Flak Training for Pilots in WW 2

World War Two training film for B-17 formation-flying bomber pilots about the anti-aircraft fire they will face, and what to do about it.

[@alaskanalain]

My grandfather was responsible for downing 150 German planes..... he was easily the worst mechanic the Luftwaffe ever had.

[@GodEyes10]

Salute to the hero,oh wait

[@winomaster]

Call me skeptical. The Germans could not have failed to notice such a pronounced pattern.

[@NoToFear]

Well the Tirpitz was actually sunk indirectly by a British sympathiser German officer who never passed on the message that the Lancasters were coming.

[@gabrielcooper2044]

@Nim Boo can you not take a joke?

[@blasthardcheese3427]

Good job

[@Moneymyke357]

Flak gunners HATE him.. How this RAF pilot avoided being shot down with this one simple trick.

[@kielbasathief9576]

i do hate that RAF pilot

[@feonor26]

10 different ways to avoid flak. No 6 will SHOCK YOU!!!

[@lancairw867]

Fly at night! That’s what the RAF bombers did

[@mubasharqadeerSAP]

3 Pretty ladies in your area want to flank you!

[@jon3630]

You may qualify for up to 37,000 ft of flak thanks to a new government grant!

[@SinerAthin]

I never realized the AA systems were that sophisticated as to use advanced calculations back in WW2.

[@Vlad-1986]

Well, how do you think battle ships get their targets on such long distances as they where able to shoot? Technology was quite advanced!

[@SinerAthin]

Well, battle ships were firing on mostly stationary targets, so I figured there'd be some math involved. However, I used to imagine that for the AA, it was just like "Planes sighted, scramble and fire, wing it!", as you wouldn't have time for much math before the planes had already disappeared.

[@Vlad-1986]

SinerAthin: nah, ships used gun directors, but they where very bulky things, as you can expect from a mechanical computer. didn't knew they used the same for flack tho!

[@oron61]

American Torpedo computers could not only take your and the targets' velocity and put out a firing solution (gyro-setting on a straight-running torpedo) but could also track the contact assuming it does not change course. This form of zig-zagging was used extensively to avoid U-Boat fire and American subs.

[@Alopex1]

Sophisticated, but not very effective. Calculations in regard to the ratio of shots fired and bombers downed are enlightening. Apparently, the Germans fired 16,000 shells of flak '88 for every bomber they shot down. Add to that even more ammunition from the smaller-calibre flak guns. Just consider that immense material cost just to down a single bomber. I'd be more scared of the '88 if I was a tank crewman than if I was a bomber pilot.

[@todd3205]

These fellows had a life expectancy of 11 missions. We had one of these brave fellows working at our shop. His name was Herschel Steele, and was a waist gunner on B-17 'Sweater Girl'.

[@PereMersenne]

475,000 views as of this writing. More people have probably seen film this on YT then in actual training.

[@acmenipponair]

not probably. Surely. There have been not more than 200.000 Air bomber at all time. I mean, they had MUCH bombers, but not unlimited ones. And a crew consists of 7 people.

[@isni1946]

Hahaha 200 000??? maybe bomber crew , but never bombers themselves ( well maybe 100 000 if you take every nations ) just for you , only ( well that's already a huge number )12 731 b-17 have been built

[@riffswatch1559]

there were around 18000 B24s and 12000 B17s produced, totaling roughly 30,000 units. Each had a 10 man crew, 300,000 men total. Plus ground crew, plus other bombers (B25, 26, 29 etc) so if everyone involved in the USAAF's strategic bombing campaign of WWII then you'd be close.

[@PereMersenne]

@@riffswatch1559 How many of those ground crew, etc., had a "need to know" about FLAK and how it was aimed? How many gunners, etc., needed to know about why pilots flew the planes the way they did? Impossible to say. Good estimate of original viewers though. Thanks.

[@riffswatch1559]

@@PereMersenne Don't forget, this isn't simply a "Training" film. This is as much about Propaganda as it is training. Notice the edited in clips from Wyler's 1942 version of Memphis Belle? This was more about educating the public as to the role of the strategic bombing crews and would have been shown in movie theatres across the USA as well as at air bases. It's educational, for the general public as well as the air crew. It's worth bearing in mind that Memphis Belle was produced to reassure the American public that the USAAF was capable of fighting the fight, which was being seriously questioned in public and military circles in 1942. This was as much about reassuring the general public "what we have learned" and "how much safer we are now" than actually training the crews.

[@TermiteUSA]

My Great Uncle was a 40mm unit commander in North Africa and Italy. After the war even though hurting with bad knees and hips and into his old age his golf game was a joy to watch. He had a feel for weather and trajectory that drive his old guy buddies crazy. He bought a lot of drink rounds with a smile. R.I.P. Herb.

[@robertgaudet7407]

@Marki Faux And the AA gunners who whip the idiots' behinds, I guess.

[@Shinkajo]

The quality and clarity of these old time US films never ceases to amaze me

[@dannyb3663]

Its really quite ingenious. 1940s, and its essentially a networked computer system, automatically firing.

[@feonor26]

There are two things that will boost technology and innovation to new heights. War and porn!

[@57thorns]

@@feonor26 Three with games. Which are basically a mix of porn and war. :-) At least for computers, game have driven graphics and AI for a while now.

