What was the first B-17 bomber to make 25 missions and return? How many missions would it take to complete a WWII bomber mission? The B-17 Delta Rebel II of the 91st BG, piloted by Capt.George Birdsong,Jr. Average age of air crew member is 19 or 20 years old. After all the adversity, damage and close calls, no one was ever seriously injured, and her entire crew made it home. Belle crew was not intact through out the 25 missions. Why do restaurants throw away food instead of giving it away? Yes, in 1943 the USAAF in Europe determined that heavy bomber crews would be rotated home after 25 missions over enemy territory after first trying a one-year tour or a tour consisting of a pre-determined number of flight hours. While the article on Memphis Belle had included the qualifier first B-17 United States Army Air Force heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions with her crew intact, which on a factual basis at least made the article correct insofar as it specified that it was the first to 25 missions with her crew intact, but the truth is, while were reasonably knowledgable about WWII lore here, the name Hot Stuff didnt spark any particular recollection in us or among the several other warbird enthusiasts we asked about it, though one fellow we spoke to did remember it as the plane General Andrews lost his life in, but generally there wasnt much recognition. I, too flew the C-124, first from Travis, 1956-58, then Hickam 1958-9; and later (college break) Dover, 1963-5, and McChord, 1965-7. Just sayin. WAS TOO YOUNG FOR THE BIG ONE, HOWEVER I MADE IT TO KOREA AND VIET NAM BEFORE RETIRING IN 1969. In February 1943, the 93rd BG B-24 Hot Stuff became the first Eighth Air Force heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions. It flew most missions unescorted and saw plenty of flack and enemy aircraft. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". After several landing attempts, the B-24 crashed into the side of 1,600-foot-tall Mount Fagradalsfjall, near Grindavik, Iceland. Bomber crews needed to complete 25 missions before they were allowed to go home but that number was almost statistically impossible in Europe. Hells Angels a B-17F Flying Fortress became the first 8th Air Force B-17 to complete 25 combat missions in June 1943. That movie "Hearing impairment" is an insult to Deaf people. The Germans really dialed in shooting bombers out of the sky with their sophisticated FLAK systems and method. Your chances of completing all 25 missions, at least unscathed, were slim to none. Big and slow, the B-17 delivered twice the payload of its predecessor. Which b17 bomber completed the most combat missions? For the survivors, there wasn't much time for contemplation of those lost. In fact, the mythic Memphis Belle effect was such that there wasnt a death among those who had served on her for nearly 40 years after her last combat flight, in defiance of actuarial norms, and Americans, for better or worse are conditioned to respond to a happy ending, especially when it goes against all probability. The Memphis Belle in the sky, June 1943. The 314th BW needed replacement crews and the 8th AF crews were to absorb experience, which they could later pass on to their fellow crews. One reason it survived was the tail gunner had six confirmed kills and several more unconfirmed. Damage to the "waist-gunner" area of the bomber accounted 21.6 percent of all the hits the plane took. Typically, the bombers had to fly right through the multiple volleys of gunfire, but it was the "waist-gunners" who absorbed the majority of the shrapnel, as they were positioned near an open window in the rear of the plane. During the interwar years, American bomber crews were taught aerial gunnery in a generalized way at US Army Air Corps schools. Im trying to work out the losses to compare it with the losses of the Avro Lancaster which peaked around 44% of total. `MEMPHIS BELLE never quite rings true. Robert A. Lewis. Does that sound like a truthful story? By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Today, 46 planes survive in complete form, 10 of which are airworthy, and 39 of which reside in the United States. Your chances of completing all 25 missions, at least unscathed, were slim to none. Nine-O-Nine was a Boeing B-17G-30-BO Flying Fortress heavy bomber, of the 323rd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, that completed 140 combat missions during World War II, believed to be the Eighth Air Force record for most missions, without loss to the crews that flew her. Well, its not. How do I know this for sure? How often did bomber crews fly in ww2? B-24 Liberator Bomber Aircraft. Byrd. How do software engineers solve problems? Your email address will not be published. Hot Stuff was being flown home to the US since Captain Shannon had completed his tour of service. To be the first to complete 25 missions was significant because once completed the bomber and its crew could return home. Wreckage of a Wellington bomber shot down by flak over the Netherlands, lost in a raid on Bremen, 13-14 September 1942. The swastika marks a German aircraft destroyed, while the parachuter indicates Parker had to jump. Important factors in that decision were: The physical stress of high altitude flight in poorly heated, unpressurized aircraft . So he promptly retrieved his discharge and it stated he had really flown 137 missions. If you don't want to receive these emails in the future, please, Mike, we thought you'd like these 6 standout issues. Bomber Command aircrews suffered a high casualty rate: of a total of 125,000 aircrew, 57,205 were killed (a 46 percent death rate), a further 8,403 were wounded in action and 9,838 became prisoners of war. I asked my 16 year old son what music he was liste Did the British ever fight Japanese soldiers durin What does Professor Oak do with the third Pokemon? 