Historic Bomber Missions

Black and white images of WWII bomber missions, showcasing B-17 and B-24 aircraft over European landscapes during air raids.

CAUSE AND EFFECT AT PLOESTI. May 5th 1944 raid of the oil refineries and railroad marshalling yards of the heavily defended city of Ploesti, Rumania, by Flying Fortress and Liberator bombers of the U.S. Army 15th Air Force. What seems like a darker

Boeing B-17 Flying...

With A Background Of Vapor Trails, Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 452Nd Bomb Group Wing Their Way Over German Territory Enroute To Their Target Of The Day - Berlin, Germany, 9 March 1944.

Close-ups of three Boeing B-17 Fortresses with bomb-bay doors open and first bombs beginning their plunge earthward in the Wilhelmshaven attack Nov. 3rd.

Consolidated B-24 Formation Over England.

BACK OVER BRUNSWICK--High in sub-zero skies over important industrial communication targets in Southwest Germany, great Armadas of USAAF heavy bombers swept onward through heavy flak and fighter opposition to attack for the second time, the large

With Bomb Bay Doors Open, The First Of A Large Formation Of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 452Nd Bomb Group, Send Their Bombs Plummeting Earthward On The Nazi Airfield At Bordeaux, France, 27 March 1944. Hevay Bombers Of The 8Th Air Force Continual

CAUSE AND EFFECT AT PLOESTI. May 5th 1944 raid of the oil refineries and railroad marshalling yards of the heavily defended city of Ploesti, Rumania, by Flying Fortress and Liberator bombers of the U.S. Army 15th Air Force. What seems like a darker

After A Strafing Mission, North American P-51 "Mustangs" Snuggle Under A Wing Of A Boeing B-29 "Superfortress" For The Trip Back To Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. July 1945.

Boeing B-17's over France, flying high above cloud banks nearing Dorneir Assembly Plant, target at Meulan, France.

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 91St Bomb Group Approach Their Target At Osnabruck, Germany, For Another Destructive Raid On Nazi Installations On 22 Dec. 1943.

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 381St Bomb Group En Route To Bomb Enemy Installations Somewhere In Europe, Wing Their Way Toward The Target.

V-2 ROCKET PATTERN--This unusual photograph shows the contrail of a V-2 rocket, launched by the Germans into the skies over France, during the U.S. 8th Air force's attack on Hamburg, Harburg, and Neiumunster, Germany, November 6, 1944. The jagged

OVER THE NETHERLANDS--Supplies are dropped from Consolidated B-24s to the paratroopers fighting near Best, Holland, 18 September 1944.

Bombs Released From A Consolidated B-24 Of The 466Th Bomb Group Descend On An Enemy Target Somewhere In Europe. 21 March 1945.

A Boeing B-29's "Superfortress" And A North American P-51 "Mustang" Circle Off The Coast Of Japanesean At The Rendezvous Point. July 1945.

Bombs, Dropped By Martin B-26 Marauders Of The 386Th Bomb Group, Explode On Their Target At Dieppe, France During A Raid On 14 April 1944.

A Formation Of 91St Bomb Group Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Wings Its Way Toward The Target - An Enemy Installation Somewhere In Europe. 5 August 1944.

Flame, smoke and debris stream from a B-17 Flying Fortress plummeting earthward as other U.S. Army 8th Air Force planes loose their bombs on a synthetic oil plant at Merseburg, Germany. Enemy fire over Germany hit the fort directly, tearing off the

A Smoke Marker Is Released From A Consolidated B-24 Liberator While Flying In Formation During A Bombing Raid On Soulac, France. 14 April 1945.

formation of Boeing B-17 Flying ofrtresses over France.

Forty-two of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses that participated in the U.S. Army Eighth Air Force attack against Wilhelmshaven on Nov. 3, 1943.

Flying Majestically Through Patches Of White Clouds This Martin B-26 Marauder Of The 9Th Air Force Heads For Home After One Of Their Ever Increasing Visits To The Low Countries.

B-17 Flying Fortresses over Bremen, Germany.

Bingen Bound: Strong Formations Of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of Us 8Th Af Wing Their Way Towards The Rail And Road Junctions Of Bingen, As Armadas Of Us Heavies Attack Enemy Targets Deep In Germany, 29 Dec 1944.

Fast AAF B-26 Marauder formations approach their bomb run over highway bridge targets at Ceprano, Italy. On 22 Jan, 1944 as ground forces landed south of Rome, supporting the landing troops, the Marauders flew through heavy concentrations of enemy

Bombing of railroad bridge at Novi Sad, Yugoslavia, by Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" of the 99th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force, on 18 September 1944. One of the "Fortresses" shown over smoking target.

