"The Mighty Eighth" part 1 of 3

[truekiwijoker]

This is obviously a British movietone.

[GFORCEpackattack]

no one in my family served in the mighty eigth yet i have a patch for it

[fuelerxmdt]

 Why did the americans have to bomb in daylight and the limey's got to go at night?If you ask me, the smart guys were the one's that went to Switzerland and sat out the war.

[GFORCEpackattack]

@fuelerxmdt because the yanks had something no one in the war had top secret high altitude precision bombing computer like gauges it could estimate the height and spped u were traveling to if u drop a bomb where on the cross hairs would it land unlike the brits and germans who just droped and hoped they hit the Americans actually had technology and it was easier to see at day and the first time they used it the hit ratio was 50%

[GrumpyandBadtempered]

@fuelerxmdt

The 8th airforce favoured the large formation tactic - with each aircraft covering/protecting those around it. The Lancasters which flew at night were on their own. I have heard various interviews with 8th airforce crew who have said they perferred "day light with support" as oppose to "night flying totaly isolated".

[ichmalealsobinich]

Simply a propaganda movie of the US. 78000 bomber and fighter pilots of the USAAFwere killed in action over the sky of Germany and western Europe. They got their air superiority but the payed a usury prize for it.

[amedeoconta]

my grandpa was a Co-pilot in the 388th bomb group, his name was Albert Conta. he flew 39 missions over France, Poland, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. He cleared the way for the men on the ground during D-Day. His plane was called "Reuel's Revenge", they named it this because thier radio operators name was Reuel and he was killed on a mission, so they named the plane after him. On his final mission he had an inch of bone shot off of his arm. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Honor Americas Vets.

[radiobobks]

thanks for this,. Always think of my Dad on Veterans Day. Maj. Clovis McWilliams, who enlisted early in 1942., was first a wing, and then group intelligence officer for the 385th Bomb Group. When that group was formed, its commander, Col Elliot Vandevanter, was able to "steal" two officers from another group, and one was my Dad. Dad was 34 at that time, and always felt a lot of guilt at being safe on the ground while briefing and sending young kids off on missions like Regensburg.

[SCOTTYSWAD]

awsome job bomber guy,hey my father as at molesworth 303rd 91st 427th BG would you have any vidio of his group they ent by the hells angels if so my email is scottyswad@yahoo.com keep up the good work man,oh his plane was the shoo shoo baby and sheilia that crash landed in poland

[irish89055]

@SCOTTYSWAD great stuff that bomber guy has on youtube.. I don't think he answers questions...

[BigMrFirebird]

Superb. Thanks for this.

[dahsuerk]

My father was stationed in Rackheath, Norfolk, England with the 8th Air Force in WWII. Fixed radios on B-24's.

[P214Stearman]

Cheers!

[aquamarinedreams]

My father was pilot of one of the 2 B-17s lost that day over Vegesack. He became a POW in Stalag Luft III. Later received the DFC - on his 80th birthday! Thanks for posting this.

[scrundies]

swanningaround , a very apt name those south east posh types lol try saying that up the east end haha ,and your a jock lover somes you right up ,ill educated appeaser,the british and americans are the only countries who will stand up to tin pot dictatorships whether in ww2 or now ,how many people of these 2 great nations had to die so you could spout your crap,ever think of that , so take thought for the millions who died to protect your freedom of speech before you coment again

[Piero1940]

These were the real battles...face to face with the enemy,today you press a button from long distance launch your missile and have good chances of hitting enemy plane...

[monzavideo]

*th Air Force 305th Bomb Group has a page on Facebook. Check it out

[1027sterling]

10:00 whoa! How close was that camera to the plane? It was like he could land on the guy's tail! I'd probably be so nervous about sliding in front of him- I'd forget to fire.

[soberdave1971]

I'm still trying to find footage with my grandfather's plane in it...Birminghma Jewel, shot down over Hamburg about 6 months before the end of the war...in an interview he spoke about that plane being used for a movie here in the states and then brought back to England with over 100 missions on it before an ME109 shot them down. Does the name ring any bells?

