World War II Bombing Missions

Historic aerial images of B-17 and B-24 bombers launching missions during World War II, showcasing formations against cold gray skies and cloud-filled backgrounds.

Northrop P-61 'Black Widows' In Flight. Saipan, Marianas Islands, January, 1945

Apparently Leaving A Trail Of Smoke Behind It, The Martin B-26 Marauder Of The Tactical Air Force Flies Over Southern France. The Smoke Is Actually On The Ground -- A Railroad Bridge Bombed At Montpelier, The City Which Lies Behind The Marauder'S Tail.

Into the clouds go these Douglas C-47's of the Troop Carrier Air Division of the 12th Air force laden with tough and well trained paratroopers reday to hit the enemy behind the lines in Southern France.

Formation Of Boeing B-29 "Superfortresses"', Based On Guam, Marianas Islands. May 1945.

The Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Chug-A-Lug' Of The 381St Bomb Group, En Route To Bomb Enemy Installations In Europe, Flies High Above Fleecy Clouds.

The Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Sad Sack" (A/C No. 124504), Of The 91St Bomb Group Wings Its Way Over The Countryside On A Practice Mission On 10 July 1944. Europe.

This Consolidated B-24 Liberator Bomber Of The 15Th Air Force In Italy, Is Shown As It Makes Its Way Toward Its Home Base Laying A Trail Of Smoke After Being Hit By Enemy Flak Over An Enemy Installation. 451St Bomb Group.

Mission #2-St. Omer-ofrt Rouge, France-Flak bursting around Martin B-26's over France.

At An Altitude Of 22,000 Feet Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 447Th Bomb Group, Leave A Path Of Vapor Trails As They Drone Through The Sky To Strike Back At The Enemy In Europe. 20 March 1944.

Winging Majestically Homeward, This Consolidated B-24 Liberator Of The 15Th Af Flies Over The Famous Isle Of Capri In Italy, After Completing Its Mission Deep In The Heart Of Enemy Territory.

Higher and Higher goes the value of these Lockheed P-38 Lightnings, fighters of a Fighter Group of the 15th Air Force in Italy. Some of them are shown here, getting ready to peel off to attack.

Lockheed P-38s stream through the thin atmosphere at their rendezvous point where they met the heavy bombers and escorted them on the bombing mission. These darting flashing denizens of the rarified high altitude atmosphere scored many victories

The Consolidated B-24 "Lady Kaye" of the 494th Bomb Group flies high above the Gulf of Davao off of Mindanao in the Philippines, en route to bomb Japanese installations in the small village of Ising, located about four miles north of the Gulf

This Consolidated B-24 Liberator of the U.S. Army 15th AF was mortally struck by a German ME-109 during a mission over the synthetic oil refineries at Vienna, Austria. Flames are seen bursting out behind the wings and sweeping back toward the tail.

Aircraft, Burma, India & INDIA,Transportation War

France - 8Th Af Bombs Smother Another Royan Defense. Note Sunken Ship.

One of the Boeing B-17 Flying ofrtresses based in Italy releases a string of seven bombs on another enemy installation. The opposite of its name, this baby isn't joking.

Douglas A-20'S Of The 410Th Bomb Group Leaves A Smoking Target Somewhere In Europe.

High In The Clouds, These Douglas C-47S Of The Troop Carrier Air Division Of The Twelfth Air Force, Wing Their Way To Where They Will Rendezvous Over The Dropping Zones To Dislodge Their Tough And Trained Load Of Paratroopers. France. Douglas C-47 Tran

EXIT OF GERMAN PLANE-A Nazi ME 109 fighter goes down in flames after losing to an Eighth Air Force fighter in an encounter over Germany recently. Here are three pictures from the gun camera of the victorious American fighter plane. Picture No. 1:

Framed By The Wing Of A Sister Plane, Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" Of The 452Nd Bomb Group Presents A Pretty Picture As It Winged Its Way Toward The Target Of The Day, Dunkirk, France. B-17S Of The 452Nd Bomb Group Continued Their Attacks On Every Enemy

Silvery Consolidated B-24 Liberators move with majesty from the coast of England eastward across the North Sea. Close formation is their defense against enemy attacks.

Martin B-26 "Marauders" heading out over French coast, en route back to base, after raiding enemy-held airdrome near Lille. Flak being sent up was inefectual, at this particular point.

These Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 15Th Air Force Leave The Szob Railroad Bridge, N. Budapest, Hungary After Attacking It On Sept. 20, 1944.

