB-S0 and entered pro- Sgnaton became ft (denoting the do-carrying aby. the f-4 remained — Dimensions: span 2144 m (0 84% in) Scion i 1867 es ne DBIB (DE being deagner, Sevge. Iyushi) Soon after vitualy unchanged between I@iland length 14e0'm (46 6/412), height a Soviet contagion denoting long. the German attack on the USSR 184 ‘Cldm (13m ¥en) wing ares 687 me Tange Dotabed) Early amples were opened in 1941 was decided to wit (isean) powered by TbStpGILRVOM-85en. craw il production o newly opening Armament: single. 127-mm (0$+in) mines Pultiese were replaced py %60- plants in Sbara atta same tine fo. Specifeation Ostmachine-cuns is nose, dots ta pie ener ne nae ee ae yee ae Heinkel He 111 Water Gunther for a dual-purpose Conder in the Spanish Civil Way The Switched fo the most widely-used theEasternFront in 941 was KOSS commercial ransporvbomber pro- rs production version mith staight vanark the He Illtwith Junkers uno ‘Greif (Grifon Wing) one of whose anced in 1894 and ow on 24 Febru. wing leading edoe was the Ho IWF 2 enginos sub-varians ofthis caries HeinkelHfe 11 1Hsisacen ere being Sty 1938 only versions festured @ andine He [11P incorporated a ly- formed the beckon ofthe armed with an externally carried Gotventionalstépped windsereetiand Glazadasymmetnencee witmautextet- bombar force between 19 Bomb prior foaraid. aranal Heinkel He 111 (continued) From mia-1940 onwards, withthe ‘rtvalin service of bombs foo are {obecarried internally, Helis frequently carried tet loads externally. AHoinkel fe 1118-6in themarkingsofKG 261s shown took pact in numerous raids inthe patatoop tansport, night bomber and leofBniain and wereflown by the Sider tug sub-rarans,‘The He 11IH- oder unit KGr 100 The fst ver earned a single F103 fying bom Son te can torpedoes Was the He and was Usod again tha UX late i THIS flowed by the He 1IE-IS 1914 'The moet extesntcinary oll yas fe He 1118-8 was hited wih a large the He 1112 (Zvaling, a Twin) wich imberseme Palloon cable fer. consisted of twa He I11Hs joined the He IHIKLIUR2 was'a glider together wih anew ying and ts en jr the Go 242 wile pathinider gine: i as ud tainly fo tow the tracns with speccal radio were the fge Me Sel Gigant citers A total of He IILe1 and He 1ITH-18 the He about 200 He Ills was bu. 1-16 featured inerazed gan arma ‘meth and the He I1IH-20 included Ie Specification Heneol He 1118.16 Type: fvecteN tedium bomber Powerplant 01.380 hp {Ili Junkers fumo Z11P inverted V-I2 pis formance: maximum 6 km/n (271 mph) at 6 (Gass) clint to 800 a (@1.360 range 1980 (1 ‘Weighs: empty 8620 3 ( ‘ma fake 2 1400 60 m (74.21% in if S¥sin), heighy S¥0m 1s eine wing area 95 iwstorsa) ‘Armament die 20 mm MG FF can invnoso, one 12mm (05/in) MG 18 un in dorsal postion, two 72mm (OSL MG 18 guns in rear of ventral ‘gondola and twa T 82mm (0-19) MC 81 gunsin each of wa Beam pesto ‘Phir bombload of 2000 kg 4409 1b) Internally an 200 kg G40 1) exter rally Heinkel He 177 Greif Heinkel He 177A-5ofll Gruppe, ‘Kampfgeschwador | Hindenburg ‘based at Prowehren East Prussia, ‘mia-1944. KG | assembled about 90 {Grihese bombers foratiackson Soviet communications and maltary installations, ut unreliability dogged operations at the serapping of German Pointing in service, Several eub 4 suategie Bombing force n 1998, vanamts of the He ITTA-3 wore he Lule abandoned plans to de 2, incliding the He, TTTA-S73 opalteavy bomber untlin asthe which could carry throe Hs 220 approached the Henkel com- shipping missles the He 177A.3RS Dany witha requirement fr sich an with fmm gun sn a ‘rcta reauing in he Heinkel