[oneknothead]

my dad was in the 8th ... ball turret gunner

[nicki58]

oneknothead - what plane was he on?

[HobieTyourtube]

I love that WE see--------German losses!

BUT!!---------the American and English Bombers took a---Hiding!

The German Radar defenses were---------totally better than ours--------1940-1943?

The Blitz on London -was a "free for all! "-----in reality-NO defenses at all?

The English---------------"Thank god ,Hitler attacked-Russia "

Check the TOTAL losses of Allied aircraft?

In any respect------------------a Carnage?

Steve.

[swanningaround]

The Americans were so brave. They attacked hard military targets rather than soft cities like Dresden that the English favored.

[binfieldwasp]

wrong again captain america , i do believe that the mighty eigth airforce followed up the british attack on dresden the following day.

another military target ?

[swanningaround]

bin. No one's perfect.

[captaintoad]

Glad you've recognized at last that everyones shit stinks.

[ThunderAppeal]

Dresden should have been bombed more. In fact I have no problem if Americans leave iraq and afghanistan but only as long as they bomb dresden on the way back.

[MPHKZ766637465]

the only info ican get on the 14th cav was they held a critical pass for 24 criticial hours in the beginging day of the battle of the bulge the OFFICIAL rememberance was they fought till dead ..wounded..or out of ammo..being my uncles unit in ww2 i need to find out more..if they fought till the death like dogs why no unit cition or medals?

any info appreciaded

[MPHKZ766637465]

the BIG WEEK the combined attacks on luftwaffe production facillites and the absolute highest attriction of german air defenses by escourt fighter wings to destroy enemy fighter interdiction forces...THE 8TH AIR FORCE WAS PART OF THE BAIT IN THIS CAMPAIGN...!!!...CAN ANYBODY POST THIS  ALSO CAN ANYBODY DIG UP INFORMATION ON THE 14 CAV DECIMATED DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE..LOST A UNCLE IN THAT BATTLE 14TH CAV MEMBER

[MPHKZ766637465]

there was a incident of a bomber crew dropping there gear over enemy occupied france or germany because of engine trouble who where being escounted back to a german aerodrome the problem cleared up they shot up there german escourts and managed to escape back to england..gear down was a reconized airerial surrender germany had intact b-17s they captured that way

[swanningaround]

MPHKZ. I doubt this happened. If so, it seems like a war crime.

[MrBigskip]

People like you make me sick, i doubt you'd have the balls to put your life on the line.. English, American, Canadian - we were all fighting against evil, any method is good. Don't forget the shit you yanks gave your forces after vietnam. All fighting men deserve our respect, regardless. End of.

[swanningaround]

MrBigskip. Why should I put my "life on the line"? I don't believe in your "good vs evil" theory. I am against war. As for the English, Canadians and Americans fighting evil - that is stupid. It implies that anyone else who is, say, Israeli, Japanese, Indian, Russian, Mexican, Australian, Scots, Swiss, Egyptian is evil. If you say that the nationals of only three countries are good, and everyone else is evil, then you had better be right!

[MrBigskip]

you are entitled to your opinion, as i am to the opinion you are a dickhead

[swanningaround]

MrBig. Thank you for your comment. Would you be from England by any chance?

[ThunderAppeal]

Nah, fuck the krauts. The fritzenkrauts were shooting innocent civilians at the sides of roads all over europe.

At least the Americans didnt target civilians like you filthy fritzenkrauts did.

[swanningaround]

Thunder. What a pile of rubbish. You are obviously another sad English - probably one of the more intelligent ones. At least you are truthful and admit you are evil.

[ThunderAppeal]

The only pile of rubbish is you.

[swanningaround]

Thunder. I never said you were a pile of rubbish, only what you say.

[LordGodofMercy]

Ah swanningaround the American nazi apologist. Bad mouthing Brits again are you.

