My experience in 99th Bomb Group B17 WW2

If you mean North Africa (and this is by no means an answer to your question) there was a flying field at Gibraltar. Whether fighters had the range to fly there from southern England, I don't know.

JT

I had thought of Gibraltar as well, but I don't think the fighter aircraft had the range to get there (at least in 1942). And if the aircraft did fly by that route, I would think that the Germans would have made it a major target, because it was the only real foothold Britain had in the area.

 

Here is a general question that is probably common knowledge, but I don't know the answer so I will ask anyway. What route did aircraft take to get to North Aircraft. Bombers may have been able to get there directly from Britain, but what was the method for getting the smaller fighter and ground-attack aircraft to that location? Were they flown there making several stops, or were they transported there by some other method?

I would also like to know how susceptible airfields were to surprise attack by enemy aircraft. Were radar systems in sufficient number (and advanced enough) to prevent surprise raids, or was there still some risk of that?


I can give you information on Lend & Lease aircraft from the United States to North Africa.

The company seconded/contracted/engaged to fly these aircraft was Pan Am due to their experience in flying the Atlantic pre war. This was pre Pearl Harbor so the USA was not yet in the war.

While the "<st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Takoradi Route</st1:address></st1:street>," <st1:country-region w:st="on">USA</st1:country-region> to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region> to Gold Coast, to <st1><st1:country-region w:st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region></st1>.was part of a common route, another route landed on the African continent then onto British forces in the <st1>Middle East.</st1><o></o>

The route followed, ran from <st1:state w:st="on"></st1:state>[FONT=&quot]<st1:country-region w:st="on"></st1:country-region><st1:state w:st="on"></st1:state><st1:city w:st="on"></st1:city><st1:country-region w:st="on"></st1:country-region><st1:city w:st="on"></st1:city><st1:city w:st="on"><st1></st1></st1:city>USA (Florida) the across the Caribbean (Puerto Rico - San Juan) to Brazil (Belem & Natal) and then over the narrowest point of the South Atlantic to <st1:city w:st="on">Bathurst</st1:city> (now <st1:city w:st="on">Banjul</st1:city>) in the British colony of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Gambia</st1:country-region> in <st1>West Africa</st1>. From <st1:country-region w:st="on">Gambia</st1:country-region> the planes were flown to <st1:city w:st="on">Khartoum</st1:city> in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan by way of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nigeria</st1:country-region> and French Equatorial Africa (encompassing what are now the <st1:country-region w:st="on">Central African Republic</st1:country-region>, the <st1>Republic</st1> of <st1>Chad</st1>, the <st1>Republic</st1> of <st1>the Congo</st1>, and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Gabon</st1:country-region>) then north to <st1><st1:city w:st="on">Cairo</st1:city></st1>.[/FONT]


The trip was close to 17,000 kms.

A bit more here: The Middle East

<o></o><o></o>

 

Thanks for the link spidge. I found the following quote on the site:

"BAFG had been formed on an undertaking of urgent re-supply of Middle East Cmd from the UK. The further reinforcement of BAFG contemplated in Athens, Cairo and London could only then be achieved by the demanding convoy and air-ferry route through Takoradi on the West African Gold Coast and on to Egypt.

The difficulties of this feat, first by convoy through hostile waters, followed by aircraft assembly at Takoradi, and then by air across 2,000 miles of desert, were not fully appreciated in London. Heated exchanges arose between Churchill and Longmore about the serviceable strength of ME Cmd as against (crated) aircraft sent from the UK. By 1942, the Takoradi route was indeed delivering splendid results but in 1941 the re-supply task was still truly formidable."

Trasport of aircraft by ship didn't sound feasible to me because of the difficulties is would have presented (sorry Owen D), but that was probably the only option Britain really had.

 

Thanks for the link spidge. I found the following quote on the site:

"BAFG had been formed on an undertaking of urgent re-supply of Middle East Cmd from the UK. The further reinforcement of BAFG contemplated in Athens, Cairo and London could only then be achieved by the demanding convoy and air-ferry route through Takoradi on the West African Gold Coast and on to Egypt.