A Naval Fighter Plane Comes In For A Landing On Okinawa, Ryukyu Retto. 1945.

A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress of the U.S. 8th Air Force, bomb bay gaping, is just about to release its high explosive load on the German port of Swinemunde only 16 miles from Marshal Zhukov's Red Army forces in the Baltic area on March 12, 1945. The

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 91St Bomb Group, 8Th Air Force, Are Shown Over The Patchwork Landscape Of France Enroute To Their Target Of The Day - Tours. 5 January 1944. Altitude 20,300 Feet.

Smoke rising from the Logan Oil Refinery, at Bratislavia, Czechoslovakia, reached a height of 15,000 feet during the attack on that target June 16, 1944. Bombs from the 15th AAF heavies touched off many explosions and fires in the area.

Formation Of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, Of The 381St Bomb Group, En Route To Bomb Enemy Installations Somewhere In Europe, 1 July 1943.

BF-110 fighter-bomber over Poland

B-29's Of The 498Th Bomb Group, 73Rd Bomb Wing, Based In Saipan Come Over The Japaneseanese Coast As Mt. Fujiyama Looms In The Distance.

Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" (A/C No. 48324) Of The 91St Bomb Group Drones Over Fleecy Clouds Enroute To Bomb Nazi Installations In Europe.

A Consolidated B-24 Liberator Of The 15Th Af Leaves Its Target Before Bologna Smoking During The Greatest Air Attack Ever Launched By Maaf In Italy. The Attack Preceeded The Offensive By The 5Th Army. For Two Days Beginning On April 15 1945, The Maaf

Taken At Battle Of Midway, 4 June 1942, By 431St Bomb Sq., Lt. Colonel Walter C. Sweeney, Jr., Commanding, T/Sgt. Hastings, Photographer. Altitude: 20,000 Feet, With 12 Inch Lens. Scale: 1/3947. Identification: Akagi ()

Vapor trails mark the path of these Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 15th AAF as they majestically wing their way to attack important and strategic targets in enemy held Europe. Heavy bombers of the Mediterranean Theatre have been hammering away

On Course, A Formation Of 14Th Air Force Bombers Wing Their Way Toward An Enemy Target In Occupied China. 308Th Bomb Group.

Flying ofrtresses of the 8th AAF with Republic P-47 "Thunderbolts" as escorts on way to bombing targets in Germany.

Bombs From The Consolidated B-24 Liberators Fall On Nazi Installations Somewhere In Europe, 24 November 1944. 2Nd Bomb Div., 8Th Air Force.

High In The Sub Stratosphere Over German Territory, This Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" Of The 91St Bomb Group 8Th Af Etches Vapor Trails. The Target On This Mission Is Brunswick, Germany. 30 Jan 1944. (Altitude 22,000 Feet).

An aerial view of the rugged Ramu Valley in New Guinea where Australian troops are fighting a bitter day-and-night battle against the Japaneseanese. General Sir Iven Mackay reports that AIF veterans have now driven the enemy from the Kunai plains into

An ME-109 trailing smoke after an attack by Capt. Floyd C. Brandt, a fighter-bomber pilot of the 19th Tactical Air Command during recent air battles over Germany. Republic P-47 pilots of the Command are spearheading Lt. Gen. George Patton's current

Bombing Of Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, By Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" Of The 15Th Air Froce, 98Th Bomb Group, On 16 June 1944. Formations Of "Liberators" Shown Leaving The Targets. (Altitude Was 22,000 Feet).

With Installations Burning Fiercely, This Is The Picture Presented At Regensburg, Germany During Attack On 25 Feb 1944 By Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 452Nd Bomb Group, 8Th Air force. Taken By S/Sgt. F. Ferreri.

Part Of A Martin B-26 Marauder Formation Of The Tactical Air Force Crosses The Coast Of Southern France, With The Wide Mouth Of The Rhone River In The Background. Marauders Have Already Blasted Most Of The Road And Rail Bridges Which Cross The Southern S

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 15Th Af Leave A Pattern Of Vapor Trails Behind Them As They Head For The Oil Refineries At Brux, Czechoslavakia, In A Continued And Successful Effort To Destroy The Hun'S Oil Supply. Italy.

Silhouette of Boeing B-17s during raid on factory at Brussels, 15 Aug. 1943.