[swanningaround]

LordGod. I would never bad mouth the Scots. There are the best, finest and most honest and intelligent people around. Och aye the noo!

[LordGodofMercy]

Ooh! you are divisive.

[swanningaround]

LordGod. Not so. I do not treat the British, even those on the "mainland" as being the same. The Scots are quite different to the ones over the border.

[LordGodofMercy]

I suppose you are right, I'll take what you say as complement to my Dad. There again even he would agree that your huge generalisations about the Scots are not entirely true.

[swanningaround]

Look, LordGod. Most of my criticisms are directed against the South East "posh" types, which some other English people also try to be like. I have absolutely nothing against decent people anywhere, including many English people.

I also try to be realistic. All nations have their faults, including the Americans and Germans. I am well aware of the hyped up American "newscasts" like this one. I must say I do like the Scots though. I can't help it, as they are braw and bonnie.

[ThunderAppeal]

Good for them!!

[MPHKZ766637465]

the first to bomb berlin if my 8th army air force father was right always took the worst of enemy fighter interdiction used as bait during the big week any films on that?

[randy95023]

Googled this... The 8th Air Force suffered 47,000 casualties, with 26,000 KIA in World War Two. Being an air crew member in a B-17 or B-24 was more dangerous than being a Marine in the South Pacific. As horrible as the fighting was for the Marines, the average combat Marine only saw a couple of weeks of fighting during his whole 2 or 3 years in the service. Bomber crews flew several times a month and each mission had a 4 to 8 percent casualty rate! A rate far greater than any infantryman.

[yonpolite]

was that heavily guarded sight, the so called Mickey?

[Aeroplnut]

"Mickey" was the radar bombing equiptment.

The Norton bombsight was a mecxhanical computer,tied into the autopilot system.. This ws the super secret item

[bettendorfer78]

My Grandpa beat the odds. He was a bombadier on the B-17 "Piccadilly Commando" , and completed all 25 of his runs over Germany. The next crew to take over the Piccadilly Commando were shot down on their first run. He is still going strong today at the age of 90. I have so much respect for the men and women of this era.

[rickbar123]

Tell grandpop- Thank you for you service and we love him for our freedom

[Tubbytoobs]

@bettendorfer78 What did he use as his Talisman ? ;0

I Salute him!!

He is surely Lucky

[blh3863]

Thank your Grandpa for me, without the selfless actions of men like your Grandpa, none of us would enjoy the freedom we have today

[Tifoso420]

@bettendorfer78 My uncle was a ball turret gunner on a plane with that very name.(there may have been several, of course) He was in the 306th BG, 369th BS.

[bettendorfer78]

@Tifoso420 He was in the 351st Bombardment Group (Heavy). His name is Clifford Adams. I found a link to the distinguished flying cross for him, but youtube will not let me post it. I have his crew photo by the plane and will try to upload it to youtube in the future under picadilly commando 351st

[oldgringo2001]

About 1 in 10 Americans killed in action in World War II were 8th AF crew.

[AinsleysRevenge]

My Dad was USAAF in WWII. I have a deep respect for the personnel of the USAAF of that era. I live near the 8th Air Force museum. I have my Dad's hand written war diary of his missions flown on a B24; part of the 15th Air Force; 98th BG and would like to donate it to an Air Force museum for preservation but doesn't seem right to give it to the 8th.

[randy95023]

It's wild to think that just 5 years earlier America was in a deep depression and about 98%of Americans had never even been in an airplane. By 1944 THOUSANDS of huge, modern bombers were destroying Hitler's Germany. I wonder if us Yanks could unite in such a way today...

[tomato6999]

I do love to see the yanks kick german ass

[Avenger1945]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA GERMAN AIRCRAFT LOOKS LIKE A

II SWISS CHEESE. and for the new-semi-nazi

II BlikjeBier, sukka sto cazzo pezzo di merda.

II

\/

[BlikjeBier]

why you not being nice to poor little me?