4 How accurate is the movie Memphis Belle? But flying it proved deadly. Memphis Belle was the first B-17 to complete 25 missions and return to the United States. 329th and 330th squadrons were under Ted Timberlake. He flew 28 missions over Italy and Germany before his 20th birthday, and flew 48 missions by the time the war was over. I have some 7500 hours at the controls, never for an instant not valuing the knowledge and expertise in that sideways sitting position, behind me. B-24D Hot Stuff She was originally B-17G-105-VE 44-85718 and is now painted to . On May 17, 1943, the crew of the Memphis Belle, one of a group of American bombers based in Britain, becomes one of the first B-17 crews to complete 25 missions over Europe and return to the . Although crew members were required to fly a minimum of 25 combat missions before returning to the United States, some were called back to duty for another 25. Overcoming the odds, the B-17F Memphis Belle became the first U.S. Army Air Forces heavy bomber to return to the United States after completing 25 missions in Europe, and was selected by the Army Air Forces to be the symbol of the heavy bomber crews and support personnel who helped win the war against Nazi Germany. The unit used B-17s, according to what I read. By the summer of 1940 when it appeared the United States would be drawn into World War II, bonds again were being sold as a way to remove money from circulation as well as reduce inflation. Col. James H. Doolittle led 16 B-25 bombers from the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Hornet in a spectacular surprise attack that caused little damage but boosted Allied morale. It completed its 25th mission on February 7, 1943, three and a half months before the B-17 Memphis Belle.. View military histories of over 2 million, If you are a veteran, reconnect with people. Lieutenant General Andrews is remembered however, Joint Base Andrews in Maryland is named in his honor. 1917, and 1918, the United States government issued Liberty Bonds to raise money for our involvement in World War I. Martin Caidin wrote the definitive book on the plight of the bomber crews in Black Thursday, which chronicled in great detail the 2nd Schweinfurt bombing raid of October 14, 1943, where 60 bombers and their crews were lost. The Hot Stuff and her crew were soon forgotten. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. It completed four more missions to Vegesack, Wilhelmshaven (2) and Rotterdam before being retired from combat on March 31, 1943. The Memphis Belle was not the first B17 to complete 25 missions. 12 December 1942 This mission is composed of two elements. Upon impact, the aircraft disintegrated except for the tail gunners turret which remained relatively intact and 14 of the 15 aboard died except the tail-gunner who, though injured, survived the crash.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'warbirdsnews_com-box-4','ezslot_1',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-warbirdsnews_com-box-4-0'); Hot Stuff and her crew were soon forgotten. how many ww2 bomber crews completed 25 missions. Although the U.S. Army Air Force sent its individual war heroes to War Bond rallies, it preferred sending 10-man heavy bombers crews. Pilot. That seems awfully high for a pilot, which is what they say he was. I am trying to find information on my uncle, Joseph Farese, who was a bombardier/navigator and flight officer in the 5th BG, 72nd BS, 13th AF and was in the Pacific Theater, Philippines, etc. The most authoritative source would seem to be the combat mission reports of the 322nd Bombardment Group (BG), Flak-Bait 's parent organization during its 21 months of combat operations. In 1945 Camp Springs Air Base in Prince Georges County, Maryland, was renamed Andrews Field in Gen. Andrews honor. Battling flak and enemy fighters over the skies of Europe during World War II, the US Army Air Force Martin B-26 Marauder bomber named Flak-Bait? Closing in of Reykjavik, they ran into snow squalls, low clouds, and rain. FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE-Wash. -- On Oct. 14 1943, 8th Air Force launched what became one of the most infamous battles of World War II.By the end of the day, the attack that came to be known as "Black Thursday," Mission 115 to Schweinfurt, saw the loss of more than six hundred Airmen who were killed or captured, the loss of 60 B-17s, and the future of the American daylight bomber offensive in . The man at the back of the trailer is attaching the tail fin, which is secured by a ring collar screwed onto the threads on the bomb itself. He flew 28 missions over Italy and Germany before his 20th birthday, and flew 48 missions by the time the war was over. During World War II, workers in factories signed milestone aircraft, such as 1,000th aircraft built, before they were delivered.