The difficulties of this feat, first by convoy through hostile waters, followed by aircraft assembly at Takoradi, and then by air across 2,000 miles of desert, were not fully appreciated in London. Heated exchanges arose between Churchill and Longmore about the serviceable strength of ME Cmd as against (crated) aircraft sent from the UK. By 1942, the Takoradi route was indeed delivering splendid results but in 1941 the re-supply task was still truly formidable."

Trasport of aircraft by ship didn't sound feasible to me because of the difficulties is would have presented (sorry Owen D), but that was probably the only option Britain really had.

I am glad to see that some check the links. Churchill was unappreciative of the "excuses" however the task must have been formidable logistically.

These "behind the scenes" people were amazing and were never given the credit that was due them.

Allied production and logistics were immense. In places like Vanuatu at wars end, the excess supplies dumped into the ocean must have raised the level of the Pacific.

 

I was a B17 pilot, my tour was from 7/19/43 to 2/14/44. I flew 50 combat missions fromTunis, N.Africa and from Foggia, Italy

My memory is not too bad, so I enjoy answering questions by the younger gererations

Jules:

Are you still here? I knew three men who served on B-17s in Europe. Two were shot down and survived in POW camps, one a pilot and the other a navigator. The third gent was a tailgunner. They are all dead now.

JT

 

Anyone with questions re:B17 I will try to answer.

I was a B17 pilot in the 12th then 15th A F, flying from N.Africa and Italy.
My tour was from 7/19/43 to 2/13/44

 

Hi Jules.

I don't have specific questions, but I've known three men who served on B-17s in Europe. Two from my town, one a navigator and the other a pilot, were both shot down and spent time as POWs. They are both deceased.

The other fellow, a man of short stature, was a tail gunner with (IIRC - this was years ago) three or four kills.

That must have been a terrifying experience. I think I'd rather have served in the Marine Corps in the Pacific.

JT

 

jhor9, how often did you fly with the same crew?

 

Jhor9. What was more frightening, flak or fighters?

 

"This was made in 1944 and is a war documentary produced by one of the “Hollywood Colonels”, William Wyler, who joined the Air Force Film Unit and recorded the sights and sounds of the last mission of a B-17 bomber known as the Memphis Belle"

http://www.militaryfix.com/air-force/the-memphis-belle-a-story-of-a-flying-fortress/

(Apologies if this link has been posted before)

 

I was a B17 pilot, flew out of Tunis and Foggia, Italy 12th and then 15th AF

 

I was a B17 pilot, flew out of Tunis and Foggia, Italy 12th and then 15th AF

Welcome JUlues and thanks for your service in ww2

 

Welcome back Jules.

 

JULES! *Heeeeeeuge HUG for Jules* Where you been?

 

Welcome back Jules....

Just thinking of you the other day. I got a Book on RAf Burtonwood ( I spitting distance from whats left of it), which was onw of the biggest US bases in Europe during the war, theres a good shot of what is now a derlict site of B17 lined up nose to tail, loads of em. At any one time there was over 350 on the field with turnaround of over 50 a week, Though the book doesnt say why i guess its to replace loses, all them boys that didnt come back...

Kev

 

JULES! *Heeeeeeuge HUG for Jules* Where you been?
I had to have a system recovery, everything wiped out. The computer was like it came from the factory. I had so much garbage on the machine that I ran out of disk space. On many sites I forgot user names and passwords.

 

Easily done. I really must do another disk defrag myself, but it plays merry hell with the pooter.

 

I can't seem to find the other "KEYS" site snce my system recoverry, that had lots of chatting going on constantly, Can any one help?

 

do you mean ww2forum or whatever it was called. can't remember now. Lee's second site? He amalgamated it with this site.

 

I was a B17 pilot, flew out of Tunis and Foggia, Italy 12th and then 15th AF


If anyone has questions about the B17 I will try to answer,

next week the Collings Foundation B17, B24 and B25 will be at 2 local airports on their annual circuit. I will be near the B17 to act as a docent