A Lockheed P-38 'Lightening', 28Th Photo Reconnaissance, Preparting To Land On Yontan Airstrip, After Completing A Photo Mission Somewhere Over Kyushu, Japanesean. Okinawa, Ryukyu Retto. 29 July 1945.

Consolidated B-24s of the 15th AF swing into the attack on the Petfurdo oil plant in Hungary on 14 June 44-Flying over billowing smoke from fires set by preceding bombers.

A Consolidated B-24 Liberator Of The 2Nd Air Division Used A Smoke Marker As A Guide Thru The Undercast, As The Target Is Approached, 4 April 1945. Approx. 1000 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses And Consolidated B-24 Liberators Escorted By More Than 850 Nort

Bombs Drop From The Open Bomb Bays Of Three Consolidated B-24 Liberators Of The Us 8Th Air force As They Unload Over The Marshalling Yards At Rheine, Germany, 9 March 1945. Liberators Of The 2Nd Air Division, Part Of A Force Of 1,000 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Rjuken Attack, Norway (Nov. 16, 1943) Boeing B-17 crashes into sea. Three boats pull out from coast.

Bombing With The Aid Of Instruments, A 9Th Af Martin B-26 Marauder Bombardier Releases Eight 500 Pound Bombs Thru Heavy Cloud Cover During An Attack On A German Railroad Yard. Marauders, Havocs And Invaders Of The 9Th Bombardment Division, Often Searchin

Formations Of Douglas A-26S, Attached To The 386Th Bomb Group, Enroute To Bomb Enemy Installations Somewhere In Germany On April 20 1945.

FRANCE-A flight of four Douglas A-26 Invaders, the new light bomber recently announced as participating in the 9th AF bombardment of Germany. The fast, heavily armed planes complement 9th AF B-26 Marauder medium bombers in knocking out

D-Day Minus One-One of the attacking Boeing B-17 Flying ofrtresses of the U.S. 8th AAF roars over the Boulogne section of the coast of occupied France 5 June 44, during the attack on heavily defended areas there.

On The Bomb Run Over Gablingen, Germany, B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 452Nd Bomb Group Has Opened Its Bomb Bay Doors And Will Soon Be Directly Over The Target To Drop Another Load Of Bombs On This Vital Installation. 16 March 1944.

Italian Based "Flying Fortress" Of The 15Th Air Force Fill The Sky Over Rugged Austrian Terrain As The Bombers Go All-Out To Blast Hitler's Inner Fortress.

North Africa-North American B-25 bombers in flight.

A Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" Part Of The 381St Bomb Group, En Route To Bomb Enemy Installations In Europe.

North American B-25 Mitchells of the First Tactical Air Force fly over rugged Italian country as they approach their target. These medium bombers have been steadily smashing at roads, bridges and communication links behind the enemy's lines hampering

th Air Force leave vapor trails in their wake as they streak across the sky somewhere over Yugoslavia on December 1944.

A Formation Of Consolidated B-24 Liberators Of The 93Rd Bomb Group, Drop Their Bombs On Magdeburg, Germany. 16 Aug. 1944.

How large formation is handled. Two boxes, the low (left) and middle groups of the three in a combat wing were probably photographed from the top group of a formation. This varies from standard in that low box is in front instead of rear.

A Cloud Of Smoke Rises From The Railyards At Budapest, Hungary, As This Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" Of The 15Th Air Force Comes Off The Target. Heavy Bombers Attacked This Target On 17 Sept. 44.

Flying Fortresses of the 8th AAF leaving the target after bombing which in the case is the Renault factory outside Paris.

Troop Carrier Douglas C-47s participating in the invasion of Holland on 17 September 1944.

8Th Air force Boeing B-17G Flying Fortresses Drop Bombs On Berlin, Germany, 26 February 1945. 91St Bg

BOMBS AWAY! Six 500-pounders start on their quick trip down to a nazi fighter airdrome in Western Europe. U.S. Marauders (B-26 medium bombers) are carrying out a continuous attack against Luftwaffe fighter facilities.

RAIL FACILITIES TARGET-Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 1st Air Division, U.S. 8th A.F. bomb rail facilities at Elsterwerda, Czechoslovakia, on 19 April 1945.