[arifi75]

Hope you will be proud for ever of your granddads killing and burning german children and women by your fucking bomb terror.

Ridicolous chicken in the fight man against man against the german soldiers, so burn their children and woman!!!

Be proud of fucking wankers!!!

[apkape]

Then how to you justify the bombing campaign of Great Britain?

[BlikjeBier]

the british asked for it

[persluchtboy]

stupid idiot,

The germans killed miljons of people, and your are talking dirty about they man how did also fight for your freedom so that you good put down your stupid reaction here. Your really ......... I can`t put it to words what i think about you...

[BlikjeBier]

i can tell you cant put it into words, your english sux donkey balls! Heil Hitler!

[persluchtboy]

Well hell,

Iam happy that your english is beter then my english but your manners towards these man suck and if your looking to be a asshole go look in the mirror.. best of luck to you beercan.

[BlikjeBier]

me like looking in mirror, me got handsome asshole! unlike you fat hairy pounded-by-big-nigger-dick asshole!

i hope you die, compressed air boy.

[persluchtboy]

stupid Albanië loser!!!!!

[BlikjeBier]

cheesehead

[wyunaboy]

nice to know when you look at the mirror you see an ass instead a face lol

[AinsleysRevenge]

RUN!! Save yourselves! It's Albania!!

[BlikjeBier]

be very afraid indeed, or else we will stop the export of traditional albanian goat cheese to your country!

haha, now you are quiet huh?

[medicboy89]

Sorry mate but you're going to have to explain how the civilians of Great Britain asked for the Germans to drop bombs on them.

[BlikjeBier]

first of all the british are the ones who declared war upon germany in 1939. after the fall of france they refused a piece offer. so the british shouldnt start whining and bitching that they got bombs on their ass. thays what you get when you piss uncle adolf off!

[medicboy89]

But by that logic, Germans would have to stop 'whining and bitching' about what the Soviets did when they invaded Germany. After all, Germany did declare war on Russia. Also do you really think Hitler would have stopped at the English Channel?

[BlikjeBier]

1- hitler never declared war to russia, they just attacked them.

2- Hitler never wanted to attack the united kingdom, as they were 'aryan brothers'.

[MaxSafeheaD]

Are you insane?

[BlikjeBier]

no, why?

[isftish]

1. hitler had a treaty of peace with Russia when germany invaded Russia. germany intended to invade Britain, but had to take down the RAF first which they failed. So in a bid to deny britain her only creditable ally, hitler attacked Russia.

2.hitler never thought of the British as aryan brothers.

[BlikjeBier]

he did

[wyunaboy]

a peace with hitler? not in a million years..anyway in the end we know who are the winners and your uncle adolf have to put a bullet in his sorry head and many more sorry ass germans have to eat lead

[panhead55]

at 1:35 its plane WF*B, 41-24590, named "590" of the 305th bomb group. at 2:05 is CARTERS LITTLE PILLS, WF*A, 41-24588. david c. cox was a crew member maybe pilot and i had contact with a relative of his and he sent me a pic of that nose art for "carter and his little pills with david in view." this first clip was all 305th BG. for more on this group look up a book called 'JOHN BURN ONE-ZERO-FIVE...'

[GREEROPS]

holodenier - you are an idot.. as a Dane who's contry was invaded by them I can tell you... good guys they were not ... twit

[grahamkeithtodd]

GREEROPS mate that creap holodenier is a nazi shithead! i for one slaute the brave danes that did stand up to these scumbags!

[terryfl1956]

The comment below was meant for Holodenier, see his comments at bottom of page.

[grahamkeithtodd]

also holodenier you never did awnser my question about the germans dropping bombs on rotterdamm,warsal,london,conve­ntry ect ect ect... your STILL a nazi peice of shit!

