Description

The largest mission to date, 117 B-17s, are despatched to bomb the primary target of the Focke-Wulf Aircraft factory at Bremen, Germany: 91BG (32); 303BG (29); 305BG (28) and 306BG (26). The German Luftwaffe is learning fast and mounts a fierce and effective attack on the formation with well-coordinated attacks by waves of FW-190 fighters. The lead formation of 306BG has 10 B-17s MIA and the 91BG has 6 B-17s MIA. These losses are the greatest to date for a single mission (13.9%). Even so, 107 of the 115 despatched are effective on the target, and the bomber gunners fight back valiantly claiming 65-15-17 on the attacking fighters. The losses are an eye-opener to those VIII Bomber Command Officers that still believe that the "Flying Fortress", alone but attacking in formation, is more than a match for fighter opposition. The loss of 16 crews has a definite impact on the morale of the "Mighty Eighth" and heavy bombing operations are suspended until 1-May-43.