[@soulscanner66]

@@57thorns The basic equipment for porn is in fact very, VERY old.

[@mobilechief]

Mechanical computing developed by IBM

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

You're a 22 year old kid looking at this film knowing you're about to go get geared up for an actual mission. What must that have been like? This is why I shake the hand of any old-timer wearing a cover that says, Veteran on it or the name of a ship or platoon. I shake their hand and thank them for their service.

[@mpk6664]

Most weren't even 20 yet.

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

@@mpk6664 Actually, the average age of a WWII soldier was 26 years. Many were younger, the newest recruits and some were much older, such as the officers but averaged out, 26 was the number.

[@abbadabbba232]

I bet the Germans and Japanese changed their tactics after they watched this here on KZbin. The Army shouldn't have posted it.

[@soulscanner66]

LOL.

[@rusty2998]

r/whoosh

[@thomash4578]

Loose tweets Sink fleets

[@krissp8712]

@@rusty2998 /r/ihavereddit

[@Gottowt]

The educational films produced in this era is much more educational than todays are.

[@jfloresmac]

Yes they is

[@wolf335599]

It was made it by big Hollywood studios like Walt Disney's

[@oaktadopbok665]

Learned a new word: "Defilade" -the protection of a position, vehicle, or troops against enemy observation or gunfire. In this case, using trees, buildings and terrain to cover your flight path at low altitudes.

[@eckee]

Ooh, nice. Now I can evade flak gunners, would look good in my CV

[@riffswatch1559]

It's a useful skill, for sure. Even on the internet! ;-)

[@1jtwister]

Empyrion CV?

[@VinceOliver04]

@@1jtwister somewhat like a resume for job application

[@Omegaures]

@@VinceOliver04 God fucking damn it, is it too difficult to call it curriculum vitae if you should explain it?

[@snipper1ie]

So many servicemen think they have no skills for civilian life, as they think their skills are only with the taking of life. Not so. The skills of the serviceman are many fold. He doesn't know it, but the serviceman is one of the most desirable of employees. He will do any task with no questions asked. He sees 'things to be done' and will do them. He has and this is the most important, man management skills. Even the most lowly rank of Corporal will be tasked with arranging the range practice of 200 men. That will entail; requisitioning the ammunition, the transport, the messing, the armourer, the range and most important, the dance to arrange the attendance on a given day the 200 men of the Company

[@klaasj7808]

My grandfather was with the Waffen SS on the Obersalzberg, he was on the 88. He was there until 1943, when they were needed in combat and were replaced. He then went to France, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. And saw from D-day until may 45 almost non stop combat action.

[@daxdigitalus]

12 flak gunners saw this video and got worried.

[@MrRubeneder]

+daxdigitalus *13

[@Techiastronamo]

16*

[@RedRustyCoupling]

Red Munic 20*

[@kazoot8265]

*21

[@farklefuster6876]

Red Munic No leakage. Puckers too tight.

[@Plentisaki]

Excellent training film! Easy to understand and holds your attention perfectly. I must admit, the duck coming down on a parachute had me roaring with laughter! :-)

[@sternchenstinker5154]

Thats why the allied bombers never hit the fighter plane factory near my hometown. They knew they wouldn't made it back home alive. They bombed everthing, woods, farms, city centers, but they never flew near the factory, because of the massive 88 batteries in the area.

[@GFSLombardo]

IF you mean daylight USAAF bombing it was poor "precision" bombing. Those famous '"Norden Bombsights"were not always as" precise "as their PR said they were. If it was RAF it was a night attack and your town WAS their target. Hitting the factory near where you lived would have been just "icing on the cake". Batteries of 88's and the presence of the LUFTWAFFE would have made no difference. Both Allied air forces worked cooperatively but had very different aircrafts, strategies, tactics, leaders,target selections and war aims. But the most important goal was defeating The Third Reich ASAP.

[@winomaster]

I have to believe they flew over the factory. But, to avoid accurate flack fire, they were obliged to fly so high that their bombing was also inaccurate.

[@L0j1k]

I can provide you with links to B-17 mission reports of bomb runs my great uncle flew which explicitly targeted Focke-Wulf AND Messerschmitt factories. And also factories that made parts for the fighters, too, like ball bearings and pistons.

[@lancairw867]

L0j1k 👍🏼that would be interesting. He flew many over Polesti Romania 🇷🇴 oil fields as well in 1944 Was in the 15th Air Force I think the 344 Bomb group ( I think) in Foggia, Italy

[@sternchenstinker5154]

The factory was in the Schee Tunnel near Gevelsberg/Nordrhein-Westfahlen. It was still intact after the surrender. U can still see the rusty 88 concrete basements in the wood on top of the base. No bomb craters in the area. After the war the tunnel was sealed. The tunnel is 700m long and have many big chambers on one side. It was a ungerground bunker base. Never bombed during the war. No WWII bomb was strong enough to penetrate 30m thick rocky roof anyway. Maybe the atomic bombs, but not the 500kg demolition bombs used to destroy the nearby cities Wuppertal, Schwelm and Gevelsberg. As far as I know the allied bomber pilots were told not to fly east of Wuppertal.

[@benno291980]

Alright I'm ready, where's my B-17

[@Daronor01]

and what you gonna bomb?