[grahamkeithtodd]

oh your back holodenier.. you never did reply to my question in the "why we fight" posting( see u tube.) face it your a nasty bit of work and i suspect your a nazi scumbag! why dont you fuck off and die like all the other good nazi's!REMEBER PEOPLE the only good nazi is a DEAD nazi!

[terryfl1956]

You are either misguided,mentally deranged,or just plain stupid ! it is good though that even people like yourself who most respectable people would find offensive are allowed to write what they like and have freedom of speech and will not be persecuted no matter how stupid or offensve your comments are.Please remember though that your freedoms have not come free many fine brave servicemen and women from Britain and the United States gave their lives so you can have the right to write rubbish..

[holodenier]

The freedoms we still have in the US, but no longer in Britain, are the result of Hitler and Germany's war against communism. The US and its GI slobs, "hired-murderers for the Jews," supported Stalin and communism and nearly brought communist domination on the entire world. What actually happened was horrible enough.

The disaster would have been beyond all hope of recovery if Hitler and Germany and its allies had NOT mauled the Soviets as thoroughly as they had.

Friedrich Paul Berg

[Wingdoss]

If Hitler has not mauled the soviets then they would still have been in agreement through the non-aggression pact.

[bottlecap11111]

If the Nazis didnt kill 6 million Jews, then where did they go?

[holodenier]

The worst war criminals in the entire history of the world were the Americans in WW2. America murdered more than a million totally innocent civilians, mostly women and children, by deliberately "roasting" them to death with cowardly, incendiary air attacks, even using napalm and nuclear weapons. The perpetrators (Eisenhower, LeMay, Churchill, Rossevelt, etc.,) deserved to be burned alive at a stake.

See my website: "Nazi Gassings Never Happened! Niemand wurde vergast!"

Friedrich Paul Berg

[Wingdoss]

So the Luftwaffe didn't use incendiary bombs? No doubt Nazi scientists weren't researching nuclear weapons either?

[holodenier]

Well, no one used napalm on American women and children. As to the war against Britain, it was the British who had begun the deliberate bombing of German civilian targets with incendiary bombs long before the Germans belatedly responded on September 7, 1940 with their first deliberate attack on any British civilian target. Berlin had been bombed five times by the British.

Remember, the Nazis were the Good Guys and the western allies were the worst war criminals ever.

Friedrich Paul Berg

[Wingdoss]

Thank you for conceding my point about the Luftwaffe using incendiaries. As for British civilian targets, I take it the fishing trawlers and other unarmed merchant shipping in the English Channel that were attacked by Stukas prior to the Battle of Britain were mistaken by the Luftwaffe to be aircraft carriers?

[WKUHilltopper]

Pal, you think these Nazi guys were heroes? LOL! You'd be the first one in the oven had you lived then. America, Britain, Australia, Canada, Russia, et al, by getting rid of these demons, probably saved more people than it ever had to kill. Your logic is sorely lacking.

[holodenier]

Unfortunately, WW2 did NOT get rid of enough idiots like WKUHilltopper. Cremation is common all over the world.

The Nazis cremated people one at a time, just like everyone else, to be able to put something into an urn and return it to family members of the deceased. The ovens in the camps were standard crematory ovens meant for one corpse at a time--and NOT the kind of large ovens one would have used if mass murder were involved.

The REAL war criminals were the Allies.

Friedrich Paul Berg

[WKUHilltopper]

LOL! You're a hoot...No, really those ovens were used for their Saturday afternoon cook outs. I forgot, these camps were just merry little affairs--just happy camp outs. Yes, I'm probably an idiot...for trying to engage in conversation with someone who obviously has had a lobotomy.

[ThunderAppeal]

The germans and the little nazi bastards they conscripted to murder innocent civilians by the sides of roads throughout you would probably believe is also a myth because it is rarely written about.

[norwichstrangler]

i have some parts from a b-17 that collided with another ship while forming up over norfolk no surviors

[SmiertSpionem]

"...so the chances of buying the farm were high"

XD

[kattrby]

A bit of bad sportsmanship in the middle - I thought the classic sign of sayng you were out of the fight because you were wounded was to lower your undercarriage, a bit like a white flag.

