B-17 FLYING FORTRESS BOMBERS RETURN WITH COMBAT DAMAGE AND WOUNDED HD COLOR [ WWII DOCUMENTARY ]

Compilation of Color HD film reels from WWII showing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers returning from missions with various amount of damage and wounded crew from fighters or flak.
Also check out my main channel for informative videos about military history, vehicles and weapons: / lookinthepast
#B17 #combat #damage
Footage has been:
- Researched
- Digitally restored
- Upscaled to FHD
- Edited together from various archive film reels
by Look in The Past channel.
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Competing against Douglas and Martin for a contract to build 200 bombers, the Boeing entry (prototype Model 299/XB-17) outperformed both competitors and exceeded the Air Corps' performance specifications. Although Boeing lost the contract (to the Douglas B-18 Bolo) because the prototype crashed, the Air Corps ordered 13 more B-17s for further evaluation. From its introduction in 1938, the B-17 Flying Fortress evolved through numerous design advances, becoming the third-most produced bomber of all time, behind the four-engined Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the multirole, twin-engined Junkers Ju 88. The B-17 was primarily employed by the USAAF in the daylight strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial, military and civilian targets. The United States Eighth Air Force, based at many airfields in central, eastern and southern England, and the Fifteenth Air Force, based in Italy, complemented the RAF Bomber Command's night-time area bombing in the Combined Bomber Offensive to help secure air superiority over the cities, factories and battlefields of Western Europe in preparation for the invasion of France in 1944. The B-17 also participated to a lesser extent in the Pacific War, early in World War II, where it conducted raids against Japanese shipping and airfields.

[@LookinThePastWarArchives]

If you guys enjoyed the video check out my main channel as well where i post in depth videos about historical events, vehicles and weapons: kzbin.info

[@dougscott8161]

It's amazing that some of these heroes made it back alive at all.

[@stephanwelke3046]

Heroes??? This heroes killed womans, childrens and old peoples... War criminals! But only Germany got war criminals, right?!

[@robertjohns2434]

My father was shot up pretty badly in Jan '43, stationed in Chelveston with the 305th. After his passing in 1994 we found an article in the "Family Heirloom Trunk"...an article from Stars and Stripes. It detailed how his plane had taken a lot of damage and plunged from 10K feet to 3K feet after the pilot and the co-pilot had been blown from their seats, spiraling out of control, all the while taking fire from the trailing fighters. Somehow the pilot got to the controls and pulled out of the spin and brought the plane home...Dad spoke VERY little of the war, especially the years of being a POW after being shot down in Feb '43. That same article detailed that my father, while in the tail, took a hit that blew his headgear off and knocked him back into the fuselage...but not before he was given credit for two kills that day. My stepmother attended a 305BG reunion with dad and heard that he spent two weeks in the hospital and was pissed that they wouldn't let him get back to his crew sooner, when he did it was to take over the ball turret position.

[@christopherwelch136]

It’s amazing that these bombers could still fly.

[@alangood8190]

I'm a Brit. Heroes. Incredibly brave young men. Thank you gentlemen. We're eternally grateful.

[@stephanwelke3046]

Heroes??? This heroes killed womans, childrens and old peoples... War criminals! But only Germany got war criminals, right?!

[@adamlee3772]

Thanks for sharing this video, my grandfather and a family friend were both navigators in the RAAF and RAF in Lancasters and both survived the war. The brave men in the air don't get enough respect and honour IMO. This videos is massively important in keeping alive the memory of those who flew and the efforts they made.

[@Slithey7433]

What a frightening hell it must have been to be inside those aircraft. Incredible bravery. I always wonder how many of those guys made it home alive.

[@JohnMcMahon.]

Of all the arms of the military, bomber crews suffered the most casualties, percentage wise, in Europe. True stat, look it up.