He 177 Greif Grier, afour-engnemid- wing ‘retain which the | 00 Cab. 600 B60! encines were coupled inpaxs _leaguerad G (ermed DEEDES) to ivesingle prop: rad in January lore The ht areal the He I incorporated a suonger Wing t carry was flown on 19 Novem 1838 and @ small {inung engine overheating problems he Zero as well ax persistent structures fe wih 20 upward fri delayed production the st He ITIA- bes inthe space normally Tot reaching VKG 40 for operational By the tons unl July 1942; in tho course of Ho 177A tarenrnedto the richtatack these He I7istook partinraidson the on the UK early n 1944 he Uk bur generally they proved dis. proved tobe the lst fo seave affa (bombers being afford low prionty during the lst year ofthe War) But many interesting projects Continued to be ped. ineluding involving the conversion of He 177 se az a carey of Germanys atomic Bomb hich in the avon eid not alze. About 1,180 production prototype He |e wena bul. Specification Henkel He LI7A-SIR2 Greit Type: succrew heavy omiber Pomerplant tea. 2S80-np (2200-4 Barmlet-Bor2 DBGIOR-U/E- pated in ered Viz pion enanes rerformance: mazimum speed 488 ks (308 mph) at 8000 m Inti limb rate 180™m (238) per minute; service cetling noo m G6 248.) range ath two He 253 weapons 8500 kam 418 rales) ‘Weighs! ompty 16800 kg (22257 In) maxim kof 1000 Bi (8242 1B) Dimensions: span $1 44mm (103 19 inj length 20 40 (66 R11 3 esgrt 640m (Ott 11% in); wing area 10200 a (1.09806) Armament: one 782 (Q31-in) MG 81 ‘gan in nese, one 12mm (0s1n) MG TSI gun in forward dorsal tart one “n) MG 181 gun in rear ne [2mm (SL-in) MC ‘unin ear of ventral gondola one 2am MG FP cannon in font of ven ‘val condo and one 2mm MIG EF in fal bls tatu internal bomb load of 6200 ky (13,2815) ar two HS 233 misalee Dornier Do 217 In 1941KG 2reequipped withDo 2178s: this Doal /e-zcaries the Codes of3Stafel This version introduced an electrically operated dorsal turret witha single [-mm ‘machine-gun Inthe normal process of de toni was recognised that. cu ftom a design compromise, tier Do {T could at best reper Sopgap fr thr or four walle service, snd in 1321, Graf wae emer ger and dedicate sie Domne Do 212 Powered by 1075-np (302% 01 engine, he prototype Do aiTVi was flown in August 1938 but at onc hat many of the excellent esate earirarcrat Indeed, the pro ‘Several futer vo various og ig enlarged t ‘greatly increased engine power, and After ited production ofthe Do 217A eoonnaisanice atc and Do 217 Dombor, a staneara fo il production Sseiled pen the Do 217E powered by theo L596» (11S6-EW) BMW GOIMA, radials Pre-production De 21TE-O a {all appeared in 1940, and service Do 2ite-T Bombers oaty in 841 he iat. ier Carried a bombload of 2000 kg (L408 a crew of four or five and & ofensive armament of ive MG 18 machine-guns and a 15mm MG 151 Pumto receive the Do 217Ebomber, ip March 194), was WKG 40 for aa Shipping duties over the Atlantic 0 lowed by al tires Gruppen of KG. A large number ofsubvarianis ard Rist ‘Size (eld oonverson kis) existed. {hiding provision to carry two Hen’ halls de mal increased armioe protection and armament progressive FFincreased to seven MG 18 andaDomier Do 217 (continued) 20mm cannon, The Do 2176-2, fa 2x: ample, introduced an elecincally operated dorsal turet mounting Shale Is (08131) MG 13! heavy tachine-aun Dornier Do 217Es of KC 2 consuted a large part of the L waile bomber force sent agaist Be 1Gh towns and eties in Ue so-called Tedeker raids of Aplland May 14a, Dang theaururtof hat year a new sion, the De 217K, jared KG 2 wrod by 1.700: (labs kW) BMW