Battle Of The Skies: Real Footage From WWII Bombing Missions | Battlezone | War Stories

[@WarStoriesChannel]

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[@DaveSCameron]

Nein!

[@kratzikatz1]

Never change the ratio. That is digusting to watch.

[@bentjensen7245]

I has never understood why the Sweinfurt raids was a Mosquito raid

[@MkMk-zf5jy]

​ຝ

[@user-yw5uu5of1d]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@stulynn2005]

The men that flew with the allied forces are the reason I continue to work with warbirds. They deserve not to be forgotten along with their bravery in such an unforgiving war

[@samrodian919]

Hear hear! Their sacrifices should never be forgotten even more than 83 years on. (For American readers, don't forget we were in this 2 1/4years before you ) They should still be commemorated in 300 years. If the world as we know it survives climate change that is.

[@brianrobertson1211]

Well put

[@MikeWoot-swp]

​@@samrodian919as a proud American on Veterans day 2k24, i do wish we showed up to help our brethren earlier on in their fight against the Nazi's. However, this was a European fight. The fact that so many young American men volunteered to fight & die for a country that we have never been to & for a ppl that we never met... should also never be lost in history. I would like to Thank all the allied forces and supporters, weather they fought or continue to fight from home or abroad, in a traditional or unconventional aspect, or only share & support the same dream & same definition of the word _freedom_ ... I would like to Thank each and every one of YOU, for your service. 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇲🇽🇻🇬🇮🇴🇬🇧🇫🇷🇨🇳🇷🇺🇦🇹🏴‍☠️ *& so many, many more* ... _Allied Nations stand together, stronger then ever_

[@ianwoods8593]

Lest we forget! My father was a Lancaster pilot, his stories are both amazing and horrifying!!

[@jaksongpg]

so you got to be getting on - 70/80+. I remember talking to a WW2 Lancaster pilot in Brum in about 84. He didn't really want to talk about it though. We won't forget.

[@PimSchouten]

Bless your father Ian

[@peterivarsson6819]

May one never forget these heroes for the free world we live in!

[@carfvallrightsreservedwith6649]

That is quickly being taken away through complacency.......

[@dancarter482]

@@carfvallrightsreservedwith6649 Yeah, LOOK at us now! Make Orwell fiction again!

[@philliphall5198]

Amen 🙏

[@timnorth1692]

My father was a rear gunner, Bomber command and ended up in the pathfinders, so proud of him and all of them. He ended up as a squadron leader DFC

[@pizzulo8111]

Tail gunners had massive balls. That and a tunnel rat in Vietnam are as scary as it gets.

[@timnorth1692]

@@pizzulo8111 I agree, but l will have to learn about tunnel rats

[@pizzulo8111]

@@timnorth1692 Definitely look them up. They were given a flashlight and a .45 to crawl through the tunnels to kill Viet Cong hiding in the dark. They would have the smallest guy go in because the tunnels were so small because the VC were small. A lot of them lost their lives doing that.

[@timnorth1692]

@@pizzulo8111 people do amazing things, I will definitely look this up.

[@pauldirac808]

Like tail gunners tunnel Rats needed to be men with massive balls but small in statue .

[@SharonD369]

I was born in 1969 and feel quite privileged to live in relatively peaceful time’s, reading books and watching documentaries give a really good insight but living it and surviving it ...... well only a few know what that’s like. I Bow To You All 👌👌👌

[@charlesreid3482]

I know what you mean I worked with.a polish fighter pilot from the Battle of Britain ,

[@tombombadil3185]

'54 here. My father was a marine at Tarara and Bogensville. There are repercussians that last for a generation.

[@clicheguevara5282]

My grandmother was living in Berlin. My grandfather was bombing it.

[@Antechynus]

There was conflict all over the place through the 60s, 70s and onwards. Read more history.

[@YnseSchaap]

1968 and we will get our share yet

[@gregorymacaleese6372]

My Dad was with Bomber Command from 1941-42. Their losses were horrendous. As a bomardier/toggler, he survived enough missions to return to Canada where he trained bombardiers from other British Commonwealth countries. Their losses were equally horrendous.