[@alexantonio8546]

Not so many

[@aquarius5719]

Chance of surviving 25 missions was 25%. 37% of planes lost. Some locations in the formation were more dangerous (vulnerable) than others. Ira Eaker was an incompetent loser. He made his men to die in vast numbers.

[@BeannieRey]

46% of bomber crews died 60% of crews died, wounded/unable to return to flight duty, and/or taken prisoner.

[@4thforcon426]

Nowhere to run or hide. You were in it till the end. Must have been hell.

[@aquarius5719]

They were tin cans. No protection. They were lethal death traps when trying to escape, especially the ball turret.

[@sblack48]

Those squadrons must have had some brilliant structural repair people by the end of the war

[@sdime9858]

I feel bad for all the young men who never made it home....thank you above and beyond for your service to your country Rest In Peace 🙏❤️

[@lineshaftrestorations7903]

So much owed to so few by so many. Sad most of today's yoots don't have what it takes to demonstrate the same courage and bravery those air crews did. 😢

[@ggregd]

You don't know that. Nothing even remotely comparable to WW2 has happened since then to test your theory.

[@motorhead123]

I feel quite confident that todays generation is higher in the numbers of the "self centered me first" type personalities than we saw in WW2. Most of your "yoots" find it difficult to put anything above themselves. To that, yes, this is not representative everyone. Just the same as in WW2 not everyone was selfless and heroic. But do ya see the polarizing contrast between now and then with regards to generations? Back then our entire country joined the world in the war effort. Everyone who could do something chipped in. Men went off to fight in the war. Women stayed behind and built the planes, bombs, bullets, etc that kept our men the best fighting force ever seen. Women even flew war planes to deliver them at great personal risk to get the fighters their planes. Lets not forget everyone who rationed their basic food necessities to ensure our fighters had the food they needed. EVERYONE sacrificed! I don't believe for a second our era of Uber Eats, Door Dash or fast food on every corner could be more of an exemplary contrast of generations. If you think this represents todays generation or you cannot predict this regardless of "tests", then you are so full shit the whites of your eyes are brown and shit is pouring out of your ears. @@ggregd

[@stephendoing2253]

These brave men went on these missions knowing the odds were against them from returning alive.....

[@WeGoWalk]

Incredible footage. Thank you for bringing this to light.

[@hansvandijk1487]

My country owes its freedom to these heroes! Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱.

[@LookinThePastWarArchives]

I recommend you watch my video about the WWII food drop missions over the Netherlands: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qF7CqmR_md-Np9E

[@hansvandijk1487]

@@LookinThePastWarArchives 👍

[@xavierolle]

The feelings of those men are simply, unimaginable...

[@muserock2367]

@3:07 B17 "Dame Satan" was shot down returning from a raid on Schweinfurt on the 17 August 1943. The pilot, Jack Hargis, and the ball turret gunner, Starr Tucker, were killed. The remaining crew bailed out and were either captured or evaded capture.

[@michaelhaines3451]

Thanks for the info.

[@bazza945]

Superb flying skills brought home the ship.

[@SteveWilsonSr.-rm9ek]

Dang, that crew almost didn't make it back, but they did, with Wounded. / 2 / 27/ 2024 & beyond...🎉

[@user-jr4sw5cy2i]

Cant believe the last plane in the video was the Memphis Belle! How cool is that!

[@dianapippin6658]

I watched a documentary on the Eighth AF and the B-17, a Veteran with tears in his eyes "they (the B-17) would get you back when you didn't think you had a prayer. God bless em". They were so durable and could take such punishment, built by Boeing back when they knew how to make planes. I have read some hairy stories those guys endured and watched a few documentaries on the 17. They really knew how to pilot those planes. Incredible planes and crews both those that flew and those who repaired them.

[@user-wz2qe2pv6r]

Not everyone smiling....see the fear in their faces even tho they've returned....I cant imagine the horror.