S0iDradias is version wasn elt ‘move power counlerpact the Do 217 series and could accommodate al he Rstsatze previously applica flop eliminated the windseroen step by inducing a completely now aed Dulbous nose profie. Preduced almcat simultaneously was the Do 217M, ‘which wasstmibrfothe Do217K eres ‘ut with 1 fa0-hp (108-KW) Daimler. Bonz DB 608A Ueuic-ccoled inverted VEl2 engines Theos to vetsions continued inser: vice upto the end oftho war, frequent ly being employed to deliver such ‘Weapons asthe Hs 250A and Pate X both against ships and key land targets However, no more than 1730 Dodifeotal version: were produced, ‘of which almoat hal wore reconnaise ‘noe aurcrat and righ fates. ciation Boise Bodine ‘Type: tear seat om Powerplant 20" 1780-np (150644) Dataler-Banz DB S05A inveried V-12 piston engines Performance: maximum, speed 600 ems (248 mph) at 8700 m (18,000 initial climb rate 210m (626) por minute; service coiling $500m (1.la0') range 2800 km (1.58 miles} Weights: empty 065 ko (13,505) Tait feof 16700 Bg 26617 2) Dimensions: span. 1200m (628 in) Tenott Too m (88 t 20sn), haight 496mm (8 AS in) wing anes S700 18454.) Armament cg 782 mm (08-in) MG Bland two Ldsam (Bran) Me 1st machine-guns, plus up to 4000 kg @aieib of bombs: Junkers Ju 88 (bomber versions) Interns of versaity and long service ihe unkers a @8 bomber matched the cutstanding record of the Messer Schmit Bt 108 fighter, Conceived as a speed medi boraber ia 1836 te first prototype Ju 88 VI was Down Plugkapitin Kiedermann at Dessau fn 21 December the same year. The itge-seat al-motal aera was or nally poweted by two LooD-ap (46 Balmier-tene DE 620A V2 en ines inannular cowings Nine furor prolotypss followed before construc {ign eff pro-preductonJuBBR-O ar rated in 1929 by whch me the nose ard cabin had been revised 'a ourman crew. cuter wings fo enable dive atacks to ‘made, and extetnal bomb Jacks Under the mer wings Ineteased the ufo fom 500 ki (1,102 I, car Hed intemally, 0 2 fla of 1900 Kg gor, Production Ja 884-1 bombers were jrnng te Lutwatle atthe cateak war, and about 60 acral Had boon Completed by the end of 1888 The Ju SStestunitcommanded by Hauptmann Pol, Eiprobunaskommando 66a redesignated TG 25 in August 1855 and the following month became UKG Scarring outs st operation Wath fan atagk on Bush waratuns in te FurhofForthon deSeptember. tur feraid onthe same target followed on Tp etches hon iva jaa were shot ‘ow by Supermarine Spires. ‘By the time ef the Garman invasion ot Norway seven Gruppen of LG L KG 0 and KGS), togethor with Auslar Undearuppe 12a ad been equipped Or wore fe-equipping wih Ju EAS Production of wich was pearing 2004 front New bomber variants included the ju8A-2 mth rocket asastod take ff gear, the a8 Ae vat increased ‘ang span, stengitened landing gear fd Lop (1000) jmiers fama 2ii)-1or}-Zengines and the generally Sinlay Ja 8 A'S All ibese versions Appeared during 1940, the Ju BBA tak ing @ prominent parti the summer [ale Botan and antes Bite yt Ud pen, of which If were Kamel ‘gruppen. By yeason of ther relatively igh speed. the fu SUAS proved the "ost dificult of te German bombers iDdestroy, and carried outa mumiver oF ‘ery siccessul stacks ‘The JNGSA serlestertained the pris cipal bomber version, later Sub. vatianis Including tho Ju 886 with balloon cable fender. tho Ju 88-610 three-seatlopg-ranoe marin bom ber mith FuG 200 Honentwael search adat the Ju 884-8, Ju @A-10 anc Ju BEA-IN which were topicaized ver Sons of to ju BA, Ju BAG and Ju 884-4 respectively, the Ju 88A-14 at. Shipping sks botaber the fu EA18 