[@benno291980]

@@Daronor01 ha haven't watched that one yet but I'm sure ready to dodge the heck outta some flak

[@gorillasharkAWESOME]

@@Daronor01 Berkeley

[@aceous99]

u aint ready, kid!

[@hammershell]

@@Daronor01 How about Washington D.C. for starters? Those idiots voted 95% for Hitler(y).

[@robynn144]

Great educational film. It is accurate and correct, yet still downplays the dangers of flak a little bit. Even so, I'm sure this has made quite a few US airmen a little nervous about this "Flak business", as they call it in the film.

[@frankwhelan1715]

Always wondered exactly what flack was,it featured a lot in 50es/60s world war 2 comics.

[@KP3droflxp]

This movie was probably made to avoid nervousness. As someone else stated, those evasive moves were often impossible, especially when you try to stay in formation while being harassed by fighters.

[@petric334]

Can you imagine seeing this before your first mission? What a serious message for a serious business.

[@gordonfrickers5592]

Flack? All that and trying to keep in formation. Get separated and you are more likely to attract fighters. My Father, A British soldier, described to me how he was one of many who watched German flak shoot down an American bomber in daylight over Normandy. He said the Germans were typically methodical, gradually shifting their flack box until he saw the victim wobble and start to descend. He said the victim never really had a chance once the 'box flack' choose him. The soldiers around my Father started to count the parachutes and pray for the brave men aloft. He also said there were so many falling shell fragments that he slept with his 'tin lid' over his goolies. He said a head wound he could cope with but ... Hats of the the brave men of Allied Bomber Command.

[@aventari]

Love stories like this, thanks!

[@KarlBunker]

In his autobiography, WWII cartoonist Bill Mauldin quoted the adage "when caught in an explosion, an old man will grab for his eyes and a young man will grab to check his crotch." When his jeep drove over a land mine, Mauldin says he lived up to that wisdom. "I was sure I was blinded anyway," he wrote. (In fact he was fine; he only needed a bandaid, but was later awarded a purple heart anyway.)

[@chriscolabella880]

Thanks for sharing. True that. Talk to anyone who's been under fire and they will tell you it's not fear of being hit that's on your mind, it's anxiety about where you get hit. Flak in the goolies would not be much fun!

[@lancairw867]

My late Uncle was a aircraft commander on the B 17 based in Southern Italy 🇮🇹 in 1944. Said on the first half of his 50 total missions he was more worried about Me 109s than flak. Said they looked like harmless puffs of smoke. Well after seeing many B 17 go down and explode in front of him he worried less about the fighters and more about the flak ! Said the fighters would go more after the 17s failing out of formation and knew when the fighters pulled off the flack was about to come. He mostly bombed the Poleistie Romanian oil fields and said it was brutal !

[@sir_humpy]

@Untermensch, an already defeated nation surrenders at once and does not keep on fighting for 3 more months. If bombing Dresden shortened the war even by a week, it saved the lives of many soldiers and civilians both allied and from axis powers.

[@erryrollins]

RIP to all those aviator that had to film all the flaks expolosions.

[@danielmocsny5066]

If you're seeing the film it means the airplane had to make it back home.

[@solomonarbc]

@@danielmocsny5066 The airplane yes, but not the entire crew. In fact, even the aircraft could have crashed over friendly territory.

[@admiralthrawnbar4899]

I'm guessing that at least some of it was staged, probably friendly guns firing blanks or intentionally missing, at least when they were showing the different kinds of flak because A. There is no where they would intentionally fly predictably in order to capture footage and B. They specifically said that flak burst fire was usually 60 seconds between a volley whereas it was closer to 10 seconds, meaning the guns already knew where to bomber was going to be without needing to take a new reading

[@daskaninchen5416]

@@admiralthrawnbar4899 Can't be staged. A, because blanks don't fire projectiles so they couldn't create those flakbursts as you see in this film. B, Why would they fire at own planes JUST to make a film? that's the most stupid thing i have ever heard. Nowhere would they fire even in intentionally missing, at own troops just in order to make a trainingfilm.

[@riffswatch1559]

During the filming of William Wyler's Memphis Belle, two cameramen were killed in action. In very early 1942, some 13 journalists were given the opportunity to fly with the 8th AAF on some of their earliest missions over Europe. 12 chose to fly in Fortresses, one flew in a Liberator of the 2nd Bomb Division, and his was the only journalists plane shot down. That's one reason why, despite its greater range and ability to carry a higher bomb load, the B24 is barely remembered but the Flying Fortress is an icon of military aviation. But, yes, casualties were real and this wasn't faked.

[@tr4il98]

Imagine how tense It is to sit in a ventilated room, In your small chair seeing the flying hell you're about to head into unfold on film, has to be nerve wrecking.

[@neodonkey]

Props to whoever did the graphics in this film. That was some slick stuff for WW2! And huge respect for the men who flew these missions.

[@mh-on7fp]

Those young men had to watch this terrifying film, and then face terrible odds as they flew their missions. I have now been given entirely new definitions for the words “bravery,” and “appreciation.” Thank you *all!* Liked and subscribed!

[@dustin1931]

Those German 88s were nasty... I would say its one of, if not the best anti aircraft gun in the war not even counting how effective it was as artillery.

