Friday, March 29, 2024

25 Heart Breaking Images Of Bombers That Didn’t Make It Home

The strategic bombing campaign during WWII cost the lives of roughly 160,000 Allied airmen and 33,700 planes in the European theater alone.

We have collected incredible images of the last moments of World War II bombers. Wherever possible we have added information to the images about the crew’s fate.

Continue to Page 2

25. B-17 “Silver bullet”

B-17G 42-37781 “Silver Bullet” was lost after bombs away when bombs from a higher flying group (379BG) hit this aircraft, knocking tail completely off in front of stabilizer.

The aircraft dived straight down into a spin with all four engines going, crashed in Berlin, Germany. March 9th, 1944.

 

24. B-17 over Merseburg

B-17 Flying Fortress 486th Bomb Group over Merseburg Lutzkendorf November 1944.

23. A-20 Havoc

Douglas A-20J-10-DO (S/N 43-10129) of the 409th or 416th Bomb Group after being hit by flak over Germany.

It burst into flames and crashed a mile west of the target; two chutes were seen to come out of the plane.

Its crew was 1st Lt Robert E. Stockwell, pilot, 2d Lt Albert Jedinak, bombardier-navigator, S/Sgt Hollis A. Foster and S/Sgt Egon W. Rust, gunners.

Lt Stockwell had been with the Group almost from the beginning of its existence.

 

22. B-24 “Little Warrior”

B-24H Liberator 42-94812 “Little Warrior” of the 493rd BG, 861st BS hit by flak over Quakenbrück Germany – June 29, 1944.

One crewman managed to bail out safely but was killed by civilians on the ground.