The other half of the Schweinfurt raid was the 1st Bombardment Wing’s raid on Regensburg. This mission was flown a few hours earlier in the day, and 148 B-17s struck the Messerschmitt factory at Regensburg, Germany and then flew over the Alps and across the Mediterranean to land in North Africa, a distance of more than 1,500 statute miles. The losses suffered by these B-17s were heavy, but were considerably less than the B-17s later in the day that struck Schweinfurt and were mauled both to the target and returning from it. The Regensburg force surprised the Luftwaffe by turning south-southeast after striking the Messerschmitt plant while enemy fighters landed and reloaded, anticipating these B-17s to trek back across the Reich to England. The path that the B-17s then took to North Africa led them over areas with virtually no air opposition.
The total concept behind these massed raids makes some sense when you examine the facts. The original intent of these raids was to overwhelm the Luftwaffe, and were supposed to be coordinated with the 15th Air Force out of North Africa. August 1st, 1943 saw the infamous “Tidal Wave” raid on Ploesti by the 15th Air Force. The raid on the Messerschmitt factory at Weiner Neustadt, codenamed “Operation Juggler” was supposed to be flown the same day at the raid on Regensburg in order to split the German defensive force. But when that fell through and Weiner Neustadt was attacked on August 13th, 1943, the 8th Air Force strike on Regensburg was instead coordinated with the strike on Schweinfurt.
Had things gone according to plan, the 8th Air Force may have indeed overwhelmed the German fighter forces. However, thick fog and mist prevented the Schweinfurt force from taking off as scheduled, and even prevented them from assembling over the North Sea coast until about 13:30 hours, at which point the German fighters had refueled, rearmed, and were waiting for the Schweinfurt raiders. The Regensburg force had also left Germany, having struck Regensburg at approximately 11:56.
For this raid, I have lessened the severity of enemy air attacks to a considerable degree. In reality, the B-17s were attacked east of Brussels and then from Eupen, Belgium almost all the way to the target, first by single-engined fighters until reaching Mannheim, and then by twin-engined fighters and even night-fighters, which lobbed rockets at the formations and even dropped incendiary bombs on the B-17s until shortly before reaching the target!
"Rami"
Submitted by Rami
The total concept behind these massed raids makes some sense when you examine the facts. The original intent of these raids was to overwhelm the Luftwaffe, and were supposed to be coordinated with the 15th Air Force out of North Africa. August 1st, 1943 saw the infamous “Tidal Wave” raid on Ploesti by the 15th Air Force. The raid on the Messerschmitt factory at Weiner Neustadt, codenamed “Operation Juggler” was supposed to be flown the same day at the raid on Regensburg in order to split the German defensive force. But when that fell through and Weiner Neustadt was attacked on August 13th, 1943, the 8th Air Force strike on Regensburg was instead coordinated with the strike on Schweinfurt.
Had things gone according to plan, the 8th Air Force may have indeed overwhelmed the German fighter forces. However, thick fog and mist prevented the Schweinfurt force from taking off as scheduled, and even prevented them from assembling over the North Sea coast until about 13:30 hours, at which point the German fighters had refueled, rearmed, and were waiting for the Schweinfurt raiders. The Regensburg force had also left Germany, having struck Regensburg at approximately 11:56.
For this raid, I have lessened the severity of enemy air attacks to a considerable degree. In reality, the B-17s were attacked east of Brussels and then from Eupen, Belgium almost all the way to the target, first by single-engined fighters until reaching Mannheim, and then by twin-engined fighters and even night-fighters, which lobbed rockets at the formations and even dropped incendiary bombs on the B-17s until shortly before reaching the target!
"Rami"
Submitted by Rami
