During the war, thousands of men would fly thousands of missions in the B-17s all around the world. Nov. It was five days before Christmas 1943, and the fighter had closed in on their crippled American B-17 bomber for the kill. Goering, was the nephew of Luftwaffe chief Herman Goering, and an American citizen, flew bombing missions over Germany as a command pilot for the 303rd Bomb Group. More from This Artist Similar Designs. He was lost on April 24, 1944 on a mission near Friedrichshafen, Germany. Oberleutnant (Lieutenant) Stigler had already shot down two B-17s that day, and one more added to his total. 13 Jun 1943 : Robert Johnson scored his first kill, a German Fw 190 aircraft of 10 Staffel of JG 26, over. B-17 Flying Fortresses from the 398th Bombardment Group flew a bombing run to Neumünster, Germany, on 13 April 1945. The bomb. 512 of the total were B-17Es. An escort fighter needed range long enough to reach the target, loiter over it for the duration of the raid to defend the bombers, and return. He had seen the faces of the wounded crewmen and decided to spare the damaged B-17 and more—to escort the plane out of Germany. Dorr Collection photo. The patrolling submarine U-456 spotted the convoy as soon as it reached open water. S. Army Air Corps (AAC), a precursor of the U. Most of the B-17’s gunners were wounded, only a few guns were still working and none were able to shoot at the enemy fighter alongside. When his bomber came under fire from German anti-aircraft guns, he ran out of options. Apr 1, 2004. 21, 1942. (U. The German pilot escorted the B-17 to the English Channel and then saluted the A. The bomber's flight is said to have yielded one of the. Until that instant, he hadn’t been certain the planes were German. The Eighth Air Force leadership had gone to war believing that their four-engine Flying Fortresses were properly named, but soon found otherwise when the B-17s began encountering Luftwaffe fighters. Of the 1. The long-range P-51 Mustang fighter was invaluable to the Allied victory, enabling resumption of strategic bombing after heavy losses suffered by unescorted bombers in 1943. Its first public appearance in Seattle was a huge event, and all the media attention resulted in the B-17’s intimidating name. U. B-17 Bomber Pilot Painting. The Bf 110 was equipped with an advanced FuG 220 radar. Despite the institutionalized racism that plagued their military service, the legendary fighter pilots — known as the “Red Tails” — earned the respect and trust of the bomber crews. The top hat markings represent bomber escort missions. The B-17 groups that constituted the bulk of VIII Bomber Command strength at the time began taking very heavy losses from German fighter attacks. ( (National Archives))The truth is that Lee Archer claimed to have shot down a total of four enemy airplanes during World War II, and he received credit for all four of them, one on July 18, 1944, and three more on October 12, 1944. A radar-equipped Messerschmitt Me-110G-4 uses its upward-firing "Shräge Musik" 20mm. Although Boeing lost the contract because the. 50 caliber machine gun turrets,How the Me-110 Became a Bomber’s Worst Nightmare. Kendrick R. The Germans soon discovered that it was hard to shot down. In early 1942, the U. In the period prior to D-Day, the fatality rate is close to 65%. 30 jets from the newly formed Jagdgeschwader 7 streaked through the formation and shot down seven B-17 bombers in just eight minutes. As a new and inexperienced pilot, he was assigned as wingman to Captain James A. Historic fact: The story of Franz Stigler, a German pilot who risked his life in three different ways when he was ordered to chase and shoot down an American B17 bomber, piloted by 2nd Lt. On March 24, 1945, the 332nd Fighter Group of the U. It began life here in Seattle at Boeing's Plant 2, a mile north of The Museum of Flight, on February 13, 1943. Two captured Boeing B-17Es fly past Mount Fuji, led by a B-17D. German fighter pilot Franz Stigler had safely escorted them out of Germany, but he didn't expect the B-17 to make it home. Erich Hartmann became Germany's top ace in just three short years with more than 350 aerial victories. He was lost on April 24, 1944 on a mission near Friedrichshafen, Germany. German fighter pilots with B-24 model showing its defensive arcs of fire. Armament experts, after analyzing combat camera footage, learned that pilots of average ability hit the bombers with only about two percent of the rounds they fired. After being hit by ground fire while escorting German bombers, Franz was forced to belly land in the desert. JG 1, who was shot down near Arnhem, Netherlands. The USAAF commenced operations with the new P-51A fighter in Asia when eight P-51 fighters from Claire Chennault's 23rd Fighter Group escorted B-25 Mitchell bombers in an attack on the Japanese airfield in Shinchiku Prefecture (now. Fortunately, Marshall kept a detailed diary during his time in the service. "It gives