wth bulged bom bay oepable of en sing 9000 kg (6814 and the Ju 684-17 orpede-bomber “h G¥As saw considerable acton in ean ant however with HKG 26 and KO'30 vben based in norinert, Norway (Or "he Alhed North Cape convoys in 1841-3 inal, the 120 juss are eatiated have ‘sink zT merehonshipsand seven nv al vessels Ju G8A8 of LO | operated wath similar success against the Malta svoys cing the samme of 1812 ‘Towards the etl of the Wax Toany redundant fu Sas weTe converted 2 Become tie unmanned. explosive Hed component of te Mitel compe. icra weapon at was used With Some sucense in the last moms of the Alsruptive white streaking was Spplied over the standard splinter Mediterraneancamoutlage of hiss Soho 94 Totnkopt Deaths jead Wing) based atBergamo, aly, inSeptember 1943 during rations against the Allies at elerno. Specification Junkers ju 62+ ‘Type: ur seai mediumidive bomber Powerplant: 0,20 Hp (1000ew) Junkers Juno Zit}-Ter 2lt}2 inverted Vile piston engines, Performance: maximum sp. 480 .em/h (260 mph) at 6000 m 82 fy cl to S00 (LT 71S 9 nutes, orice cling €20)m (@5 001) range 2730 km (18 Weighs empty S660 9 (2) 1411p) ‘ae alec 14000 (30 85 Bb) Dimensions spar 20.00 ma (6517 i; Tengih 40m (47 2%), height ebm (180 I) i) wing aren 94501 (oa869sa ‘Ramarment up o soven 7 82-mr (031 IMIS or MGB. mschine-qira, pis 2 maximum internal and external Bombload of $600 ca 7.80815). TheJu$8 served in the bomber role throughout the war andin every theatre, This BAA is seen inthe MorthAtican desert (note the white theatre band on the rear uselage) ‘witha par of £50 kg (551 Ib) bormbs Under the wings, inboard ofthe engine nacelles.Armed Forces of the World South Africa -.:: South African Air Force That South Afica st war anly becomes apparent ne terse statoments ae released by the miltary authorities refering to losses in the ‘operations ates" The battles are usualy in Angola and more Tecontly in Namibia, but suraunded as South Atica s by black African states, they could involve clashes between guertilas and the Sauth African defence forcesin any one of the neighbouring countries, But for the disorganization and vised loyalties of ‘ooposing armies, losses to date couldhave been for higher fo tis last wihiterulad African nation, Yet the South African forces continve to maintain their positon as the strongest and most modem ‘army'in southern Arica despite the UN ant ‘apartheid sanctions tis generally accepted that the ‘publics Now about 90 per cont sel auficient in farms production, manufacturing within ts Borders anything from bulets to bomber acraft The equi ‘ment it cannat produce comes through the sane ions-busting ‘back door” with no questions asked “Tne South Arican Aur Force is technialy the strongest olament in the country’s defence net Work lis personnel ae trained tothe highest sta ards to operate a range of modern combat and Supgor aera. Speameading tha frontline force within Strike Command are more than 40 Dassault. Breguet Mirage F. ls and 40 Dassautt Broguet Mir: ‘age Ills assigned the air superiority and ighter- bomber oles. Most ofthe Mirage F13were assem: bled in South Africa by Atlas Aira rom French supplied components, and speculation continues ‘ver whether or not more of These capable srraft have actually been bul by Atlas than offically der Glared. As a staunch supporter of tho UK. South Atica bought 'tish’ for many Years, and remin ers of this happier period are tho six English Elec tie Canberra and six Blackburn Buceanee’ bombers \Which stil equip twa SAAF squadrons. as some ‘experts argue, the country has