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DL8OL > TODAY 04.03.08 14:00l 95 Lines 3667 Bytes #999 (999) @ WW
BID : 43IDB0ZDF05H
Read: GUEST
Subj: Re: Today in History - Mar 4
Path: IZ3LSV<IW2OHX<OE6XPE<DB0RES<ON0AR<F4BWT<YO6PLB<CX2SA<DB0ANF<DF0ANN<
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Sent: 080304/0903z @:DB0ZDF.#RPL.DEU.EU [Mainz JN49CX] obcm1.06b59 LT:999
From: DL8OL @ DB0ZDF.#RPL.DEU.EU (Klaus)
To: TODAY @ WW
X-Info: Sent with login password
>From: N0KFQ@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
>To : TODAY@ALLUS
>
>March 4, 1944
>Eighth Air Force bombs Berlin
>
>The U.S. Eighth Air Force launches the first American bombing
>raid against the German capital.
>
>The British Royal Air Force (RAF) had been conducting night raids
>against Berlin and other German cities since November 1943,
>suffering losses at increasingly heavy rates. While the British
>inflicted significant damage against their targets, the German
>defenses proved quite effective: The RAF flew 35 major raids
>between November 1943 and March 1944 and lost 1,047 aircraft,
>with an even greater number damaged.
>
>Having already suffered heavy losses during day raids of various
>German industrial centers, the Americans had been cautious in
>pursuing night raids. But in March, with the RAF exhausted, the
>U.S. Eighth Air Force finally pursued night bombing and made
>Berlin its primary target. Fourteen U.S. bomber wings took off
>for Germany from England on the evening of March 4; only one
>plane reached Berlin (the rest dropped their loads elsewhere; few
>planes were lost to German defenses). In retrospect, the initial
>American attack was considered "none too successful" (as recorded
>in the official history of U.S. Army Air Force). Subsequent
>attacks in March were more effective.
>
hello all reader,
the reason for the losses of particular night raids had been in a very
sophisticated night fighter squas with thje name "Wilde Sau" ("Wild boar")
mainly with the follower of the sophisticated ME 109 , the Focke Wulf 190 but
also with a light bomber, Unker "JU" 88
This plane was equipped with RADAR.
Later the jrist jet fighter ME 262 came in action but mainly in day time.
It was said by Chruchill: "If that plane would be on the front a half year
before we could not have wun the battle"
Finally the problem was the lack of fuel after the loss of Rumainian tank farms
in Ploesti.
INtersting on that story is a German "Kamikaze-Squad" on the end of the war,
the "Ramm-Jaeger" ("Rammen - to bounce into targets") Other as on the japanese
pendant these pilots not automatically should die in the plane, they shoud
bounce into plaes or even bridges and try to jump off within last seconds by
their parachutes.
A lot of them cound not manage it and died in action..
Germany was exhausted by man power, the crews of the anti-aricraft guns, the
very efficient "8/8" was manned by member of the H.-youth, schoolboys
Just yesterday due to a discussion in a fire fighter forum it came to the topic
about the "Fire storm"
For all those who are not familiar with that topic a explination of science:
IF you put a normal candle in the middle of a plate and put a circle of some
candles around and another circle and another one etc. and you set the outer
ring on fire the heat will ignit the next inner circle and the next inner etc.
The stream of hot air is going upwards and causes a vaccuum which is devasting
all and any.
We are alwqays looking to Hiroshima and Nagasaki as the example of a
catastrophe.
I'am from Hamburg and in the 1000 bomber raid springtime 43 more than 150.000
locals burned to ash (the whole number is not known)
The most known drama was Dresden, a city knocked down few days before the end
of the war - despite the fact that it was an "open citiy" and no military had
been there.
But crowds of refugees escaping from the Russians.
Even here the number of deads is not known but even estimated as more than
150.000 civilians..
So we have experiences what war means and do not long any more
Greetings Klaus
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