After the Second Raid on Schweinfurt, USAAF gunners aboard the B-17 bombers claimed to have shot down 138 German fighters. German records show that 38 were lost and 20 were damaged. German fighter pilots claimed they shot down 121 bombers and 1 fighter.
How many B-17 were lost over Germany?
A total of 60 B-17s failed to return from the mission or reach the shuttle bases in North Africa: 36 from the Regensberg force and 24 from the Schweinfurt mission. Nearly all fell victim to fighter attack. It was becoming obvious that unescorted missions into Germany were too costly to continue.
How many B-17 bombers were shot down in World War II
,731 B-17s were built. Roughly 4,735 were destroyed during World War II and while thousands of them continued to be used in various military and civilian applications around the world, most were eventually retired or destroyed.
How many US bombers were shot down over Germany
Aircraft losses were also grim: 10, 561 planes of varying types were shot down, 4754 of those were B-17 heavy bombers.
Who shot down the most planes in WWII?
While serving in Germany’s Luftwaffe in World War II, Erich Hartmann flew more than 1,400 missions in the Messerschmitt Bf 109, enabling him to score an astonishing 352 kills. How did Hartmann get so good at dominating the skies over the Eastern Front?
What was the life expectancy of a B-17 crew?
Nothing in the peacetime lives of thousands of young Americans had prepared them for the violence that lay ahead. Although such statistics were not circulated among Army Air Forces crews, the average life expectancy of an Eighth Air Force B-17 in late 1943 was 11 missions.
Which German pilot shot down the most bombers
Schnaufer’s greatest one-night success and the second time he became an ace-in-a-day was on , when he claimed nine Lancaster heavy bombers in the course of one day. Two were claimed in the early hours of the morning and a further seven, in just 19 minutes, in the evening between 20:44 and 21:03.
How many German bombers were shot down in the Battle of Britain
More than 1700 Luftwaffe (German air force) planes were destroyed. The 2662 German casualties included many experienced aircrew, and the Luftwaffe never fully recovered from the reverse it suffered in August-October 1940.
How much is a B-17 worth
The four-engine (1200 hp each) Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber, which cost over $200,000 each in 1940 (the equivalent of about $3,000,000 in today’s market), was a key component of the United States Army Air Forces’ (USAAF) World War II strategy in Western Europe.
How many German bombers were shot down in ww2?
During World War II, German pilots claimed roughly 70,000 aerial victories, while over 75,000 Luftwaffe aircraft were destroyed or significantly damaged. Of these, nearly 40,000 were lost entirely.
What was the toughest bomber in ww2
Avro Lancaster – UK
It was one of the heaviest and most powerful bombers used by the Allies, capable of carrying large payloads of bombs and flying long distances at high speeds.
How effective were B-17 gunners
The gunners were somewhat effective. The Luftwaffe determined the best way to approach B-17 formations was head on pretty early in the American attacks – BECAUSE the defensive machine gun fire resulted in losses using other approaches. B-17s didn’t have alot of firepower in the nose.
How many b52s were shot down
Fifteen B-52s – the pride of America’s fleet – were shot down, six in one day alone, and 33 airmen lost. Tragically, some believe all these deaths were largely in vain, with historians to this day debating the extent of the operation’s influence on the wider conflict.
Who has shot down the most planes ever
1. Erich “Bubi” Hartmann. Erich Hartmann is the most successful fighter pilot of all times – with 352 kills. A number that will never be surpassed.
How many German planes did Chuck Yeager shoot down
In all, he flew 64 combat missions in World War II. On one occasion he shot down a German jet from a prop plane. By war’s end, he had downed 13 enemy aircraft, five in a single day. After the war, Yeager continued to serve the newly constituted United States Air Force as a flight instructor and test pilot.
How many German planes did the Tuskegee airmen shot down
During this mission, the Tuskegee Airmen (then known as the ‘Red Tails’) destroyed three German ME-262 jet fighters and damaged five additional jet fighters.
Which country has best pilots
Greek pilots are frequently voted by their NATO counterparts as being the best in the world. It is recalled that Squadron Leader Anastasios Andronikakis was named NATO’s best pilot in 2021.
How many B 29s were shot down over Japan
How many B-29s were lost over Japan? ‘Four hundred and fourteen (414) B-29s were lost bombing Japan—147 of them to flak and Japanese fighters, 267 to engine fires, mechanical failures, takeoff crashes and other “operational losses,”’ Pete Feigal, Former Pro Military Artist, explains on Quora.
Did the B-17 have a toilet
During World War II, large bomber aircraft, such as the American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and the British Avro Lancaster, carried chemical toilets (basically a bucket with seat and cover, see bucket toilet); in British use, they were called “Elsans” after the company that manufactured them.
How cold was it in a B-17
“It was 60 degrees below zero at 22,000 feet.” Throat microphones allowed them to communicate, while electrically heated suits and gloves helped the crew members deal with the cold. They wore oxygen masks because they operated at up to 28,000 feet.
How many B-17 planes are left?
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engine heavy bomber used by the United States Army Air Forces and other Allied air forces during World War II. Forty-five planes survive in complete form, including 38 in the United States. Fewer than 10 are airworthy.
Who was the best dive bomber of ww2?
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was sturdy enough for pilots to dive at a near-vertical 80 degrees. The US Navy’s primary dive-bomber at the war’s start, the bomber earned its reputation—and helped earn victory—at the 1942 Battle of Midway, sinking four Japanese carriers.
What is the most shot down aircraft
On and on he claimed ten Soviet aircraft shot down. Erich Rudorffer is credited with the destruction of the most aircraft ever in a single mission when he shot down thirteen Soviet aircraft on .
Who was the most feared German fighter pilot
Erich Alfred Hartmann ( – ) was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He flew 1,404 combat missions and participated in aerial combat on 825 separate occasions.
Which British plane shot down the most planes in ww2
Spitfires shot down a total of 529 enemy aircraft, for a loss of 230 of their own.
What was the most feared German plane in ww2
Junkers Ju87 Widely known as the “Stuka”, the Ju87 was one of the most feared aircraft during World War Two. It had a fearsome siren which terrified those who heard it.
Can a B-17 fly on 1 engine
It had a crew of ten and could carry 6,000 pounds of bombs at 300 miles per hour for a range of 2,000 miles. Its famous nickname came from the fact it carried 13 . 50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns for protection, and had a legendary toughness for carrying its crew home on one engine or even with the tail shot away.
How many B-17s were built in a day
Production History
Eventually, over 12,000 B-17s were built. At the peak of this amazing production effort, 16 B-17s rolled off the assembly line per day at Boeing’s Plant 2 in Seattle. Much of this labor was done by women who filled jobs after men left for war.
When was the last B-17 retired
In August 1959, only days after flying her last mission for the U.S. Air Force, B-17G #44-83684 was officially retired from active service as the last of 12,731 B-17s to serve with the USAAF / U.S. Air Force.