How many U.S. bombers were shot down in ww2?

Aircraft losses were also grim: 10, 561 planes of varying types were shot down, 4754 of those were B-17 heavy bombers. The 390th Bomb Group lost 176 of its 275 assigned aircrafts.

How many b17 crew died in ww2?

Of the 3,885 crewmen aboard B-‐17 Flying Fortresses that went down, 2,114 (54.4 %) did not survive; 866 of the 1,228 on B-‐24 Liberators (71.3%) died; 190 of the 236 (80.0%) fighter pilots who went down perished.

What was the survival rate of bombers in ww2?

During the whole war, 51% of aircrew were killed on operations, 12% were killed or wounded in non-operational accidents and 13% became prisoners of war or evaders. Only 24% survived the war unscathed.

How many U.S. flight crew members died in WWII?

Related Resources:

	GRAND TOTAL	ENLISTED USN USNR
TOTAL DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES	12133	1818
DEATHS–ENEMY ACTION	3618	648
Air Combat	2891	499
Other Action	727	149

Who shot down the most planes in ww2?

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?

Who lost the most planes in ww2?

Soviet Union Soviet Union: Total losses were 17,900 bombers, 23,600 ground attacker, 46,800 fighter aircraft, and 18,100 training, transport and other aircraft; an overall loss of over 106,400 aircraft; 46,100 in combat and 60,300 non-combat.

How many tail gunners died in WW2?

20,000 Air Gunners Through the entire Operation, the Rear Gunner knew that the Luftwaffe Fighter Pilots preferred to Attack from the rear and under the belly of the Bomber, so he was often 1st in line for elimination. During WW2 – 20,000 Air Gunners were killed while serving with Bomber Command.

What was the life expectancy of AB 17 crew?

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. On Dec. 20, 1943, Vosler flew his fourth mission in a B-17F, called Jersey Bounce Jr., against Bremen in northwest Germany.

What was the average lifespan of a WW2 pilot?

Life Expectancy The average life expectancy of a spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain was an astonishing four weeks. During the battle, 544 British RAF pilots died.

How many bombers died in WW2?

Bomber Command crews also suffered a high casualty rate: 55,573 were killed out of a total of 125,000 aircrew, a 44.4% death rate. A further 8,403 men were wounded in action, and 9,838 became prisoners of war….RAF Bomber Command.

Bomber Command
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Active	14 July 1936–1968
Country	United Kingdom

What was the most feared plane in World War II?

Junkers Ju87 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. Lockheed Hudson Useful aeroplane. The wooden lifeboat was designed to be dropped by Hudsons to rescue airmen who had ditched.

What American pilot had the most kills in ww2?

Major Richard Bong Major Richard Bong, Army Air Forces During WWII, he was the recipient of various congratulatory gifts from military elite, including a case of Scotch from WWI ace Eddie Rickenbacker, when he beat Rickenbacker's record of 26 kills.

What was the deadliest fighter in ww2?

The 10 Deadliest Planes of World War II

Nakajima B5N.
Vought F4U Corsair. …
Supermarine Spitfire. …
Messerschmitt Bf 109. …
Lockheed P-38 Lightning. Plane Type: Fighter-Bomber. …
P-51 Mustang. Plane Type: Fighter, Ground Attack Fighter-Bomber. …
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt. Plane Type: Fighter. …
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka. Plane Type: Dive Bomber. …

Jan 18, 2012

How many bombers died in ww2?

Bomber Command
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Active	14 July 1936–1968
Country	United Kingdom

How did rear gunners not shoot the tail?

There was a feeler arm (that looked as if it might have been borrowed from a Dalek) below each gun and when these came in contact with the fairing they inhibited depression of the gun barrels to prevent the gunner shooting at the airframe; there were also interrupter cut outs to stop him shooting at the fins as the …

What was the average age of a WWII bomber pilot?

Most aircrew were aged between 19 and 25, although some were as young as 16, and at least one was in his sixties. (For more details, see "Aircrew Ages" section below.) In total 364,514 operational sorties were flown and 8,325 aircraft lost in action.

What was the average lifespan of a ww2 pilot?

Life Expectancy The average life expectancy of a spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain was an astonishing four weeks. During the battle, 544 British RAF pilots died.

Who flew the most bomber missions in WWII?

Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993) 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.

What American pilot had the most kills in WW2?

What plane got the most kills in WW2?

Which Allied Fighter scored the most victories in World War Two? I believe I know the answer

Aircraft type	Kills
North American P51 Mustang	5,784
Grumman F6F Hellcat	5,223
Hawker Hurricane	4,850
Republic P47 Thunderbolt	3,786

•Dec 13, 2021

What plane shot down most in ww2?

It is accurate to state that the P-38 did shoot down more Japanese aircraft than any other USAAF plane with 1,857, with the P-40 running a close second at 1,633.5. Even though the F6F did not start reaching Naval and Marine units in the Pacific until late 1943, once it did it came in prodigious numbers.

Was the b24 better than the B-17?

The B-17 had a very large wing and ailerons (the moveable portion of the wing), while the B-24 used a smaller wing and ailerons for speed. Thus, the Liberator was faster, but the Flying Fortress could fly higher.

How many German fighters did American bombers shot down?

The United States claimed that they destroyed 241 German fighters, broken-down as follows: bomber crews claimed 210 and their fighter escort claimed 31. German records show they lost 39 fighters. The USAAF overclaimed by more than 500 percent.

How many airmen died in Bomber Command?

57,205 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. Therefore, a total of 75,446 airmen (60 percent of operational airmen) were killed, wounded or taken prisoner.

How many crews completed 25 missions?

17 Crew Hell's Angels B-17 Crew After completing 25 missions, Hell's Angels remained in theater until 1944 and flew a total of 48 missions without any injured crewmen or abort.

Who shot down the most German planes in ww2?

A new book examines the life of the WWII German ace. Luftwaffe fighter pilot Erich Hartmann was exceedingly good at aerial combat. 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.

What was the most feared plane in ww2?

Which pilot shot down the most planes in ww2?

Known as the “Ace of Aces” for his rank as the top American flying ace during World War II, Major Richard Ira Bong is credited with the downing of an impressive confirmed total of 40 enemy aircraft over the course of his career as a fighter pilot.

Why was the B-24 called the flying coffin?

During Harry's two months at Davis-Monthan in Arizona, five B-24 planes and complete crews were lost during takeoff and landing practice. The B-24 nickname was justly earned as the so called “flying coffin” by the crews who flew it. Harry and his crew were shipped to Europe in late December 1944.