[logancody07]

I've been studying WWII for a long time and as a retired professional pilot myself I'm most interested in the aerial combat between the Allies and Axis. I must say I've never heard any reference to that bit about lowering your landing gear as a sign of capitulation. I do know that in many aircraft your hydraulich's being shot away will cause the the landing gear to extend as th uplock's on the landing gear are held in the up and locked position hydraulichly.

[kattrby]

That is plainly the other explanation. There seemed to have been three components to the white flag manoeuvre, if you can call it that - drop your gear, stay straight and level as far as you can, and make for the ground. All just about suicidal in a dogfight, for sure, but not unknown. I wish I could give you references - my father was in the RAF during the war, but mainly in the desert, and maybe that alone made for rather different informal rules of engagement.

[Truthseekerfinder]

Exactly. I've never heard the gear dropping explanation in 35 years of study and 15 years of working on WWII aircraft. I'll be sure to ask some pilots about this...

[Wingdoss]

I've heard about the dropping of the gear meaning capitulation a few times but can't for the life of me quote a source from memory.

[Truthseekerfinder]

See? No credible resources. I think it's a wartime myth.

[Wingdoss]

I didn't say there were no credible sources, only that I couldn't remember which books I'd read them in.

[Truthseekerfinder]

I said there aren't any credible sources.

I've never seen this statement in print.

No sources means no joy.

But, thanks for playing!!!

[Wingdoss]

I didn't know that this game was against the clock? I'll return when I've found some source material.

[WKUHilltopper]

Not a myth at all. I know several WW2 pilots who've indicated this. This was a common practice--if you're surrendering. And it usually only happened if you were over enemy territory, out of fuel and ammo. Mostly, from what I understand, you just took your chances. Of course, you have to assume your enemy lets your surrender and doesn't blast you out of the sky regardless.

[highlander1745]

Well, I've been in aviation for a VERY long time. My dad flew P-47s and my eldest brother flew F4Us in the Pacific. I never heard this when I was growing up.

The one reason I don't buy it is this: Almost all MLG on WW2 aircraft were hydraulically actuated. A shot through a line can inadvertently lower the gear. I doubt an enemy pilot would back off at the moment of victory.

That being said, I can't DISprove it, either. But, I've never read it anywhere, nor heard it said. That's all.

[WKUHilltopper]

Highlander, I don't know what to tell you. I trust what you're saying too. Maybe they didn't do this in the Pacific but they did in Europe? It's like the Japanese would shoot medics, but (sometimes) the Germans would give them a pass. I've had a few guys(who told me they were WW2 pilots, radio operators, etc) mention this happened, but it was rare. Maybe it was something that happened mainly in the Battle of Britain or something.

[lfll5]

nice video

[denberg2]

Keep 'em coming, Bomberguy!

[spritz0]

Anyone catch the real clear closeup shootdown of a ME-410??

[twinten]

Of course none of the wing cameras had sound. Any sound on any WWII footage is always dubed in, usually years after the war.

[grahamkeithtodd]

once again Bomberguy mate you have surpassed yourself... thank you for posting this one...

i feel the uk has little or no idea how many us aircrews did so much for the war effort.. once again thank you(oh and by the way i am a brit)

[Bobbyo60]

Thank you, I sometimes grow weary of these young twits who get on here and tell how the americans "sat on our fat asses, while the english did the fighting", not taking into account how long it takes to prepare for war.

I do thank you for your kind thoughts.

[grahamkeithtodd]

no problem mate... i think the us air force did a fantastic job bombing germant during the day(mnot a job I would have wanted or liked!)

[oldthrashhead]

Some of us do matey, but lets face it nowadays the younger generation dont know much about the US, UK or any allies efforts during WW2. Apart from the RAF we would have been finished if the Yanks hadn't been forced to join us regardless of the 'lend/lease' they generously let us have.