30-31 March 1944 Nuremberg Raid Losses

[Two's in]

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]

Originally Posted by Two's in

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.

You Tube

[exMudmover]

For comparison, 544 pilots were killed during the entire Battle of Britain period in 1940.

[Asturias56]

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]

Historian Martin Middlebrook gave a good talk here about the raid. It comes in a number of parts.

You Tube

[blind pew]

Great man

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.

[megan]

Salvaged from the ships library 1973.