VIII Bomber Command 50

5 April 1943
media-7072.jpeg UPL 7072 Strike photograph of the Erla aircraft factory at Antwerp being bombed by B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 1st Bomb Wing, 5 April 1943.

Image found at WW2 Today"

Object Number - UPL 7072 - Strike photograph of the Erla aircraft factory at Antwerp being bombed by B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 1st Bomb Wing, 5 April 1943.

Description

The industrial area of Antwerp, Belgium is the primary target of this mission. More specifically the Erla aircraft and engine factories are the highest priority. 79 B-17s are depatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (21); 305BG (18); 306BG (20). 64 of the 79 are effective on the target. The fighter opposition is fierce, especially on 306BG which loses 4 aircraft MIA. It so happens that Brigadier General Frank A. Armstrong has tagged along as an observer on the lead B-17 from 306BG. The aircraft is damaged and several of the crew are wounded, but the aircraft manages to make it back to England. BrigGen Armstrong later recounted the lead aircraft was attacked from head-on at least 25 times by the German fighters.



NOTE Roger A. Freeman mentions that there was a Spitfire escort for this formation which went as far as Ghent, Beligum before having to turn back. However, he does not include the statistics for this fighter escort in his "The Mighty Eighth War Diary". This would lead one to believe that the escort was provided by RAF units rather than those of the 8th Air Force.



25 B-24s also are deaptched and join the attack: 44BG (14) and 93BG (11) 18 of these 25 are effective on the target, but there are no aircraft lost from this formation. The combined claims on enemy aircraft from both groups is 23-8-4.

Mission Details

ANTWERP (Primary)

Description: ERLA AIRCRAFT FACTORY

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: No fighter escort on this mission. T Sgt M. Roscovich (306th Bomb Group) becomes the first airman in the 8th Air Force to complete a tour of 25 missions. The Belgian Ambassador to the United States protested about the inaccurate bombing that resulted in many civilian casualties (936 killed, 1,342 injured).

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 191.50
  • People killed in action: 13
  • People wounded in action: 3
  • People evaded: 1
  • Prisoners of war: 26
  • Aircraft sent: 79
  • Aircraft effective: 64
  • Aircraft missing in action: 4
  • Aircraft damaged: 12

ANTWERP (Primary)

Description: ERLA AIRCRAFT FACTORY

Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 54.00
  • Aircraft sent: 25
  • Aircraft effective: 18
  • Aircraft damaged: 1

Connections

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People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18060772 at enlistment, then O-726196
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38069648
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
Clarence Eugene Fischer & wife
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18057854 at enlistment, then O-726216
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14071743
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (BN-U, serial number 42-5177) nicknamed "Fast Woman (Fast Worker II)". Image via Pete Bowens.
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Fast Woman : Fast Worker MK II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Scarlet Harlot aka Vat 69 aka Vicious Virgin
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Old Faithful : War Bride
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Avenger
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Stric Nine, City of Albuquerque
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 29-Dec-2014. Correction to typo in description.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 29-Dec-2014. Description based on "USAAF Combat Chronology" Jack McKillop and "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.

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