[@dustin1931]

***** In terms of direct damage I would say yes. The German 88 was produced well before either, in much greater numbers and could fire on air and ground targets with stunning accuracy. They even mounted the damn things in Tiger tanks. I would say no other German artillery had as much of an impact on the war.

[@KC-bg1th]

Flak 40 was great for literally sniping bombers out of the sky before they even got into both bombing range and altitude. Only Hitler would approve using 128mm shells for AA. :P

[@SeraphimARcanus]

Actually, its performance as anti-air was mediocre according to Luftwaffe studies. Also, the gun on the Tiger is not related to the 8.8cm Flak family, they have zero parts compatibility and only the ammo can be interchanged but first they need to swap the primer capsule because the flak used a mechanical one meanwhile the Tiger an electrical one.

[@PokePresto]

Bofors 40mm legend

[@Kalumbatsch]

Every single source says that the gun used on the Tiger was a modified version of the 8.8 cm flak.

[@Philliben1991]

German flak was highly effective. My grandfather flew in a Royal Air Force Halifax Mk III and his aircraft received hits in 29 out of 40 missions. He was actually on his 40th and last mission, attacking a night fighter base in Holland, when he was shot down. The hydraulics were hit so the bomb bay doors couldn't be closed, then they lose two engines, and then a third failed. The pilot received the DFC for getting the aircraft down safely although it broke in two on the ground. All the crew survived with only the radio operator being wounded while trying to put out a fire. On a previous mission the aircraft was hit 63 times but managed to returned home.

[@ahahm3]

Must have been a tough ass plane

[@Philliben1991]

@@ahahm3 Way tougher than the Lancaster.

[@Lexx1976]

My great uncle received the "Ritterkreuz" for the most confirmed hits. He was the commanding officer at one of the Atlantikwall Flugabwehr Batallions. RIP Willi. www.tracesofwar.com/persons/29218/Hägele-Willi.htm

[@davidwordsworth5584]

Halifax was the workhorse of the RAF and RCAF. The Lanc gets the glory but the Halifax did the work.

[@hansbrackhaus8017]

I'm surprised airplanes even made it into Germany, Zyklon B fumes (aka hydrogen cyanide) is lighter than air, and they allegedly used so much of the stuff.

[@alf3071]

That duck's face was priceless

[@JustAnotherSoldier48]

Flak gunners hate this one simple trick...

[@El_Chompo]

I love watching these old war training videos. They are presented so nicely and are so informative. Can you imagine watching this and then being told good luck get in those airplanes! Crazy!!

[@ahahm3]

I know. It’s best to learn all this information. Maybe you’ll need it lol.

[@BlitzvogelMobius]

I love these old WW2 films. The one on ship FCS via mechanical computers is fucking awesome.

[@rickfeith6372]

Boolean logic

[@robertgaudet7407]

Or the one on how to load and fire battleship guns.

[@Ranstone]

If anyone cares, advanced training uses a similar technique to avoid marksman/sniper fire at long ranges while on foot. It's probably one of the most overlooked tactic for a foot-soldier I've ever seen, and one of the most crucial.

[@ahmadillo4959]

4:13-4:53 I honestly didn’t expect AA defence systems in WW2 to have been so sophisticated!

[@locouk]

Back in the day, I often came under heavy flak, I found stealth was the best way to avoid it. If the wife caught me coming in drunk though, she'd come out all guns blazing.

[@danielmocsny5066]

Was she only accurate to 10,000 feet?

[@rudolfschrenk9411]

Yeah, it sucks when the Me 109s come out of the blue yonder when you are all focused on weavin through the flak.

[@calviincalifornia4048]

just remember to make slow lazy course corrections

[@iblockpuncheswithmyface1490]

I'm thinking your staggering made it harder for her to hit you.

[@Alan-cp1sb]

A cop sees a speeding driver run a stop sign at 3 a.m. "Ah, ha," he thinks as he turns on his blue lights and siren. As he approaches the driver's window he asks, "And where are you going this evening, sir?" "I'm going to a lex, a leckshure on the evils of drinking, sh-moking and loose women," the driver replies. "Oh, yeah, who's giving such a lecture at this time of night?" the cop asks. The driver responds: "My wife."

[@baltsosser]

At exit 102 on I-95 inn Georgia there is a wonderful place called the Mighty 8th Air Force museum. They have a fully restored B-17 on display there you can go inside. They also have a mock up where you can work on your aerial gunnery as a waist gunner. Hitting the German fighters that come screaming in making attack runs on you is not easy even in that stress free environment.

[@suckmysilencer747]

This tutorial might come in handy one day.

[@thotarojoestar3045]

suckmysilencer747 nah, can't avoid SAMs capable of mach 1

[@2ndAveScents]

Most SAMs are capable of much greater than Mach 1

[@deathdragon2283]

Thotaro Joestar Mach 1? Try Mach 3-4

[@usarkarzts4207]

Bullshit i dont think any Sam can run that fast.

[@Bigglesworthicus]

If I ever find myself flying my crate over Germany, I'll bear this in mind.

[@jfloresmac]

In 1993 I landed in Frankfurt in a huge plane and quite frankly, it was no big deal. I don't know what all the fuss is about.

[@larrydee8859]

Very informative AA training film

[@robertcubinelli4961]

In any case, statistically, AA guns wiped out more warplanes than many movies on air warfare would like to imagine.