Their Guns Poised For Action, These Republic P-47 Thunderbolts Of The Us 12Th Af Fly Over The Snow Covered Italian Alps As Escort For North American B-25 Mitchells Headed For German Targets In Northern Italy. The Guns Seen In The Foreground Are On The Pl

Mud Splattered Consolidated B-24 Liberators Of The 15Th Air Force Take Off From Their Soggy Bases In Italy To Smash A High Priority Target In Central Europe. These Heavies Beat General Winter By Instrument Bombing Thehun In His Back Yard, Cutting His Rail

All Three Of The Ball Turret Gunners On The Under Side Of His Ship Can Swing On An Attacking Enemy Fighter, Whether He Attacks From Head On, From Under One Side, Or From Up Under The Tail -- All Three Balls Will Bracket Him Together. There Will Be At Lea

Marine Cpl. Janes Kirker, a 20-year-old helicopter crew chief from West Virginia, is seen manning a 15-60 machine gun aboard a CH-46 "Sea Knight" helicopter. The photo, taken on December 10, 1966, during an armed escort mission in South Vietnam, shows Kirker keeping a close watch as part of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM)-361, stationed in Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 36.

Pioneering the attack route to another principal source of Japanesean's petroleum supply, a strong force of Consolidated B-24 Liberators from the 13th Air Force attacked Tarakan Island, Borneo, 18 Nov 44. The Liberators, veterans of Balikpapan, the

Bomb damage to Radovljica...

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses Of The 15Th Af, Italy, Leave A Blanket Of Vapor Trails As They Fly High Above Their Target, The Oil Refinery At Regensburg, Germany.

Leaving criss-cross vapor trails in the sky, U.S. 8th Air Force fighter planes weave about formations of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses as they escort the heavies deep into Germany.

Rations being dropped from Douglas C-47 "Skytrain" over Kibawe Airstrip. 31st Division was supplied with rations for a period of two weeks by this means, due to all bridges being burned out and the impassability of roads. Provisions dropped with

Hitler's communication lines, took another beating when North American B-25 (Mitchell bombers) of the "Avengers" group blasted Terracina on the coast, 65 miles northwest of Naples. In this photo direct hits are visible on three important roads, the

Two North American B-25 Mitchells Of The 12Th Af Over The Alps On Their Way To Their Targets. Italy.

Silhouette of Boeing B-17s during raid on factory at Brussels, 15 Aug. 1943.

The 9th AF Martin B-26 Marauder "Rat Poison," a veteran of more than 164 combat missions, undergoing maintenance at the ofrmer Luftwaffe field now used as a base by a medium bomber group. "Rat Poison" has been the lead plane for the group on all

Consolidated B-24S Of The 8Th Air Force Over Magdenburg, Germany, On 15 February 1945. 453Rd Bomb Group.

Part of the record bomb load dropped on rail targets in the heart of Berlin 26 Feb. 45 by heavy bombers of the U.S. 8th AF. More than 5000 500-lb high explosives and half a million incendiary bombs were delivered at the capital of Nazidom punctually

Parade Grounds At Corregidor, P.I. Where U.S. Soliders Passed In Review During 40 Years' Peace, Becomes Scene Of Battle Triumph As Paratroops Descend For Action.

Shot Down In The Previous Day'S Fighting, This P-40 Is Silhouetted Against The Early Morning Sky As Infantrymen Advance To Beach Positions At Salerno, Italy.

Dive Bombing

Shown along the Markham River, these American paratroops are closing the Japaneses back door to Lae. Some have landed but others are still in the air. Note the planes, also the smokescreen which conceals the action from the Japaneses across the river.

Boeing B-17s over Brunswick, Germany.

Anefo photo collection. marine aviary service established Jagersquadron operate aircraft covers. pilots Dutch East Indies. Plane front landing. 1940-1945}. Britain

A Smoke Marker Is Dropped On The Nazi Airdrome At Orleans France By The Leading Consolidated B-24, During A Raid On 14 June 1944.

Boeing B-17 Stuttgart, Germany Mission-6 Sept. 1943: Close-up view of mid-section of a "Fort" in top element waist gunner on the alert. Note ball turret gunner pointing his guns straight down as he follows enemy fighters who are swooping by.

North American B-25 Which Was Damaged During The Eruption Of Mt. Vesuvius On 23 March 1944. Note Ashes And Cinders Piled Around The Place. 340Th Bomb Group, Italy.

New Guinea-BOMBING

Formation of Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" of the 15th Air Force on way to attack Brod, Yugoslavia, 2 July 1944.