[@kevinanderson3849]

...and after having made it back to the base, imagine their thoughts when they remembered they would soon have to climb again onto one of those B-17 for a new mission...The same horror and fear again ! Thaty's why they only had to complete a certain number of missions and then they were sent back home for good. The Germans weren't that lucky....many of them went up to combat from day one in '39 till the last one in '45 !

[@jaysonstyles2808]

10:24 That Fort with the stabiliser and rudder damage is the famed "Memphis Belle" (DF-A, tail ID 124485).

[@paulofreitas681]

They were just kids! The greatest generation

[@dalecrummie5818]

My uncle was a Bombardier on one of these, he made it home.

[@dogcat145]

My grandpa was the navigator on of of these ..he made it home

[@hastekulvaati9681]

So young.

[@samspringer7726]

To them it was just their job. To us they were all heroes. Our eternal thanks and gratitude seems so inadequate compared to the sacrifices they made. God bless every one of them.

[@Jleed989]

When you squeezed into the ball turret, every trip must have felt like a suicide mission

[@Grandizer8989]

It actually was the safest place on the plane, statistically speaking

[@luistovar2578]

More than radio compartment?​@@Grandizer8989

[@richardbeckenbaugh1805]

The most dangerous place turned out to be in the nose, where the navigator and bombadier sat. After that it was the pilots. Then the tail gunner, radio operator, waist gunners. The ball turret was most exposed but was in an area rarely aimed at. Attacks from head on targeted the pilots. Attacks from astern tended to go for the tail gunner or the engines. The radio operator often was the top turret gunner. Shooting at the engines meant getting shot at too.

[@martang4497]

Statistically safest or not these gunners must have felt isolated and confined. Tail gunners too I’d imagine.

[@b3j8]

If the ball structure was damaged in action, and could not be positioned to enable the door to be opened, you were trapped. Think of that.

[@javig.4452]

The first B-17 appears to be "Old Bill", 42-29673. Assigned 365BS/305BG, Chelveston. A true flying fortress. Salute!

[@stephenmiller5004]

I wonder how many of those photos taken in close up,…how many of those survived the war

[@drewsaldana5684]

It appears the majority of these B17s in the film were eventually lost in action. We’ll never forget 🇺🇸

[@grooveman222]

The large holes in the fuselage were from the 20mm cannons the German fighters were equipped with. They exploded on impact. Did way more damage than the U.S. 50CAL machine guns.

[@AliceInTanks]

Well duhh, of course 20mm explosives does more damage than a 50cal I’m not sure why you have to compare the two and include the US bit as if it’s all they used

[@jimdavison4077]

Not really as the rounds used in German canons had lightweight housings so when they exploded there was not much shrapnel ripping things apart. There was a large air burst however which ripped aircraft skins apart but often left the structure intact. Where as the 50 Cal round cut and ripped through anything it hit. There was several different cannons used by the Germans, 20 mm Cannons offered less trouble and good muzzle velocity. The 103Mk 30mm Cannon also offered decent muzzle velocity as well but the 108Mk was a disastrous failure as a weapon being made very light to fit requirements for the Me 262. When it fired the standard 30mm ammunition it developed stress cracks in the breach making the weapon unsafe to use. The German solution was to make the ultra light lower powered round which killed the muzzle velocity making it all but useless. It had an effective range of just 500 yard's while the .50 cal Browning's were rated up to 1700 years with some kills around 2000 yards. Tracer fire was needed at these distances but it was standard practice to mix tracers in with regular rounds for this reason. The RAF had issues with their 20mm Cannons as well as some used glycol systems which ensured guns were not frozen at altitudes. The engines provided heat to the guns but to cold and they would not fire and to hot and you ruined the barrels. Then some cannons produced gases when fired that would become ingested by the engines causing them to sputter and run rough when firing. The .50 cal had explosives round late in the war but were never used in any great numbers because the standard round did the job quite well.