[@MrDarrylR]

Being assigned to RAF bomber crew entailed a 44.4% risk of death in action, and things didn't improve from that for US crews until spring 1944, and the advent of long-range escort fighters like the P51 Mustang. If surviving the war were my only consideration, I'd volunteer for nearly any other job, though at least the flyboys got to sleep in warm beds. There wore riskier jobs in other militaries, eg 80% of German submarine crews died, and on the ground in some places, under 10% of Germans encircled at Stalingrad survived the battle and subsequent imprisonment.

[@Aileron90]

@Max Pain untrue, German aircraft were far superior in almost every way, the had the fastest, and the first turbojet engines, just lacked numbers

[@lancairw867]

This is true. Remember more US airmen were killed in WW2 than US Marines !!

[@PrezPendejo]

@@Aileron90 What are you talking about? That's ridiculous and blatantly untrue.

[@GFSLombardo]

@@Aileron90 That is true.The Germans produced some of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated weapons systems, other than the atomic bomb, in the WAR. What they did not have was FORD, GM, GE, IBM, DUPONT, CHRYSLER and hundreds of other American corporations, safely in the USA, and dedicated to producing masses of perfectly capable weapons and along with millions of trained military, who in conjunction with all of our allies (who used a lot of US equipment), destroyed both the Third Reich and the Empire of Japan in 1945.

[@icepick3383]

i will now refer to all my devices as "quiz kid"

[@JuanHerrero]

whizz-kid /ˈwɪzkɪd/ noun INFORMAL a young person who is outstandingly skillful or successful at something. "a computer whizz-kid"

[@adreabrooks11]

These folks suggesting it's "quiz kit" or "whiz kid" are mistaken. In this era, young people were expected to have hobbies. Those of nerdy interest would often take part in trivia contests (sort of like spelling bees, but with game show-type questions). Someone who did them regularly was a "quiz kid." That said, "whiz kid" is also a term for a quick/skilled/clever thinker - but he definitely said "quiz" in the "picture." And I agree. Instead of Googling, I'm now going to ask my mechanical quiz-kid for information. ;)

[@dugclrk]

I always learn something from these videos. Thanks.

[@prestonw4126]

Except when you are flying in mass formations, some unlucky pilot is always flying back into the flak...they forget to tell you that.

[@andrewhall7930]

Scary and sad to think that many of the pilots, gunners, navigators, co-pilots, and bombarders who watched this film would die from this very phenomenon.

[@HeaanLasai]

Thank you for posting this informative historic video!

[@michaelking42]

Great video! It's only taken 9 years for it to appear on my screen! Thanks for bringing it to the Tube!

[@Xtariz]

This works for flying bombers in WarThunder

[@yetanother9127]

Indeed it does, the flak guns in WT may actually use simulated gun-laying computers, specifically so that players can use actual tactics.

[@RAGEGamingRevolution]

Omg love ya, that's what I watch it for

[@BlitzvogelMobius]

Xtariz It's only too bad bombers are spawned too low and too close to the target areas to avoid fighters unless they turn around directly and gain altitude and/or allow allied fighters to provide escort. The problem is this never happens, or the game is already over before you get a chance to get downrange.

[@daxdigitalus]

+Blitzvogel Mobius Simulator battles.

[@jellyfrosh9102]

+Blitzvogel Mobius I take it you only play arcade?

[@geoffsaunderson5766]

My great uncle was a gunner on top of the local water supply in London, and his brother was a loader on a Lancaster bomber, fascinating! Thank you, I had no idea

[@igorlikesp38]

Great educational video, thanks for sharing!

[@dopeofthepope]

That´s like lottery the other way round. You have won tens of thousands of pounds... ...of steel shrapnel - and you don´t want a single gram of it. You rather want your "winnings" to go up in a puff of smoke...

[@niueanlaho]

Had no idea that the Germans anti aircraft guns were fed data to predict the planes path ....i thought they just shoot in front of the plane and get that lucky hit......

[@klobiforpresident2254]

This is only really the case for late in the war (1943+). Besides the Mk I "eyeball" targeting device and computing machines (or look-up tables) there also was "Sperrfeuer", locally concentrated fire used not to destroy planes but for area denial. This was often done on the main approach paths for small targets, where breaking off the attack run would burn much, possibly too much fuel.

[@suit1337]

In bigger cities like Vienna or Berlin there were even dedicated Flak Towers in 3 pairs to form a triangle around the city 3 of the towers were used to command the other 3 towers to achieve maximum coverage

[@mikered8967]

@@suit1337 And you can visit them nowadays

[@suit1337]

@@mikered8967 not all of them, for example one in Berlin was unsuccessfully destoyed and covered in rubble it is now an artificial mountain (Grosser Bunkerberg) But in Vienna you can visit the Haus des Meeres (a huge Aquarium) which was built inside of a Flak-Tower

[@Bel_Riose]

And suddenly you realize why they traditionally teach calculus and statistics at every college...

[@MrShobar]

And for no other conceivable reason...

[@pyromaniac354]

Yep.Now they teach Marxism

[@MrShobar]

Go back to work on that GED. You can do it this time!