[@freddythecat3203]

No they wernt. The average losses were 4.5% in 1942, there were obviously raids with larger losses, but the average was 4.5%. The main issue was the lack of precise targetting, which is why the RAF first switched to night bombing and second to area bombing. The first Thousand Bomber Raid sustained the loss of only 4 aircraft, because that number of planes overwhelmed the defences, and only 40 planes were lost on the trip ther and back to night fighters. The worst losses of any Allied raid was the USAAF daylight raid on the ball bearing factory at Schweinfurt in 1943, which sustained 25% losses, that was the Air Force equivalent of the Somme.

[@pauldirac808]

@@freddythecat3203 what about the March 1943 Hamburg raid off the top of my head I think it was about 17% losses .

[@davidstegne3036]

​@@freddythecat3203They had to suspend missions after that raid too restore the man power.

[@rocketeerPM2500]

😢 Lest We Forget.

[@Popeye1963-q6u]

A man had to complete 25 bombing runs to complete his tour. The average survival rate was 11runs. That's pretty horrendous!

[@clintgreggory2549]

It's such clear bravery against a brutal , hateful nation. I salute all the brave airmen who helped the allies win against tyranny.

[@phil4986]

I have watched all of these World War 2 documentaries since I was a child sixty years ago. Now what I do, is simply turn off the sound, and enjoy the priceless video images, derived from the sound free film at the time. Most World War Two footage was never done with sound. We can never know the unreal loud sounds or awful smells or extreme cold or heat or starvation these men endured. But there is a pilgrimage, that comes from just looking into the unedited, real time footage and seeing the struggles of men trying to stop evil, from taking over the world, that is easy to make. All we have to do is open our eyes and our mind to see it. Thank you to all the veterans who fought to keep us free and all the active service members today who still do the same.

[@neild3074]

Like many other comments here, my father flew 32 sorties with the 101 Spec Opps Squadran out of Ludford Magna. The 101 flew decoy above and ahead of the main group they carried more armour and 50 cal machineguns to engage the night fighters, his was one of only two 101 crews that completed their 30 missions.

[@fortunatodeguzman8017]

Thats was a stunning feat- to survive after 20.missions,sorties...According to WW.2 warplanes stat'c record- an average of 20.sorties,bombing mission were noted among Allied bomber warplanes- before they were shotdown!... Accordingly, the British airforce suffered 60% pilot casualties,total both for bomber and fighter planes!...A heart felt salute!!..and hats.off for all of you!!...With teary eyes: Be assured,your unselfish sacrifice will not be forgotten by all generations!!...

[@109-w7v]

I once met Flt Lt Rusty Waughman off 101 ‘Special Duties’ squadron. I have a signed framed picture of his Lanc in my office.

[@NineInchTyrone]

Wow. Suicide missions

[@neild3074]

@@109-w7v My fathers plane is depicted in the painting 'Maximum Effort by Philip E West'. You can see the designation R-Roger (my younger brothers name) and assume by the snow cover it was the very cold 1943/4 winter. My father spoke about having to join the ground crews to clear the runway of snow before they could takeoff. R-Roger was the plane dad flew most of his missions in. She was out for 3 missions when they crashed landed her on a Scottish airfield after a low level raid on Dutch dykes to flood German positions.

[@0ldb1ll]

@@NineInchTyrone After bombing raids on Germany, photo-reconnaisance planes would take pictures from very high level. They were special planes stripped of guns, radios and even the armour plate usually behind the pilots seat. This worked until they had to take pictures of bridges in Italy at low level, flying straight and level. They did this in pairs, the front plane taking the flak from the towers either end of the bridges and the rear plane taking the picture. Checkout F/O J.V. Mcdonald, 241 Squadron. Hit from both towers, he and his plane were blown to pieces and were never found. As he has no grave, apart from his medals, he ceased to exist. The life expectancy of aircrew during WW2 was not very high.

