THE REAL MASTERS OF THE AIR | B-17, Hell Over Europe | John "Lucky" Luckadoo Recalls
41.3 هزار بار بازدید -
5 ماه پیش
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The Real Masters Of The
The Real Masters Of The Air. Listen to the stories of WW2 veterans.
John "Lucky" Luckadoo was a copilot with the newly formed 100th bomb group. Lucky flew a fateful mission to Bremen, Germany, that contributed to their notorious name. "Morale was low. Numerous replacements were made, earning us the title of the "Bloody Hundredth." Among all the groups, we were known to have the lowest survival rate in the Eighth Air Force." Lucky flew with the "Bloody Hundredth" throughout the rest of 1943 and finished his 25-mission tour of duty in February 1944. Out of 40 original pilots in the 100th Bomb Group, he was one of only four to finish their tours of duty. The collection of missions, actions, and personalities created a synergy making the 100th Bomb Group one of the most storied units of World War II.
Perhaps no other mission cemented the reputation of the 100th more than the Munster raid of October 10. While en route to the target, the Group experienced the most violent Luftwaffe attacks yet seen as bombers took hits from both flak and fighters. As the formation made its way to the initial point (IP), planes of the 100th were downed one by one. With the Group’s losses over Munster, the 100th was now firmly labeled a jinxed unit.
Of all the 8th Air Force Bomb Groups to fly from England in World War Two, the 100th BG gained a reputation as a ‘hard luck outfit’ for its heavy casualties. Despite the batterings it took on numerous missions, the group remained operational and struck Germany hard. Bob Archer tells the story of the ‘Bloody Hundredth’.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941, there were just 155 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses in service. The raid immediately brought the US into the world war and production orders for the B-17, along with a host of other combat aircraft, skyrocketed. To maintain the massive output required, Boeing established additional B-17 production lines with Douglas Aircraft at Long Beach, California, and Lockheed Vega at Burbank, California. A grand total of 12,731 B-17s was built by May 1945 in these plants and at Boeing’s own Seattle factory.
Thousands of ‘Forts’, as the B-17 was colloquially known, were delivered to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) in Europe. Just a few weeks into 1942, hard on the heels of the Japanese attack, the VIII Bomber Command was established in readiness to coordinate activities against Nazi Germany (it was redesignated as the better-known 8th Air Force in February 1944). The command’s headquarters soon relocated to the UK to begin the preparations necessary to take the fight to the enemy across the English Channel. An armada of weapons, personnel, and everything necessary for this gargantuan organization to function effectively was speedily shipped across the Atlantic. After disembarking at British ports, airmen then traveled by train and truck to their designated base.
New airfields were rapidly carved out of the English countryside, each with the necessary hangars, hardstandings, bomb dumps, fuel farms, barracks, and support infrastructure. These facilities were constructed every few miles across the flat landscape of East Anglia and more than 100 were eventually built. Some had fighter aircraft stationed, while others were prepared for the heavy bomber units, which were in training in the USA prior to making their way to Europe. About half of the 40 UK-based groups flew the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, while others operated the B-17. Each base housed an individual bombardment group, with either three or four squadrons assigned. During the summer of 1942, as construction was completed, the streams of bombers began flying across the Atlantic via several refueling stops before finally settling down onto the freshly laid runways of their new airfields.
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John "Lucky" Luckadoo was a copilot with the newly formed 100th bomb group. Lucky flew a fateful mission to Bremen, Germany, that contributed to their notorious name. "Morale was low. Numerous replacements were made, earning us the title of the "Bloody Hundredth." Among all the groups, we were known to have the lowest survival rate in the Eighth Air Force." Lucky flew with the "Bloody Hundredth" throughout the rest of 1943 and finished his 25-mission tour of duty in February 1944. Out of 40 original pilots in the 100th Bomb Group, he was one of only four to finish their tours of duty. The collection of missions, actions, and personalities created a synergy making the 100th Bomb Group one of the most storied units of World War II.
Perhaps no other mission cemented the reputation of the 100th more than the Munster raid of October 10. While en route to the target, the Group experienced the most violent Luftwaffe attacks yet seen as bombers took hits from both flak and fighters. As the formation made its way to the initial point (IP), planes of the 100th were downed one by one. With the Group’s losses over Munster, the 100th was now firmly labeled a jinxed unit.
Of all the 8th Air Force Bomb Groups to fly from England in World War Two, the 100th BG gained a reputation as a ‘hard luck outfit’ for its heavy casualties. Despite the batterings it took on numerous missions, the group remained operational and struck Germany hard. Bob Archer tells the story of the ‘Bloody Hundredth’.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941, there were just 155 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses in service. The raid immediately brought the US into the world war and production orders for the B-17, along with a host of other combat aircraft, skyrocketed. To maintain the massive output required, Boeing established additional B-17 production lines with Douglas Aircraft at Long Beach, California, and Lockheed Vega at Burbank, California. A grand total of 12,731 B-17s was built by May 1945 in these plants and at Boeing’s own Seattle factory.
Thousands of ‘Forts’, as the B-17 was colloquially known, were delivered to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) in Europe. Just a few weeks into 1942, hard on the heels of the Japanese attack, the VIII Bomber Command was established in readiness to coordinate activities against Nazi Germany (it was redesignated as the better-known 8th Air Force in February 1944). The command’s headquarters soon relocated to the UK to begin the preparations necessary to take the fight to the enemy across the English Channel. An armada of weapons, personnel, and everything necessary for this gargantuan organization to function effectively was speedily shipped across the Atlantic. After disembarking at British ports, airmen then traveled by train and truck to their designated base.
New airfields were rapidly carved out of the English countryside, each with the necessary hangars, hardstandings, bomb dumps, fuel farms, barracks, and support infrastructure. These facilities were constructed every few miles across the flat landscape of East Anglia and more than 100 were eventually built. Some had fighter aircraft stationed, while others were prepared for the heavy bomber units, which were in training in the USA prior to making their way to Europe. About half of the 40 UK-based groups flew the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, while others operated the B-17. Each base housed an individual bombardment group, with either three or four squadrons assigned. During the summer of 1942, as construction was completed, the streams of bombers began flying across the Atlantic via several refueling stops before finally settling down onto the freshly laid runways of their new airfields.
Watch more aircraft, heroes, and their stories, and missions ➤ @dronescapes
To support/join the channel ➤ https://www.seevid.ir/c/Dronescapes/...
IG ➤ Instagram: dronescapesvideos
FB ➤ Facebook: Dronescapesvideos
X/Twitter ➤ https://dronescapes.video/2p89vedj
THREADS ➤ https://www.threads.net/@dronescapesv...
#mastersoftheair #b17 #airplane
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