[@DoctorShocktor]

gfy everyone yeah while their students maintain the internet, gps and cell systems while other research new science and tech every day. You’re a simpleton and useless to society.

[@pyromaniac354]

@@DoctorShocktor hit a nerve did i? You need your head read if you can't see what is going on in university's.its a daycare centre for young adults

[@KeithCooper-Albuquerque]

Thanks for posting this very interesting video!

[@lisar3006]

I like these old WWII training films thanks for posting it.

[@Beethoven80]

2:00 They are heading for Bremen. Beautiful city at that time :(

[@tuz8778]

Nowadays the only beautiful thing in Bremen is the highway to Hamburg

[@tonymontana5753]

Jens8502 first it was the jews, and now the muslims? Filthy Nazis everywhere.

[@castrogonzalez614]

Jens8502 I would be a german casualty!😅

[@castrogonzalez614]

Beethoven80 Bundeskanzler Helmut Schmidt actually served in a Flak unit in Bremen, before being moved to the eastern front.

[@robinhood791]

Londen, Warschau & Rotterdam were beautiful as well.

[@proofbox]

A interesting statistic that I read a few years ago was that was that one bomber was brought down for every 16,200 shells fired, not all that effective, so maybe this evasive tactic they were teaching had some merit

[@leonardpearlman4017]

I remember reading when I was a kid, that it had cost something like ten million (gold) dollars to shoot down one enemy plane in WWII.

[@Phoneyjoker]

I believe it was also several hundred bullets or more were spent for every kill (of a ground soldier).

[@DoctorShocktor]

It was super effective, over one thousand bombers shot down per year. Efficient? Maybe not, but I’m guessing that flak shells were available in huge quantities.

[@sbreheny]

You need to consider that only about 25% of the bombs hit any sort of useful target and it was much worse when the target was something fairly small and specific like a bridge, dam, or section of a factory.

[@megatwingo]

Very interesting vintage instruction video. Thanks for uploading. Thumbs up! :)

[@n00fer]

this was a really interesting video.. and after being very interested in the world war history for about nearly 9 years now since i have 12.. i can honestly say i have never seen this type of video.. awesome upload and i wish to see more like it :)

[@lancairw867]

My late Uncle said a typical mission out of Italy 🇮🇹 bombing runs to the oil fields in Romania on the B 17 was 5 am briefing followed by takeoff. Once over the Mediterranean met with Me 109s followed by flak, more intense flak nearing the target 🎯, then the turn for home met more German fighters, followed by more flak,!l usually around a 10 hour mission!!! He completed 50 👍🏼 Edit. Airbase near the town of Foggia, Italy and flew over the Adriatic Sea not Mediterranean 👍🏼 Remember bombing city of Ploiesti, Romania 🇷🇴 Ball bearing/aircraft factories in Austria 🇦🇹

[@JimmyNahlousVisuals]

That accuracy is incredible!!

[@chuckschillingvideos]

This was wonderfully informative.

[@JB-yb4wn]

This is incredible! One can actually learn some really interesting things with these films - you have to see the one where they train the machine gunners on the bombers, now that is where your trig course comes in handy!

[@billbright1755]

Fly tough flak, sooner or later you will be hit, it's just a question of how bad. With luck you may be able to nurse yourself, your wounded ship and crew home, or to a safer bail out zone. You've just dropped bombs on those people, and they are not happy about it.

[@orange70383]

After that meeting I'd be asking if I could work in the mess hall instead.

[@cool_sword]

@Patrick Ancona I clapped when I read this post

[@greenthunder1000]

Patrick Ancona damn you need some tampons

[@merryweather3713]

Patrick Ancona Can you teach me how to ruin a joke? I've never seen anyone do it so well.

[@MendTheWorld]

Patrick Ancona I think you listen to too much bullshit. One thing that's different today from the "Greatest Generation" is they didn't have to deal with so many hate mongers encouraging us to hate our fellow citizens. Get woke, man. They playing you for a fool, and turning you into a traitor.

[@geoffsaunderson5766]

orange70383 yeah I could see myself taking a nasty spill down a flight of stairs, rendering me utterly useless for combat duty!

[@chowder7256]

Downloading Bomber Crew rn, studying theories on bombing and this helps, thanks.

[@maguilla]

Amazing technology from both sides, and unbelievable nerves of steel.( 18-24 years old in command of this planes fighting a War to liberate the World). Thank you a veterans forever thankful for your service and sacrifices.

[@pinz2022]

Personally, I don't think they're being straight enough about the limits allowed on defensive maneuver when in defensive formation against fighters. How could 100+ B17s/B24s rapidly change heading when in a tight "box" formation? And of course no maneuver was permitted during the final approach and bomb run when everything had to be straight and steady and when they'd be really cutting loose.

[@MadNotAngry]

WWII - All Gave Some/Some Gave All Hand Salute!

[@TheEdwardrommel]

What a powerful learning tool. In "Saving Private Ryan" he often referred to his army training manual for example on how to make a "sticky bomb" to disable the german tanks...he was just a high school teacher but he read the training manual and actually followed it and he was very successful.

[@anomalyp8584]

I'm amazed at the quality of the animations.

[@YouOnlyIiveTwice]

If flak could be relatively accurate shooting aircraft at 27,000 feet going 200 mph, I can't even begin to imagine how absolutely helpless you'd feel as a paratrooper slowly floating down closer and closer to these AA weapons. It really would be a turkey shoot for the ground forces. I now have even more respect for any and all of the paratroopers in that war.

