VIII Bomber Command 52

17 April 1943
media-23266.jpeg UPL 23266 Lt. Frank Robert Spitznagel and crew. 364th Squadron, 305th BG. Assembled June 18, 1943 in front of their B-17 #42-29633, nicknamed "SpitzFire"
(Personnel noted Back Row Left - Right; Front Row L-R)

Ds 6/30/2018

Object Number - UPL 23266 - Lt. Frank Robert Spitznagel and crew. 364th Squadron, 305th BG. Assembled June 18, 1943 in front of their B-17 #42-29633, nicknamed...

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.

Mission Details

BREMEN (Primary)

Description: FOCHE-WULF AIRCRAFT FACTORY

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: Largest mission to date. Strong opposition from fighters. Largest one mission loss to date. One aircraft bombs a target of opportunity. 306th Bomb Group loses 10 of 26 aircraft. The Commanding general, VIII Fighter Command, expresses the need to have 20 fighter groups to neutralize growing German fighter opposition to the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO).

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 265.50
  • People killed in action: 64
  • People wounded in action: 4
  • Prisoners of war: 101
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 63
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 15
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 17
  • Aircraft sent: 115
  • Aircraft effective: 107
  • Aircraft missing in action: 16
  • Aircraft damaged: 39

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18057056 / O-724591
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20746404 / O-726996
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Navigator - Group Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-437927
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot
An airman of the 306th Bomb Group with the top turret guns of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Handwritten on reverse: '306BG. 246558.'
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 1105702
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 91st Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36049891
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: JERAVAD Une Petite Peu
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group

Revisions

Date
ContributorMags
Changes
Sources

303rd BG Web Page

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 30-Dec-2014. Correction of typo in description.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 30-Dec-2014. Description based on "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'.

VIII Bomber Command 52: Gallery (2 items)