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View Full Version : 30-31 March 1944 Nuremberg Raid Losses


Two's in
30th Mar 2022, 23:48
Not sure I had appreciated the magnitude of the losses incurred on this raid. 106 Bombers and 545 Aircrew in a single raid, quite staggering. Lots of detailed information available, but in summary;

Met forecast was a bust. Predicted cloud cover en route never materialized, the only cloud cover was over Nuremberg itself, obscuring the target.
A bright moon was unobscured all the way, making the aircraft easy to see.
Atmospheric oddity generated contrails at much lower altitudes than forecast, again making the aircraft easy to see.
The RAF planners decided that the Germans would be used to the "dog leg" diversion tactic, hiding the true location of the target, so double bluffed with a very direct routing to Nuremberg.
German fighters were attacking the raid from the coast all the way to the target area.
A weather recce Mosquito earlier that afternoon indicated the actual weather (clear skies except over the target) but the mission was given a go.
Pathfinders had the same trouble identifying the target, and nearby towns and even the burning wreckage of bombers were targeted instead.

Some incredible acts of bravery that night, but set against many deaths, over 160 captured as PoWs and the huge loss of aircraft.

MAINJAFAD
31st Mar 2022, 05:30
Not sure I had appreciated the magnitude of the losses incurred on this raid. 106 Bombers and 545 Aircrew in a single raid, quite staggering. Lots of detailed information available, but in summary;

Met forecast was a bust. Predicted cloud cover en route never materialized, the only cloud cover was over Nuremberg itself, obscuring the target.
A bright moon was unobscured all the way, making the aircraft easy to see.
Atmospheric oddity generated contrails at much lower altitudes than forecast, again making the aircraft easy to see.
The RAF planners decided that the Germans would be used to the "dog leg" diversion tactic, hiding the true location of the target, so double bluffed with a very direct routing to Nuremberg.
German fighters were attacking the raid from the coast all the way to the target area.
A weather recce Mosquito earlier that afternoon indicated the actual weather (clear skies except over the target) but the mission was given a go.
Pathfinders had the same trouble identifying the target, and nearby towns and even the burning wreckage of bombers were targeted instead.

Some incredible acts of bravery that night, but set against many deaths, over 160 captured as PoWs and the huge loss of aircraft.

AOC 8 Group had some massively negative things to say about that raid in later life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjH0UwNJ6O4

exMudmover
31st Mar 2022, 10:02
For comparison, 544 pilots were killed during the entire Battle of Britain period in 1940.

Asturias56
31st Mar 2022, 13:32
on the other hand losing 500 men in a day would have been thought rather a good day on the Somme

whoever they were and whenever they died they were all a damn sight braver than me

Liffy 1M
31st Mar 2022, 21:16
Historian Martin Middlebrook gave a good talk here about the raid. It comes in a number of parts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NK7yr4DOLQ

blind pew
1st Apr 2022, 11:05
Had absolutely no idea about the man. Takes an Aussie to say how it is and still valid today.
Reminded me of William Keighley telling me on how he did a one way trip to Berlin during the Battle of Britain and getting shot down over the Friesians. IIRC also a Whitley. His son was in Papa India.
Thanks for posting the YouTube link.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1260x2000/5030050a_d55f_450f_8d34_bf418aaf0bde_8f70fa762d155cc765a2372 0b4a2d7c2dbf081c3.jpeg

megan
2nd Apr 2022, 04:36
Salvaged from the ships library 1973.


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/426x653/ab210_77f51e478baa32712cba8b3aa1de78a955fc784f.jpg