[@moisesyome3565]

That is why most or all were killed or captured the first time a combat drop was done. Combat drops were not into combat, usually.

[@My-Name-Isnt-Important]

Most paratrooper drops were at night, so as to avoid being spotted while descending. The Germans made one airdrop during the war during the day, and suffered massive casualties. The Allies made the largest combat air-drop in history, during the day, with Operation Market Garden. The second largest was the D-Day invasion, but that air-drop was at night.

[@ryanhampson673]

@@My-Name-Isnt-Important true but market garden was see as a sort of failure for the most part....I did like that we dropped small dummies all along the coast as well during the night before D-day to confuse the Germans.

[@kenowens9021]

One crewman who had survived and went home had gone to a theater to watch a new movie. Before the movie started, a newsreel was played that showed bombers going through flak. The man stood up, yelled "flak" at the top of his voice, and ran out of the theater.

[@fishrenfroeboyd7954]

The great animation really makes this clear for us.

[@morrisminor56]

Very interesting film.thankyou.

[@bcoop1701]

I wonder how much of this was fully truthful and how much was fudged to maximize crew confidence and morale. Not that it matters now. Still fascinating to watch these training videos.

[@feartheghus]

Ok guys well this one is simple. Fall training: step 1: don’t get hit by it Step 2: ??? Step 3: profit, also live.

[@dylanmcdonald7128]

These visual are so good and understandable

[@kamacazi8]

Great video on history, thank you

[@Bureyeanne]

Splitting hairs but it is a film from history.

[@ToMeTheFool]

Super cool stuff! WWII tec is more advanced than I think! Could this work while playing War Thunder?

[@undeadscourge4238]

+Ray Liu No, War Thunder AA consists of SAM's and MANPADS disguised as Flak. On Norway, they have CIWS.

[@BlazingOwnager]

Yes.

[@abigbrownbear]

I can't believe the Germans had even any type of rudimentary computer to guide and sync up cannon aiming at that time.

[@brianjschumer]

BigBrwnBear Amazing that the Germans..although crazy world conquering philosophy. .Had some inventions way ahead of their time..Early computers..yet slow and used through telephone lines in the 1940's..amazing..

[@CruelestChris]

BigBrwnBear They had rudimentary computers (well, calculators, to be entirely correct) on warships since the era of Dreadnoughts, look up the Dreyer Fire Control Table. The bombers themselves had calculating bombsights that worked about the same way.

[@CaptainMontego]

Why not? Without captured German scientists, Neither us nor Russia would have reached space so soon, lots of German technology and the brains of Wernher von Braun.

[@erikhertzer8434]

Well...they had ballistic rockets, jet fighters, jet bombers, super tanks, and the best firearms of any nation...no surprise they mastered AAA. They even had infrared gun sighting for tanks late in the war. I remember reading the British test pilot Eric Brown stating, after he visited the German armaments and aircraft after the war: “We were not only surprised how far ahead of us the Germans were, we were shocked!” Ever wonder how a country the size of Texas took on England, Russia, USA, Canada, and more?

[@alexwilliamson1486]

I’m afraid they did, otherwise the amount of a/c lost and damaged and the amount of men killed/injured would not have been as high as it was. Even with changing height and altitude to confuse gunners, it was logical to put FLAK concentrations around legitimate targets so that the bombers had to cross over them en route to their destination. Crews feared FLAK the most, after the IP a plane had to fly straight and level in order for it to drop bombs correctly. Much respect.

[@raudiaz6245]

It's pretty cool that companies like Paramount had made tutorial films for training and other things like Mel Blanc and WB making films for the standard recruit of 'How not to get VD from Jezzabelle in France'

[@MrWolfheart111]

That was good thank you more please

[@jseden]

Hey ducks don't have parachutes... Nice way to subconsciously tell the trainees they'll be fine lol

[@ryanhampson673]

A lot of these training films then and now were used as educational and also a little propaganda to put the solider at ease and to trust his equipment.

[@atzefatze]

FL ug A bwehr K anone

[@jfloresmac]

I had heard it meant Flieger Abwehr Kanone, Flyer Defense Cannon, but yes, you are right. It means Air Defense Cannon.

[@HrSamstag]

Edigy Flug means flight, not air.

[@PotatoGunsRule]

Super interesting! Thank you,

[@Loomismusic]

"This is no attempt to minimize the dangers of flak" - thats absolutely what it is haha

[@bigsqueeze7883]

I learned a new word, "defilade"

[@danielmocsny5066]

Next learn "enfilade" which means shooting at the enemy from an advantageous position. Such as shooting at a line of soldiers from an exposed flank.

[@GFSLombardo]

They used that word in the movie "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN", probably to make the movie appear more "authentic".

[@poboypowder7567]

Let me save you 16 minutes : Don’t fly in a straight line

[@mysterymastermind175]

they did also warn about gentle curves

[@Bureyeanne]

Yes but don't improvise either.

[@scottyweimuller6152]

i never really thought about this before. pretty cool

[@guymailhot1130]

Best training ever on flak system

[@Ampersandbonerjam]

I wish he used the term "Flakuraccy"

[@Big1_]

WHY the flak ever explotes and the same altitude of the B17??