Attack on an 18 to 20-ship Japanese navy task force in the Sulu Sea, October 27, 1944, by the "Fightin' 13th" AAF liberators was remarkable in several ways. Not the least was this photograph produced after the battle, which shows a Yamato class

US Navy F9F in flight formation over ships in water

STRAFING & COMBAT

More than 175 Allied fighters and light bombers made low-level fire-bombing attacks over Japanese positions guarding Ipo Dam. These missions were flown in preparation for a swift drive by the U.S. 43rd Infantry Division, that resulted in final

Bombers Hit Japanese Supply Line at Wewak. This U.S. Army medium bomber has just dropped its bomb load on the Japanese freighter below, which is lying at anchor in Wewak harbor. Note the intensity of the anti-aircraft fire indicated by shellbursts just above

Boeing B-17 "Flying ofrtress" with propeller and part of engine shot off.

Bombs Explode On Viterbo Airdrome, Italy, After They Were Dropped By Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses During A Mission On 29 July 1943.

8th Air force Boeing B-17 Flying ofrtresses on parade. This unusual picture shows the Flying ofrtresses of "Hells Angels", the 303rd Bomb Group in England, flying over the Stars and Stripes in their combat formation on return from a bombing mission

Smoke streams from this FW-190 as evidence of Lt. L.A. Pompili's attack of July

Allied landing craft along...

A Spitfire of the R.A.F. swoops down low to inspect the German installations facing the 8th Army in the vicinity of Cotignola, Italy on April 9, 1945. Over a thousand bombers of the MAAF took part in operation plaster.

A Smoke Marker Is Dropped By The Bombardier In The Lead Plane To Mark The Target For Formations Of Consolidated B-24S During A Raid On Zossen, Germany On 15 March 1945.

On a desert in Egypt, a North American B-25 is hardly visible through a dust storm, one of the many hazzards allied troops and pilots had to cope with in helping chase the Jerry out of North Africa.

Close-up of the business end of a 15th Air force Fighter Group Lockheed P-38 Lightning, based in Italy, which doubles in brass. One day it flys as escort to heavy bombers of the 15th Air Force, the next it strafes enemy positions in low level

An air-to-air view of a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft from the 93rd Air Refueling Squadron and two F-106A Delta Dart aircraft from the California Air National Guard as they fly in formation off the coast of Santa Cruz, California. Country: Pacific Ocean (POC)

Bomb Damaged Me-109S Being Inspected By Us Soldiers.

Soaring off into a gray sky, a North American B-25 U.S. Army Bomber heads for Japanesean to give the people of the Rising Sun their first taste of war on their own Islands. The attack, launched from the flight deck of the USS HORNET was delivered

Before The 5Th Army Jumped Off For The Final Offensive Against The Krauts In Italy Heavies Of The 15Th Af And Mediums And Fighter Bombers Of The 12Th Af Worked Overtime In The Greatest Air Show Put On Thus Far In Italy. Here Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress

Castel Benito Airfield near Tripoli, Tripolitania, Libya, was captured at night. Here are British guns hammering at a German strong point held by the Nazis near the airfield.

Project 30-7 - Operation Tumbler/Snapper (Nevada Test Site) Test Activities. Project 3.1, test aircraft, post-CHARLIE. Photographs of Atmospheric Nuclear Testing at Pacific Island and Nevada Test Sites.

Anefo photo collection. Fighter aircraft during First World War. February 9, 1973

Silhouette of Boeing B-17s during raid on factory at Brussels, 15 Aug. 1943.

Attack Of A German Submarine By A Plane Of The 479Th Anti Submarine Group Somewhere In The North Sea. July 1943.

Strafing and Combat.

It's Up -- After Rolling Only 372 Feet, Half The Distance It Would Take Without The 12 Rockets Mounted Beneath The Wings. This Boeing B-17 Had Originally Been Forced, Because Of Flak Damage Over Enemy Territory, To Land On A Small Ploughed English Field

Douglas C-47S Spraying Ddt Over Bombed Areas In Manila, Philippine Islands. April 1945.

Smoke and flames of a ***** Japanese flying-boat which exploded just before hitting the water after having been damaged from a 7.7 m.m. shell in action against the U.S. forces in the vicinity near Truck. June 21, 1944. (Photo by Official, U.S. Navy Photograph).

CVA 61 Ranger , Ships, Naval Vessels, Boats, Naval History, Navy

A U.S. Navy Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless dive bomber of Bombing Squadron 5 (VB-5) from the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10) over Wake Island, 5 or 6 October 1943

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