Everyone had to play their part to stay alive. The Lancaster was one of the most dangerous places to be in the entire war – the life expectancy of a new recruit was just two weeks.
What was the survival rate of WW2 bomber crew?
24%
During the whole war, 51% of aircrew were killed on operations, 12% were killed or wounded in non-operational accidents and 13% became prisoners of war or evaders. Only 24% survived the war unscathed.
What was the life expectancy of a B-17 crew?
The average age of the crew of a B-17 was less than 25, with four officers and six enlisted Airmen manning the aircraft. Their chance of survival was less than 50 percent.
What was the life expectancy of a WW2 Tail Gunner?
The Rear-Turret Gunners were in the most vulnerable position on the Plane. The life expectancy of a WW2 Rear-gunner varied but was never high, mostly about just 5-Sorties.
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.
How cold was it in a WW2 bomber?
Unlike the British, who ordinarily flew at night, American bombers were told to carry out their runs in broad daylight, over heavily defended targets. Their planes were not pressurized or heated. “On a warm day, it would be 28 below. Sometimes it got 60 below,” recalls one veteran.
What was the toughest bomber in WW2?
The heaviest bomber of World War II was the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, which entered service in 1944 with a fully pressurized crew compartment (previously used only on experimental aircraft) and as many as 12 . 50-inch machine guns mounted in pairs in remotely-controlled turrets.
Did the B-17 have a toilet?
During World War 2, large bomber aircraft, such as the American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and the British Avro Lancaster, carried chemical toilets (basically a bucket with seat and cover, see bucket toilet); in British use, they were called “Elsans” after the company that manufactured them.
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.
How many US bomber crew were killed in ww2?
57,205
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. Therefore, a total of 75,446 airmen (60 percent of operational airmen) were killed, wounded or taken prisoner.
Which soldier had the most kills in WW2?
In his diary, military chaplain Antti Rantamaa reported 259 confirmed kills made by rifle and an equal number of kills by submachine gun from the beginning of the war until 7 March 1940, one day after Häyhä was severely wounded. Later in his book, Rantamaa credited Häyhä with a total of 542 kills.
How many tail gunners died in WW2?
Some claim that as many as 20,000 Air Gunners were killed during WW2.
What was the bloodiest operation in WW2?
The Battle of Stalingrad was the deadliest battle to take place during the Second World War and is one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare, with an estimated 2 million total casualties.
Who was the most feared pilot in ww2?
Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993) was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He flew 1,404 combat missions and participated in aerial combat on 825 separate occasions.
What was the life expectancy of a ball turret gunner?
37 seconds
When the gunner tracked a fighter plane attacking from below, he revolved with the turret. The fighters who attacked him were armed with cannons firing explosive shells. “I later learned that the life expectancy of a ball turret gunner was just a mere 37 seconds.
Who was the deadliest pilot in ww2?
Erich Hartmann
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 far could a WW2 bomber fly?
The U.S. Air Force employed the giant, four-engined Consolidated Aircraft B-24 bomber in every combat theater during World War II, from Europe to the Pacific Ocean to North Africa. Because of the B-24’s great range—2,850 miles—it was particularly suited for long missions over the Pacific.
The Luftwaffe concentrated on developing a bombing direction system based on the Lorenz concept through the 1930s, as it made night navigation relatively easy by simply listening for signals on a radio set, and the necessary radios were already being installed on many aircraft.
How fast did a WW2 bomber fly?
The B-24 had a maximum speed of 290 miles per hour and, on a typical mission, could carry a 5000-pound bomb load for a distance (one way) of 1700 miles. The B-24 was equipped with four 14-cylinder Pratt & Whitney engines of 1200 horsepower each.
Which aircraft had the most kills in ww2?
Which Allied Fighter scored the most victories in World War Two? I believe I know the answer
| Aircraft type | Kills |
|---|---|
| North American P51 Mustang | 5,784 |
| Grumman F6F Hellcat | 5,223 |
| Hawker Hurricane | 4,850 |
| Republic P47 Thunderbolt | 3,786 |
Who had the best bombers in ww2?
1 Avro Lancaster – UK
It could not absorb the punishment of the American B-17 and had to bomb by night-spreading it’s bombs over large cities. By far the best bomber of the war. Carried a comparable bomb load to the B-29 years earlier. It took more than two B-17s to carry a comparable load into Germany.