The bomber was no longer able to keep up with the formation it fell back, easy pickings for the enemy. Before the bombs could be released, the aircraft’s Plexiglas nose was shattered by an anti-aircraft round exploding right in front of the plane, which also knocked out the number 2 engine and damaged engine number 4. To give an idea of the setting… The cruising altitude of a B-17 is about 27,000 feet the outside air temperature was -60 ☌ (-76 ☏)! The crew not only had flight suits to keep them warm but heated shoes as well.Īs ‘ Ye Olde Pub’ approached Bremen, things started to go wrong. They had been briefed that they would probably encounter large numbers of German fighters also, Bremen was guarded by 250 anti-aircraft guns.
The mission was to target the Focke-Wulf 190 aircraft production facility in Bremen.