With Bomb Bay Doors Open, Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 452Nd Bomb Group Sends Its Bomb Plummeting Earthward Toward Berlin, Germany, 9 March 1944. Heavy Bombers Of The 8Th Air Force Continually Blasted As Every Operational Enemy Factory, Oil Refin

A Formation Of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 91St Bomb Group, 8Th Af, Enroute To Bomb Target At Augsburg, Germany. 25 Feb. 1944. (Altitude 22,000 Feet).

FRANKFURT BELOW: --Two of the U.S. Army 8th AF Flying Fortresses can be seen flying from scene after having deposited their eggs on a military objective. The bombs had to fight their way through opposition by fighters and flak defenses. From the

Consolidated B-24s of the 494th Bomb Group, fly above a blanket of clouds, en route to targets on Corregidor and Caballo Island in the Philippine Islands. 14 February 1945.

Lockheed P-38S Of The 38Th Fighter Squadron, Based At Nuthampstead, England, Hover Over The Bombers During A Mission Over Enemy Territory. The Fighters Are Used As Escorts On These Missions. 15 October 1943.

GERMANY

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 91St Bomb Group, 8Th Air Force, Enroute To Bomb Croisette, France. 14 January 1944. (Altitude 12,100 Feet).

RAF Bomber Command 1940 Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys of No. 102 Squadron in flight during a press day at Driffield, March 1940.

After dropping their bombs on the targets on Corregidor and Caballo Island in the Philippines, the Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 494th Bomb Group, turn away from their objective and head for home. 14 February 1945.

On Peaceful Mission -- Four squadrons of the ninth bombardment group, two motored ships of the Douglas B-18 type from Mitchell Field, New York, drone high over gravelly point on the Potomac during an air show highlighting the dedication by president Roosevelt Sept. 28 of the $12,500,000 Washington, D.C. Airport. In a speech Roosevelt said the united states was building a defense Capable of overcoming any attack. September 28, 1940. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses 'This Is It' In Foreground, And Other Fortresses Of The 381St Bomb Group Encounter Flak Opposition As They Approach The Target At Mainz, Germany, 30 Dec 1944.

END OF A FORTRESS-A B-17 Flying Fortress of the U.S. Army 8th Air Force goes down over Germany with fuel tank blazing, during an attack on oil targets at Merseburg. Other targets for the day included synthetic oil plants at Lutzkendorf, Bohlen and

Bombs, Dropped By A Preceding Formation Of Martin B-26 "Marauders" Explode As The B-26 'Sexy Betsy' Flies Over Argentan, France During A Raid On 14 June 1944. 386Th Bomb Group.

America's 'Surface-To-Surface' Missile -- The U.S. Navy "Regulus" a surface to surface missile. In This picture Just released The Missile is shown Accompanied by "Mother" planes Escorting back to base after it had been fired from The Deck of an Aircraft Carrier..... December 10, 1954. (Photo by Paul Popper, Paul Popper Ltd.)

Airman'S Cross: A Rare Photo Of A Consolidated B-24 'Liberator' Casting Its Shadow On A Cloud During The Attack On The Ammunition Factory At Palmanova, Italy. Heavy Bombers Of The 15Th Air Force Laid Down Their Heaviest Attack Off For The Knockout Blow

Allied landing craft along...

An air-to-air right underside view of two Attack Squadron 128 (VA-128) A6E Intruder aircraft carrying Mark-82 500-pound bombs. The aircraft are en route Naval Air Facility, El Centro, Calif. Country: Unknown

The 8th AAF plane has pulled in close and is giving the ME-109 another squirt. Flame and a cloud of smoke answers his fire and tells of the damage being done. France.

8Th Air Force Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 452Nd Bomb Group Wing Thier Way Over Fleecy Clouds To Strike At Brunswick, Germany, 23 March 1944. Brunswick Was Hit And Hit Hard By The 'Flying Fortresses'. (Altitude 22,900 Feet). Taken By S/Sgt. Lou

A Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" (A/C No. 909) Is Silhouetted Against An Evening Sky As It Comes In For A Landing At The 91St Bomb Group Base In Bassingbourne, England.

Gliders Participating In The Invasion Of France.

Through a low hanging overcast, bombs from this A-20 Havoc, light medium bomber of the 9th Air Force head for the target--a road junction--in Nazi-held France.

The flight day at F2 Hänernäs, 1945 flight show at the flight day at F 2 Hänernäs, 1945

After A Strafing Mission, North American P-51 "Mustangs" Snuggle Under A Wing Of A Boeing B-29 "Superfortress" For The Trip Back To Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. July 1945.

These are Consolidated B-24 Liberators of Maj. Gen. Nathan F. Twining's U.S. Army 15th Air force, seen during their bombing of the Nazi-held Budapest/Tokal airdrome in Hungary.

