Allied air forces dropped nearly 2.7 million tons of bombs, flew 1,440,000 bomber sorties and 2,680,000 fighter sorties. The number of men lost in air action was 79,265 Americans and 79,281 British.
How many planes did Germany lose in ww2?
After the defeat of Germany, the Luftwaffe was disbanded in 1946. During World War II, German pilots claimed roughly 70,000 aerial victories, while over 75,000 Luftwaffe aircraft were destroyed or significantly damaged. Of these, nearly 40,000 were lost entirely.
How many bombers were shot down in ww2?
By type, losses totaled 21,452 fighters, 12,037 bombers, 15,428 trainers, 10,221 twin-engine fighters, 5,548 ground attack, 6,733 reconnaissance, and 6,141 transports. Italy: Total losses were 5,272 aircraft, of which 3,269 were lost in combat.
How many German bombers were shot down in the Battle of Britain?
More than 1700 Luftwaffe (German air force) planes were destroyed. The 2662 German casualties included many experienced aircrew, and the Luftwaffe never fully recovered from the reverse it suffered in August-October 1940.
How many bombers were lost over Japan?
More than 90,000 and possibly over 100,000 Japanese people were killed, mostly civilians, and one million were left homeless, making it the most destructive single air attack in human history. The Japanese air and civil defenses proved largely inadequate; 14 American aircraft and 96 airmen were lost.
Who shot down the most aircraft in ww2?
While serving in Germany’s Luftwaffe in World War II, Erich Hartmann flew more than 1,400 missions in the Messerschmitt Bf 109, enabling him to score an astonishing 352 kills. How did Hartmann get so good at dominating the skies over the Eastern Front?
How many bombers did the Red Tails lose?
The 25 planes were shot down on five days: June 9, July 12, July 18 and July 20, 1944 and March 24, 1945, the Montgomery Advertiser reported. “All of these records have been here all along,” Haulman said. “It was just a matter of putting them together.”
How many Sherman tanks were lost in WW2?
“During the European Campaign, the Division had some 648 Sherman tanks completely destroyed in combat and had another 700 knocked out, repaired and put back into operation. This was a loss rate of 580 percent.” Yet, the Sherman’s strength was in its numbers.
How many B 17s were lost over Europe?
Of the 291 attacking Fortresses, 60 were shot down over Germany, five crashed on approach to Britain, and 12 more were scrapped due to damage – a loss of 77 B-17s.
How many British bombers were lost in WW2?
In total 364,514 operational sorties were flown and 8,325 aircraft lost in action. Bomber Command aircrews suffered a high casualty rate: of a total of 125,000 aircrew, 57,205 were killed (a 46 percent death rate), a further 8,403 were wounded in action and 9,838 became prisoners of war.
What plane shot down the most planes in ww2?
It is accurate to state that the P-38 did shoot down more Japanese aircraft than any other USAAF plane with 1,857, with the P-40 running a close second at 1,633.5.
Which ww2 bomber dropped the most bombs?
Developed by the Boeing Company in the 1930s, the B-17 was a four‑engine heavy bomber aircraft used by the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. It was a very effective weapons system, dropping more bombs during the war than any other American aircraft.
Who shot down the most German planes in the Battle of Britain?
In just 42 days 303 Squadron shot down 126 German planes, becoming the most successful Fighter Command unit in the Battle of Britain. Nine of the Squadron’s pilots qualified as ‘aces’ for shooting down 5 or more enemy planes, including Sergeant Josef Frantisek, a Czech flying with the Poles who scored 17 downed planes.
How many B-29s shot down over Japan?
How many B-29s were lost over Japan? ‘Four hundred and fourteen (414) B-29s were lost bombing Japan—147 of them to flak and Japanese fighters, 267 to engine fires, mechanical failures, takeoff crashes and other “operational losses,”’ Pete Feigal, Former Pro Military Artist, explains on Quora.
How many Japanese got killed by American air raid?
The most commonly cited estimate of Japanese casualties from the raids is 333,000 killed and 473,000 wounded. There are a number of other estimates of total fatalities, however, which range from 241,000 to 900,000.
Was a B-29 ever shot down?
KANOYA, Kagoshima — In the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kagoshima lies a village that buried the bodies of 11 American crewmen under crosses in April 1945, toward the end of World War II. The village did so after a Japanese fighter shot down their B-29 bomber, killing them.
What was the life expectancy of a ww2 pilot?
The average life expectancy of a Spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain was just four weeks. Despite this alarming figure, aspiring fighter pilots continued to join the RAF throughout the conflict, supporting the efforts of ground troops and defending their country.
Who was the best pilot in ww2?
Known as the “Ace of Aces” for his rank as the top American flying ace during World War II, Major Richard Ira Bong is credited with the downing of an impressive confirmed total of 40 enemy aircraft over the course of his career as a fighter pilot.
What was the best ww2 dive bomber?
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was sturdy enough for pilots to dive at a near-vertical 80 degrees. The US Navy’s primary dive-bomber at the war’s start, the bomber earned its reputation—and helped earn victory—at the 1942 Battle of Midway, sinking four Japanese carriers.
Has the US ever lost a stealth bomber?
On 23 February 2008, Spirit of Kansas, a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber of the United States Air Force, crashed on the runway moments after takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The aircraft was destroyed, but both crew members successfully ejected.
What is the oldest bomber still in service?
B-52 Stratofortress
America’s legendary B-52 Stratofortress first took to the skies more than 70 years ago and will likely remain in service beyond its century mark. In fact, the B-52 is now slated to continue flying long after much newer bombers, the B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit respectively, have already been sent out to pasture.