B-17 Flying Fortress attacked by Bf 109s | WW2 Colorized Footage

Real footage captured from WW2! The B-17 filmed is Memphis Belle. Dogfights between B-17s and enemy fighters (in this case Bf 109s) were common during the war. These often ended brutally with many losses.
All footage was originally filmed in 1944 for a documentary. The sound and voiceovers are produced in a studio. The voice actors (who were also pilots) said what they thought would've been said in the scenario in question.
#aviation #history #footage #ww2 #ww2facts #facts #viral #fyp #b17 #flyingfortress #mastersoftheair #crazy

[@bad74maverick1]

Makes you almost tear up seeing a B-17 spin like that. Centrifugal force will pin you to the plane only allowing slow movement. Anyone not near a hatch was in a bad way. "And even when on fire or rolling over into a dive they do so gracefully, like a Queen. And Queens die proudly." - B-17 Cpt. Frank Kurtz

[@GBURGE55]

Horrific to think what these guys went through. That B 17 going down must have been simply terrifying to be in, whilst it's plummeting out of the sky.

[@cgilleybsw]

I've seen these videos before. As a teen, I read every WW2 book I could get my hands on. This was early 70s, so Black Thursday, etc. Martin Caiden was my favorite author, but even he did not do justice to the colossal fluster cluck the 8th air force commanders were pulling in 1943. If you read Masters of the Air by Miller, he gets into the theory and debate of high altitude bombing. One group of officers were convinced the bombers would be okay - that was their pet theory. The fact that they never re-thought their position I believe should have been a court martial offense. Consider what would happen to an infantry officer if he allowed 90% casualties to his unit? When I started reading about the politics, I just about lost it. It's a tribute to the crews that they kept going back. In an infantry unit, someone would have fragged the office responsible.

[@user-fm4pb3yy6t]

Возможно, вы знаете, что потери убитыми среди летчиков в авиации немцев (57 000), американцев (40 000, из них 8 армия 24 000) и англичан (56 000) были значительно больше чем у СССР (34 500)? Если учесть, что японцы были не очень эффективны, то вряд ли они больше 10 000 убили американских и английских, значит в Европе западные союзники потеряли 56+30=86 000 в воздухе.

[@Wailwulf]

I met a B-24 pilot and he told me the crew talked way too much in this film.

[@dougcurtis9633]

All narrated after the mission.

[@Wailwulf]

@@dougcurtis9633 well yes, that is how they make movies. Almost everything you hear it's not being said by the actor is put in afterwards.

[@hateferlife]

It still wrecks my heart to think what those gentlemen went through. Salute to The Greatest Generation. o7

[@brotheriii6133]

Amazing

[@philip167]

they gave their lives so we can live on we will remember them god bless them all young brave men who never came home to their loved ones. Their bodies could be still in Germany never found. R.I.P to them all

[@4486xxdawson]

To any who are watching this and served, Thank you for your sacrifices , you will never be forgotten .....

[@LeifAnderssohn]

The B-17 looks rather intact, so any idea why it fell out of the sky? Pilots were killed by a fighter? Something else?

[@winglet00190]

Fascinating. wonderful airplane 💖

[@17cmmittlererminenwerfer81]

Bombers don't do dogfights. Dogfights are only fighters vs fighters. Because there's violent maneuvering on BOTH sides.

[@MarkElzey-xk4kj]

Cheesy overlaid unconvincing audio, and they never used "ten-thirty", it was always 8 o'clock, 9 o'clock, 10 o'clock, etc

[@nigel900]

Because they gave both life and limb… we 🇺🇸 remain free. 🫡🙏🏻