dangerous mission

[renrich]

Which group of pilots and crew,(if there was a crew,) had to fly the most daunting and dangerous single mission or sortie of all the missions flown in WW2? This, of course, includes every country that had combatants in the war.

 

[ccheese]

I think some of the more dangerous missions were flown by the recon P-38's.
They went in alone, low and fast. Some didn't make it. Wasn't there a
famous Frenchman who went MIA on one of those flights ??

Charles

 

[ToughOmbre]

The torpedo planes and crews at the battle of Midway. Of the 51 aircraft (45 TBDs and 6 TBFs) launched from the the three American carriers and Midway Island, only nine returned. Although they didn't score a single hit, their bravery made victory possible.

Operation "Tidal Wave".

The Dambusters

The Regensburg/Schweinfurt mission.

And many more.

TO

 

[pbfoot]

I'll opt for the Master Bomber in the Pathfinders guys like Fauquier and Gibson for there perserverance in marking the target correctly flying over a target numerous times example 17 times for Fauquier over Peenemunde

 

[Juha]

I would say Japanese who attacked US carrier task forces in 1944-45, losses usually really prohibitiving.

Juha

 

[ccheese]

The torpedo planes and crews at the battle of Midway. Of the 51 aircraft (45 TBDs and 6 TBFs) launched from the the three American carriers and Midway Island, only nine returned. Although they didn't score a single hit, their bravery made victory possible.

Operation "Tidal Wave".

The Dambusters

The Regensburg/Schweinfurt mission.

And many more.

TO

You forgot Ploesti......

Charles

 

[Erich]

I think the average Joe LW fighter pilot flying day missions against P-51s and the bombers from late 44 till wars end. every day was suicide, but then again the US heavy bomber pilots striking deep over the Reich further and further and although late war the losses decreased the pain did not.

September 11, 1944 through November 27, 1944 air battles may have been the grimmest over Germany during the whole war in the shortest time span possible for the days mission/engagement...........

 

[ToughOmbre]

You forgot Ploesti......

Charles

Ploesti was Operation "Tidal Wave".

Was just testing you Charles.

TO

 

[Flyboy2]

I think bomber missions were especially daunting... Having to fly in nearly straight lines and not being able to take to much evasive action with fighters and flak swarming about... Had to take nerves of steel
That said the Regensburg/Sweinfurt missions or the Ploesti Raid has my vote

 

[Marcel]

Military pilots of Poland, Norway, The Netherland and Belgium in 1939-1940

 

[Erich]

ah but which Ploesti mission as there are many ?

Schweinfurt is one of several days of 60 plus lost by the US just for information purposes. look into January 11, 1944 most likely worse overall for both sides that the August or October 43 battles

 

[ToughOmbre]

How could I forget (with my siggy)....

The Doolittle Raid. Casualties were light, but the mission was certainly dangerous and unprecedented.

TO

 

[ToughOmbre]

ah but which Ploesti mission as there are many ?

Schweinfurt is one of several days of 60 plus lost by the US just for information purposes. look into January 11, 1944 most likely worse overall for both sides that the August or October 43 battles

August 1, 1943.

Ploesti was one of the most heavily defended targets in Europe: over 200 88mm guns, hundreds and thousands of smaller caliber weapons and at least 300 fighters flown by some of the best pilots in the Luftwaffe. Because of navigational errors, the element of surprise was lost and the Liberators came toward Ploesti from the southeast, the most heavily defended approach.

Of the 178 aircraft out, 163 made it over target. Of these 41 were lost in action, 8 landed in Turkey, and 5 were lost due to miscellaneous causes. Three hundred aircrew were killed, 140 captured, and of the crew returning, over 440 were wounded. Only 35 bombers were in flyable condition once the mission was complete.

Five MOH awarded, the most for any single mission in WW II.

TO

 

[kool kitty89]

How about Sonderkommando Elbe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Erich]

the last mention of the Sonder is a joke, no offense kitty but it was in it's whole entirety

TO there were not even 200 fighters capable of the LW to deal with the B-24's just so you are aware that portion about 300 is myth, actually what there was of JG 4 at the time in their Bf 109G's was the unit to attack the B-24's along with some Hungarian 109's a very small force

 

[ToughOmbre]

TO there were not even 200 fighters capable of the LW to deal with the B-24's just so you are aware that portion about 300 is myth, actually what there was of JG 4 at the time in their Bf 109G's was the unit to attack the B-24's along with some Hungarian 109's a very small force

I'll take your word for that Erich. But still a formidable fighter defense against unescorted B-24s.

TO

 

[kration]

I think some of the more dangerous missions were flown by the recon P-38's.
They went in alone, low and fast. Some didn't make it. Wasn't there a
famous Frenchman who went MIA on one of those flights ??

Charles

I think that would be Antoine de st Exupery - wrote a classic novel of flying called 'Night Flight'.

 

[Erich]

just to add to what has been said about Japanese Torpedo planes attacking a large US/British contingent the same could be applied to LW Torpedo bombers making suicidal runs on heavy armed and defended convoys in 1943 onward.......... no thanks

 

[Marshall_Stack]

I would add...

Flying a mission that might involve having to bail out over Japanese territory.


Think Chichi Jima.

 

[renrich]

I tried to phrase it carefully so that it would be clear that we would identify a specific mission like the Doolittle Raid ,the raid(I can't remember the details) where the RAF bombed the jail or Gestapo headquarters or perhaps the Pearl Harbor raid.