[@Xc31]

did you even watch the video?

[@Big1_]

Xc31 Yes, why? i dont know how they graduate or adjust the ammo to explote at the same level of the B17. Is there are different level amunition or what?

[@marmaladekamikaze]

astrolopitequs23 The AA shells had a time fuze clock element in their nose, this made them explode after a designated amount of time and therefore height. When the US proximity fuze came along though, that did away with the time fuze.

[@yetanother9127]

Virtually all high-caliber anti-aircraft artillery used some form of proximity or time fuze. The most common German AAA gun was the 88mm "Flak" or "acht-acht", which I believe used a time fuze.

[@Big1_]

Jonathan Hughes Thanks guys, very apreciate your responses. This was a mistery for me lol. bye

[@mechanicaldummy9324]

This was beautiful

[@Texsoroban]

This film was produced in 1944, America entered the war in 1941. took 3 year and a lot of death and blood to learn that lesson.

[@riffswatch1559]

in fairness, they didn't get into the action properly until late 1942, especially in Europe where most of the Flak was concentrated.

[@Texsoroban]

@@riffswatch1559 fair enough, so it took a year and half. still a lot of good men died. the question I have is this. who thought of this?

[@ArtemisBF1942]

I always wondered how many people (on both sides) were killed on the ground by their own falling flak shrapnel.

[@yetanother9127]

The terminal velocity of a small bit of metal is not that much, there's a Mythbusters episode that handles a similar situation, though with a penny rather than a piece of shrapnel.

[@farenht456]

I would think it's a relatively small amount.During the los angles incident where tons of flack was being fired over a major city there was 1 death and a couple of injuries.

[@yetanother9127]

farenht456 However, a considerable number of civilians were killed by their own side's unexploded shells landing in populated areas.

[@bilbobigbollix7318]

+Joseph Blokoepne - My dad watched the Battle of Britain from the fields of Kent. He said all sorts of stuff came down, bits of plane (or indeed planes themselves) were the most dangerous but as far as I know he didn see anyone killed by stuff from the air. Spent cartridges were the main thing to fall. He said when the fighting was really intense (quite often!) they often would shelter in a barn and listen to them hitting the roof.

[@robynn144]

Actually quite a few German night fighters were (accidentally) shot down by their own Flak. German fighters were often shot down by "friendly fire" cause they flew into the Flak barrage "boxes" at night. It was forbidden but some pilots did it anyway, hoping to "catch" a British bomber on the bomb run (during which the bomber couldn't zig-zag and evade)..

[@JeanLucCaptain]

I heard the critics gave a lot of Flak for this video.

[@pyromaniac354]

boom boom tish

[@RoberttAvro]

It bombed at the box office.

[@mikearneson3108]

My God! After watching this, my hat is off to all you Air Corps boys. God bless you all and thank you all.

[@JohnSmith-zv8km]

Once went to the pub with a couple of mates and met no less than 3 ex girl friends and had to warn my mates about incoming flak which was intense and I still remember it well.

[@karl_fookin_tanner9605]

how did they make animations like this in ww2????

[@natet9435]

YourMoraleBoosterTV Disney helped as you can see lol

[@CGoody564]

Golden age of animation...

[@AndresLopez-wn8lt]

Disney made war films

[@Stevo_YouTube]

Early flash software

[@ericjamieson]

@@AndresLopez-wn8lt As did Warner Brothers.

[@_Patton_Was_Right]

"WE DEFEATED THE WRONG ENEMY!" Patton was murdered for speaking the truth

[@johnstark4723]

Yup, well, kind of. Once Germany was defeated we should have kept going right on to Moscow. What we shouldn't have done was arm Russia. We should have just let Germany overrun russia and then we could have gone right on through to Berlin and then Moscow. Patton would have ended up president and Ike would have gone into obscurity. Patton would have put McArthur in charge of Korea and let him march right on to china. Just think how peaceful we would be today if they would have done things right.

[@titaniumslug]

@@johnstark4723 Asia wouldn't have become communist in the first place if the soviets hadn't invaded Manchuria after the Germans were defeated. But then Japan might not have surrendered so easily.

[@johnstark4723]

@@titaniumslug wtf are you THAT stupid? Russia was in Manchuria LONG before WWII started. In fact brainless it happened in the 1890's. Before spouting off at least do some god damn research do you don't sound like a complete dumbfuck, which you certainly are with your complete lack of knowledge on both Manchuria and communism.

[@lightingandsoundtheonlyway6517]

@@johnstark4723 fuck Harry Truman , he was a snake

[@johnstark4723]

@@anaryl no dumbass they russians actually invaded them in the 1890's and held a large section of Manchuria until after WWII. You can't believe everything you read on Wikipedia, anyone can write whatever they want and unfortunately dumbass's like you just believe what you see there instead of actually researching the FACTS. Again, I have 50 years of research, unlike you who does nothing but read Wikipedia and believe whatever it says there.

[@TheRerunn]

Great lessons learned. Still just as useful today. Especially low level flying to avoid ground fire. “Fast and low, ground fire too slow.

[@tomasmatus7756]

Useful today. This means humanity did not improve since.

[@talijamir5395]

Accurate documentation enjoyed watching