[@grooveman222]

@@jimdavison4077 - You seem to have a good understanding of the subject. I was going by this report that I had viewed just a few minutes before the B-17 video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJXVZaGdqM2Kopo

[@robchisholm72]

Great footage, thanks for sharing. Interesting to see the final aircraft is the world famous Memphis Belle!

[@NesconProductions]

Can tell by the insignia on these B-17's this film was shot earlier in Allied daylight bombing campaign (probably in 43'). Tough time for these aviators for escort fighters at the time didn't the range to stay with the bombers all the way to distant targets. Earlier models of B-17's (E models seen here) were susceptible to head on attacks and why a chin turret was added on later F & G models. Amazing how these aircraft made it back to base, especially the one missing almost the entire vertical stabilizer. Brave men (& women, just not in combat..) who flew / crewed them a dedicated generation!

[@b3j8]

What always impresses me is just how much damage those cannon shells could do to the plane! I cannot imagine what they did to those inside!

[@robleary3353]

Lest we forget!. Nuff said.

[@doitatit]

Just kid's. We owe them much.

[@nickjervis8123]

Ive heard it said that the B17 was over manned over gunned and consequently over weight compromising the amount of bombs it could carry and making it slow prey for enemy fighters. It was not suited to the roles assigned to it which was mainly over Europe.

[@Thetalinshow]

9:36 , that b17 was later shot down november 16th 1943, piloted by jospeh f Thornton. By a fw190 by Unteroffizier Ernst Breton of JG11, they all were able to bail out and where captured.

[@teddysuhrensghost263]

The one at 9.36 I believe was called Old Battle Axe and recorded as ditching after heavy battle damage in the North Sea in September 1943 with all crew rescued and returning to duty but correct me if I’m wrong as I am not an expert by any means

[@4urluvjones155]

This video should be subtitled "The Lucky Ones" or "Making It Back"

[@arnaudmarquet5777]

Hello, seems that some of these aircraft damage sequences can be seen in the original Memphis Belle movie ?

[@davideferrario8996]

E' impressionante la quantità di danni che questi aerei potevano incassare e pur tuttavia continuare a restare in volo

[@bw2584]

The color enchantment is too dark ! I can barely make out anything. My Dad was B-17 B-24 Pilot with 8th Airforce out of England. Thanks for posting the video.

[@JohnMcMahon.]

Is this Flak damage?

[@Mezmar165]

Just curious--why is it necessary to have a movie camera emoji in the bottom left corner of the frame?

[@tileux]

That was a yb40 with the twin forward nose guns.

[@piotrmalewski8178]

And War Thunder tells you a short burst from machineguns rips whole tail off.

[@aquarius5719]

1940 Battle of Britain showed that speed is life, you go slow, you die. Each turret added weight. It should only have a rear turret and be fast. This slow speed is what made Stuka Ju-87 to be a sitting duck when facing British planes. But if they removed B-17 turrets probably commanders would have added heavier bombs, cancelling the gain. So the deaths of these crews showed how commanders did not learn the lessons of 1940. WWII was a time of lack of learning. In Stalingrad Hitler refused to retreat, turning off the advantage of mobility and turning his forces into a Maginot line, which he had defeated in the past

[@martonhardy1948]

at 10:30 I see AD+F is that the Mempis Belle by any chance?

[@Farbar1955]

Yes, it is. From that point on it's all the Belle.

[@tsmgguy]

Late Spring, 1942?

[@evoman1776]

The man at 8:40 looks like he has 2 stars on his collar - he also looks like he's in his 20's, I must be mistaken...

[@Hallands.]

They should’ve filmed this in daylight - and how did the pilot survive that hit? 0:42

[@gordkenworthy616]

The pilot was probably about 22 had maybe 700 hours a lot went to the airlines after the war .I had the privilege of flying with several of them after the war there was no emergency procedures for this amount of damage to this aircraft . They call this naturalistic decision making .