you a buzz of excitement, because we. One of the most well known bombers of all time, the B-17 Flying Fortress became famous for the long daylight bombing raids over Europe in WWII. One look at the B17 and Stigler knew it didn't. The sleekly elegant Supermarine Spitfire is the iconic British fighter of World War II, the plane that kept the formerly unstoppable German air force at bay in the Battle of Britain. His squadron was escorting a group of bombers tasked with hitting the German town of Oschersleben because of its airplane factory – the. S. His actions got nine men home for Christmas. February 11, 2015. There don't seem to have been many units still operating Bf 109 Fs, most were flying Gs, the G-2 had been introduced in May. flying his first mission as an aircraft commander flying a B-17, “Ye Olde Pub” on a. The B-24 and B-17 bombers are the only aircraft to have ball turrets. Fun Fact: This concept was. Both the Flying Fortress and the Liberator were equipped with engines that were flat-rated at 1,200 shaft horsepower each at takeoff—for a total of 4,800 hp on an airplane with all engines running. Dec 19 2022 There, alongside the defenseless B-17, German ace Franz Stigler decided to break the cycle of violence, to spare the bomber and escort it out of Germany. This is a subreddit for War Thunder, a cross platform vehicular combat MMO…This was Bomber Command's worst loss in one raid during the entire war. Many died, but many more lived. The U. The entire crew survived the 10-day ordeal by getting the aircraft’s radio into operation again and transmitting an SOS, which resulted in their rescue. In the early days, many flew P-39s or P-40s,. . Illustration on the event. Stigler could have easily shot the bomber down, but instead he escorted them past an anti-aircraft battery and flew along side them for a while out over the North. An accomplished private pilot, he travelled to Britain to volunteer with the RAF, and joined No. The German pilots and their fighters were worn to the bone. Support this channel by using the SUPER THANKS (heart icon above) or by becoming a Patron at one or all three of the b. The 357th Fighter Group was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. I came across this original WW2 U. The Knight’s Cross. A B-17 bomber is flying over German territory, Alone. The Luftwaffe pilots quickly identified the B-17's vulnerability to head-on attack. USAAF pilots collaborate with the RAF on a bombing mission targeting German airfields in Holland. Bigger WWII bombers like e. All American. Supermarine Spitfire operational history. The German pilot spared the life of the American, and both men would reunite and become friends 50 years later. 1K likes, 615 loves, 134 comments, 1K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Dark Documentaries: During the five grim years of World War 2, all of the countries involved created an. Bf 109 G-6, piloted by Franz Stigler escorting B-17, camouflage for Bf 109 by LoneWolfSones | Download Here. Navy Escort Carrier the Liscome Bay. German fighters were attacking someone high up behind the Pub. North American F-82 Twin Mustang. $22. Crypto“the greatest fighter pilot story of WWII” held off 30 German fighters from attacking a squadron of B-17 bombers for over half an hour. S. While it lacked the range and bomb load of its contemporary B-24 Liberator, the B-17 became the more famous of the two due to the many tales of B-17s bringing their crews back home despite heavy damage. . The misconception that the outstanding World War II record of the Tuskegee Airmen alone convinced President Truman to desegregate the armed forces of the United States 18. . The Spitfire was a product of the Supermarine Company, a British firm that started out building flying boats before World War I. Second Lt. The usual Bomber escorts have deserted the bomber for a reason. During WW2, Luftwaffe pilot Franz Stigler refused to destroy a damaged B-17. Ten minutes from the target, Circus lost an engine and began to fall behind when the bombs could not be jettisoned. Viewed from (CVE-57), later renamed USS Anzio, Corregidor (CVE-58), and Na-. Marshall was a technical sergeant, radio operator, mechanic, and aerial gunner on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. A war hero and beyond. Leonard Carson. A number of. His actions got nine men home for Christmas. In the video, Franz describes how his Bf 109 approached Charlie's heavily damaged B-17F "Ye Olde Pub", why he didn't shoot them down, and the incredible emotions behind meeting on this day, some 47. 172K views, 4. Wartime B-17s carried a crew of 10 and were armed with 10 (up to 13 on later G models) . In flight, the. . 20, 1943, a young American named Charlie Brown was on his first World War II mission. Günther Rall. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers were first seen on 28 Jul 1935 as E. The B-24 dropped just as much tonnage, if not more, than the B-17 in Europe. S. Charlie Brown of the USAAF was a Lt. The thonly chance a B-17 without fighter escort stood against a Me 109 was its 11-13 . the B-17 Flying Fortress were equipped with lots of machine guns for self-defense against single-seat fighter aircraft. Erich Hartmann became Germany's top ace in just three short years with more than 350 aerial victories. Marshall B. Thousands of Douglas A-20s, North American B-25s, and Martin B-26s, as well as excellent British bombers such as the Lancaster and. The combined closing speed of nearly 500 mph allowed the German pilots time for only a half-second burst of fire, commencing at 500 yards. His airplane was hit be flak, fell out of formation, and exploded. The saga of the 94th Bomber Group’s B-17F Brennan’s Circus was typical of the heroics that became routine on Mission 115. The Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident. But on their run back to German. Among the best pilots in WWII was Adolph Galland. The following excerpt recounts one of Joe’s more memorable escort missions, which left him flying on fumes over the English. Armament: Armed with six 0. flying his first mission as an aircraft commander flying a B-17, “Ye Olde Pub” on a. The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African-American pilots who fought in World War II, with their exploits during the war becoming legendary. The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most famous airplanes ever built. The 56th Fighter Group of the U. Pflug, flew as a B-17 co-pilot with the 369th Squadron, 390th Bomb Group, from Framlingham, England. The aircraft served in every combat zone, but it is best known for the daylight strategic bombing of German industrial targets. The hero of WWII is the star of a brand-new kind of documentary. The plane remained on the ice for more than 50 years. Just before reaching Berlin, the B-17s of the 100th BG encountered heavy bursts of flak from German 88mm and 105mm antiaircraft guns. They headed out looking for a large number of. John Voll. Navy’s aerial umbrella. Complied by letters and records left behind, author Steven Snyder, son of the pilot, Howard Synder, recounts the exploits of the crew from their family background, to training to the fiery crash that caused them to parachute and survive in enemy territory. This is a story about Franz Stigler, a German fighter ace of the Luftwaffe pilot who flew a Messerschmitt Bf 109, and Charlie Brown, a 21-year old American p. During WWII he served two combat tours escorting heavy bomber over Europe in the P-51 Mustang, November 1943 through January 1945. Aphrodite was the World War II code name of a United States Army Air Forces operation to use Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated PB4Y bombers as precision-guided munitions against bunkers and other hardened/reinforced enemy facilities. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 208 enemy aircraft shot down in over 400 combat missions. At its inception, the B-24 was a modern. 4. Competing against Douglas and Martin for a contract to build 200 bombers, the Boeing entry outperformed both competitors and exceeded the air corps' expectations. Bragg and his crew from the 414th Bomb Squadron, 97th Bomb Group received orders to attack German-controlled seaports at Bizerte and Tunis, Tunisia from Biskra, Algeria. It is the peak of World War II. 0 de. While it came out in '44, it was shot in '43, nearly a full year before the 262 saw combat. Werner a son of Goering brother Karl Ernst,. Air Force Cross, Purple Heart. The German fighter craft broke apart when it hit the Fortress, but left some pieces in the bomber. The B-17 finally had a fighter which could escort them in and out of Germany, and began to overwhelm German defenses and industry. A place to share World War II photographs. On December 20th, 1943, German Luftwaffe fighter pilot Franz Stigler made a life changing decision. The B-17 was based on the prototype Boeing model 299, one of the first all-metal aircraft designs (Junkers made many all-metal planes in WWI). Despite bristling with up to ten machine guns, the US B-17 and B-24 heavy bombers were constantly harassed by German defenses with American losses beginning to mount. The usual Bomber escorts have deserted the bomber for a reason. Army Air Forces pilot. But Germany was losing on all three fronts. Mikesh)A two-ton Me-109 ramming a fully loaded thirty-three-ton B-17 at four hundred miles per hour was dangerous enough, but especially so when the German pilots were so poorly trained and inexperienced. While the American pilots couldn't believe that the Luftwaffe pilots could do what they did day after day (attempting to stop the 8th Air Force from bombing). Moreover, the bombers had fewer guns capable of firing forward. The usual. Mato Dukovac, the highest scoring Croatian ace. Air Force. 50 in (12. Nov. pilots escorting B-17s and B-24s to Brux and Ploesti encountered no enemy air resistance, but lost two P-51s to flak.