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 91St Bomb Group, 8Th Af, Wing Their Way Over Germany Territory To Attack The Target Of The Day -- Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. 18 March 1944. (Altitude 24,000 Feet).

Consolidated B-24 Liberators Of The 15Th A.F. Hammered This Motor-Transport Dump At Ossopo, Italy On 14 April, 1945 With This Result. Wherever The Krauts Holed Or Stored Their Meager Supplies, 12Th And 15Th A.F. Planes Hammered Then Relentlessly In The Da

On The Morning Of 19 February 1945, Twenty-Five Consolidated B-24'S Of The 494Th Bomb Group Based On Angaur Island In The Carolines, Took Off For A Cooperation Raid Of Mindanao, Philippines Islands. The Raid Was Asked For By The Guerilla Troops Near The

Heading for home, American airmen could look back at Schweinfurt in flames. Fighter cover for the Flying Fortresses was provided by Republic P-47 "Thunderbolts" which escorted the bombers part of the way to their targets. The Americans lost 60 Flying

39b - Chinese Jap War. October 7, 1940.

French Marauders of the Tactical Air force reflect the glory of France as they sweep in over Southern France to bomb enemy supply and communications lines.

Corsair fighter looses its load of rocket projectiles on a run against a Japanese stronghold on Okinawa. In the lower background is the smoke of battle as Marine units move in to follow up with a Sunday punch, June 1945

Detachment 101, an enigmatic Allied intelligence and special operations unit during World War II, played a pivotal role in the Burmese theater. Operating deep in the jungles of Burma, their mission was multi-faceted, encompassing guerrilla warfare, espionage, and sabotage against Japanese forces. Comprising a diverse group of individuals, from OSS agents to indigenous fighters, they effectively disrupted Japanese supply lines, gathered critical intelligence, and supported resistance movements.

Forts Ride Again! This Formation Of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 452Nd Bomb Group Enroute To Blast German Targets As Part Of The General Plan To Pulverize All Vitally Important War Objectives. Berlin, Germany, Was The Target Of This Mission, 22

Detachment 101, an enigmatic Allied intelligence and special operations unit during World War II, played a pivotal role in the Burmese theater. Operating deep in the jungles of Burma, their mission was multi-faceted, encompassing guerrilla warfare, espionage, and sabotage against Japanese forces. Comprising a diverse group of individuals, from OSS agents to indigenous fighters, they effectively disrupted Japanese supply lines, gathered critical intelligence, and supported resistance movements.

Japaneseanese Destroyer-Escort 'Frigate' Under Attack By North American B-25S Of The 'Air Apaches Group' Off China Coast. April 6, 1945.

Royal Air Force- Italy, the Balkans and South-east Europe, 1942-1945. Martin Baltimores of the Desert Air Force fly over the Adriatic coast after bombing bridges at Giulianova, Abruzzo, Italy.

Flying ofrtresses over the clouds on way to German Targets.

Fido Method Of Dispelling Fog At Airfield In England, 16 November 1944. Note Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" Of The 493Rd Bomb Group Landing On The Airstrip.

A Formation Of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 91St Bomb Group, 8Th Af, Enroute To Target Of The Day -- Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. 18 March 1944. (Altitude 24,000 Feet).

On Board the Aircraft Carrier Illustrious - Flight Deck Scenes. December 1942, in the Indian Ocean. A flight of Wildcat 'peeling off' during exercises.

Detachment 101, an enigmatic Allied intelligence and special operations unit during World War II, played a pivotal role in the Burmese theater. Operating deep in the jungles of Burma, their mission was multi-faceted, encompassing guerrilla warfare, espionage, and sabotage against Japanese forces. Comprising a diverse group of individuals, from OSS agents to indigenous fighters, they effectively disrupted Japanese supply lines, gathered critical intelligence, and supported resistance movements.

Air Force Activities - Korea - 1952 - Transportation. Combat Cargo, Korea -- A Load Of Rations And Ammunition Has Just Been Dropped By C-119 'Flying Boxcars' Of Combat Cargo And Are Headed Directly For The Drop Zone Just Beyond The Tents In This Picture

Heavy bombers of the 15th Air Force attacked the Modena, Italy railroad yards, located between Parma and Bologna, on 22 June 44, pounding the yards with a heavy concentration of bombs that hit the Southern part of the yards damaging trackage

High Above The English Countryside, North American P-51 "Mustangs" Of The 350Th Fighter Squadron, 353Rd Fighter Group, Fly In Close Formation. February 1945.

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