developed a nuclear ‘weapon, it seems highly probable thatthe delvery system would be the Buccaneer. "The important sea lanes sound South Atria are Fegulariy patrolled by seven Avro Shackleton MR.Mlcas of Maritme Command, These ol arraft have been vitua rebut to Keep thar fying. but thairropiacement is now a matter of some Urgency. Itisbaleved a martime reconnaissance version of the French Transal is being developed fr this pur ose. Supplementing the Shackletons are 20 lag Sie P.1685 Albatrosses whieh perform the short Fange coastal patra task ‘Ai Transport Command has a mixture of Amer ican, French and Britsh aicaft, Numerically, the Douglas C-47 heads the lst, wth more than 40 in lise acquired over arumber of years froma variety ‘of sources. The heavylift component comprises seven early Lockheed C-1308 Hercules transports alvored in 1963, but this foroa ean be expanded to incorporate 11 Lockheed L-100 evi variants oper ated by the freight airine Safi, These aera cory Cilia registrations but are often manned by rit arycrews, Shorer-rangetactieal missions ae flown by nine Transall C-180s. FHing on VIP and com ‘Muricaions duties are seven Douglas DCs, four ‘Swearngon Merin IVs, four BAe HS 125s and a Single Vickers Viscount Within Light Areraft Command, headquartered at 2wartkop, are 10 squadrons with helicopters and fixed-wing supoon areraft. The helcooto’ units are holy French-equinpad, the largest typ in Use boing the Aérospatiae Super Felon af whieh there are 14 of 16 deivored, diided between two unts ‘More than 60 Aérospatiale Alouette Ils operated for Gunship, madevae and liaison tasks Home Produced Aas Bosbok {the Italian AM.3C buit Under licence} and Ati Kudu single-enginedisison ‘Supportolthe South African Army sa prime obligation ofthe Air Force, and they a ‘Substantial number ofheticoptersinthatrole. The ‘Aérospatiae Super Frelen has served welfor ‘many tough years, bu stllsoldierson, Although South Africa does have an air defence ‘requirement, er Miragelils aremostlyopumized Terground atack Hore a Mirage liz hres asalro ‘funguided rockets ata ground target. andlight anspor alrrat respectively, makeup the majority ofthe fixed-wing force totaling some 80 machines. The rugged Cessna Mod 185 remains .use in one of possibly two squadrons The high qualtyof SAAF traning sa telling facton ‘operations. Training Command encompasses the Central Fying School at Dunnotar one Fiing Tra ing Sehool at Langebaanweg and four Advanced Fiving Schools. Equipping the FTS are more than 100 Atlas Impala Mk icence-buit M8 326s) plus 2 few ofthe 70 of mare single-seat Impala Mk lis Bull. Each ofthe AFS uns trains plots ora specific rola: No. 84 AS forlight airrattNo. 85 AFS fr jets, No. BB AFS for mull-engine and No. 87 AFS for helicopters ‘Two other elements ply snimportant role within he SAAF. Tho irst sine Active Caen Fare, made Up of six auxiliary squadrons equipped with Impais Mk ight strike aera. There are also 12 Air Com mando Squadrons (Nos 101 to 172, plus No. 114 ‘Wornen’s ACS} under tha control of the SAAF and fying civil ight aierat for use in emergencies. South African Air Force order of battle (ne mecmbombarsquadon Carter Bi) Mk 127. Mk Qhelong rngestrikeequaton(@uccanee:S Msc ‘Throeay supra ite bembor squadron iage IRE EE tage coRORO ae ‘One ang range mestime reconnarsence squadron Sct ce ‘Qne const part squseron saga P1685 Albatros) ‘Ghosnt suture hmeaperedavcon Wess 56 Mk) Fou tanepor sauodons i 1208 Heres Taras 1 Carats, Bea ‘a Feu uth taneport asec (Cessna 185, AM 3C Besta Cade cate Naa ister ge ia ca