[@deimantassidorenko3386]

Iš. Visų. Kalibrų. Kokiuos. Turėjo

[@davidoloughlin3180]

those are real men

[@marceletiennou5182]

Il en fallait des pruneaux pour descendre 1 B17😊

[@deimantassidorenko3386]

Juos. Lupo. Liuftvafe. Lakūnai. Be. Pasigailėjimo

[@dannybryant6873]

Once the bombs are gone the aircraft is very over designed.

[@Jleed989]

What does that mean?

[@dannybryant6873]

If the bomb bay is empty it is safer to lose half a wing. Happened to a P47. Lost half a wing but still flew home.

[@stumpusMaximus]

Some craters German rounds make when they explode. German technology so far ahead even during WW2

[@user-uy3bj9ue5c]

When Boeing could build real planes eh.

[@domp51]

Bad plane, stupid strategy, very brave airmen.

[@malmedy44]

Where the german pilots not brave to attack the swarms?

[@eddylloyd7413]

🫡🙏

[@user-wz2qe2pv6r]

Disastrous decision making. If ony we had gone with thousands of un-armed Mosquitos the losses would have been negligable.

[@mikaelpersson2273]

It must be over a million videos here on KZbin showing the same copied clips over and over and over and over and over and over and over again , like this one....

[@LookinThePastWarArchives]

Ofc there are. Except this one was enhanced and edited together by us from archive rolls.

[@johndemeen5575]

Now young people can’t figure what sex they are.

[@John-qb8vd]

And many older people think they have everything figured out.

[@lowandslow3939]

@@John-qb8vdWe have that down pat.

[@John-qb8vd]

@@lowandslow3939 I wouldn’t ASSume you have that down pat.

[@lowandslow3939]

@@John-qb8vd Pretty simple really. If you were born with a penis, you are male. If you were born with a vagina, you are female.

[@Joop.23-2-63]

​@@lowandslow3939So true.

[@michaelseal9714]

First and foremost, thank you from Australia. These men must be horrified to see a man such as Trump denigrate all that these brave men lost their lives for. So sorry to bring politics into such a brilliant video. Cheers.

[@garyclark24]

It’s amazing how wrong you got this, the fake news got you hooked line and sinker

[@JeffReardon-wp4nw]

Are you stupid? Trump trashed the traitor McCain who killed a lot of his shipmates with his carelessness.

[@lowandslow3939]

As an American vet, I appreciate your sentiments. Both candidates are completely unfit for office. What a pathetic choice we have. Neither one could find his way out of a wet paper bag, let alone, lead a nation as Commander in Chief.

[@davidzoppa6929]

Oh really? Prove it Mr TDS. Did you donate 100% of your salary to Veteran's Associations? Didn't think so.

[@michaelseal9714]

I have know idea what a TDS is, my pa fought in the 2nd world war so that we could be free of dictators and crooks. Cheers.

[@clintpostolka3756]

They fought against socialism.

[@danross263]

Please explain.

[@paulzammataro7185]

You spelled FASCISM wrong.....

[@christopherturco197]

Technically this is correct since Nazi was shortened from the German for National Socialist, and, yes, it was Fascism.

[@jimdavison4077]

Considering the Socialist part of the Nazi party was killed off during the Knight Of The Long Knives when the entire Socialist wing of that party along with all political enemies of Hitler and the Fascist on June 30th 1934. Saying the Nazi's were socialists is like calling the German Democratic Republic or East Germany a democracy. Names don't always tell you the story you need to hear. They fought against ultra right wing Nationalist or what today we know as MAGA.

[@kennethvenezia4400]

​@christopherturco197 well technically it needs to be explained differently. It was a fight against the nazi form of socialism. After all other than Russia, our main alliance was with the British and free French, both socialist countries. Capitalism, socialism, communism in today's world are very loaded words. A ton of Grey areas

[@kfcinafrica2111]

The absolute set of TESTICLES on these guys! WOW

[@garypender9459]

Incredible airplane and incredible men!!🫡🫡✈️✈️🎖🎖🇺🇸🇺🇸