Outdoor Lover

P-47 Thunderbolt, WWII aircraft in color

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-4 of 1./JG 54 Grünherz, Krasnogvardiesk, 1942. For more, see my Facebook group - Eagles Of The Reich

NARA: 179036630

U-204 entered service on 8 March 1941. She made 3 combat campaigns under the command of Kapitänleutnant Walter Kehl. She sank four merchant ships and one warship with a total displacement of 18,420 tons. She was sunk on 19 October 1941 with the entire crew of 46 near Tangier, southwest of Gibraltar from depth charges by the Royal Navy corvette Mallow and the sloop “Rochester

A Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter bomber on public display in London, after being shot down, October 1940.

The B17 crew of “The Big Bitch” don their Mae Wests, parachute harnesses and flying suits before take-off for their bombing mission, Sept 1942

@Sylvia70485099🇫🇷🇺🇦 via X

B-17G Radio Operator’s compartment 1944

Cockpit of a B-17G October 1944

Rumanian Messerschmitt Bf.109G-6 and German heavy transport aircraft Messerschmitt Me.323E-2 WT “Giant”

@Tempest_Books via X

The Royal Air Force entered World War II with no heavy bomber of its own in service; the biggest available were long-range medium bombers such as the Vickers Wellington which could carry up to 4,500 pounds (2,000 kg) of bombs. While the Short Stirling and Handley Page Halifax would become its primary bombers by 1941, in early 1940 the RAF entered into an agreement with the U.S. Army Air Corps to be provided with 20 B-17Cs, which were given the service name Fortress I. The experience showed both the RAF and USAAF that the B-17C was not ready for combat, and that improved defenses, larger bomb loads and more accurate bombing methods were required. However the USAAF continued using the B-17 as a day bomber, despite misgivings by the RAF that attempts at daylight bombing would be ineffective.