[@xanbex8324]

In memory of RCAF Co Pilot G.S.Moreau who survived 33 missions!

[@michaelbull9428]

With what has happened to our country it makes me wonder if all the sacrifice these brave boys made was really worth it

[@eze8970]

Yes it was, but such a terrible price to pay.

[@carfvallrightsreservedwith6649]

The worth lies in its citizenry to not let their sacrifices become a waste. But alas bravery is but a foreign word to today's Americans. Some even want socialism/communism. Of course they're all wearing black clothes, masks, colored hair, and not employed.

[@davedixon2068]

@@carfvallrightsreservedwith6649 very stereo typed opinion

[@carfvallrightsreservedwith6649]

@@davedixon2068 agree to disagree....would be surprised if their employers let them off to go bad mouth the country.

[@benjaminbauer2947]

I know that the men I served with in the last desert war don't feel that this generation deserves anything.

[@derekfromtauranga6012]

My late uncle from NZ flew the Lancaster bombers in the RAF during WW2. He also ferried planes from Halifax in Canada for the war effort as well as a time as a flying instructor. I remember him telling me because he was very good at navigation the RAF wanted him to be a bomber navigator so he “failed” his nav exam to make sure he was the pilot. He escaped injury from all the sorties he flew but it affected him after the war.

[@tonypegler9080]

My Grandfather was a new pilot with British Airways and he was trying to land at Hamburg but was confused by the runway system. The German ATC asked dryly if he had not been to Hamburg before ? He replied "Yes, back in the '40's - but we never landed."

[@stevew6138]

Savage.

[@Coltnz1]

An oldie but goodie.

[@kevinmccarthy8746]

Hilarious, I had a uncle Vinny who was a tail gunner that survived.

[@derekfromtauranga6012]

@@kevinmccarthy8746 I love that comment re him being there before but never landed. I'm sure my late uncle who flew sorties in Lancaster bombers flew over Germany as well.

[@0ldb1ll]

When I was young, I asked my father why he never wished to visit Germany, as he had the opportunity to go on an expenses paid business trip. He said that he had seen most of it from 10,000 ft He had also been the pilot of a Lancaster bomber.

[@redbay8527]

This was the most fascinating war footage I have EVER seen. My father served in the US Army during the Battle of the Bulge and I've seen footage from that time. But, I have never seen the likes of this video. I had no idea of the number of planes the Allies put into the air - a thousand bombers at a time????? It's unimaginable - so many planes, so many crew members - so many dead. I'm in awe of what was done and the bravery and dedication shown. It just seems impossible.

[@jaywalker3087]

My father volunteerd for aircrew in bomber Command during the battle of Britain. He lived immediately opposite Croydon Airdrome so was getting bombed regularly. He said to his brother 'I'm fed up with those barstards bombing me , so I've joined up so I can go and bomb the barstards back"! He trained as a radio operator/Air gunner before being seconded to SOE , making trips by Lysander and submarine to occupied territory. He didn't tell me any of this until the day he died! He had kept the secret until on his death bed in 2004 . The questions I wanted to ask him , but never got the chance to . I miss you dad ,

[@MrMrliamo]

Lovely story, I know the aerodrome well, my sister lives in coulsdon, I'm from the west of Ireland, I go there regular to visit my sister and family, great history in the Croydon area

[@jaywalker3087]

@@MrMrliamo I had aunts and uncles in Caulsden. Happy Paddies Day😄

[@PSM-IPADZ_OX]

We will never see another war on such a scale, so well documented, the extent of the war impacting so many people and countries, so horrid, cruel and so much of deaths everywhere.

[@dizzyizzie6354]

With modern technology I think this would be recorded in real time. Documents even better as we don't quite bend rules n paperwork is required from each person/mission /resupply/equipment. I think we know almost every single artillery round, where it was fired & what it hit. Excalibur shells or other GP's guidance will have a digital map of it's trajectory, real time GPS sythetic appiture an visible light view add drones / f35 / Data link. I think it is possible to view almost the entire battle space an account for everything. Of course stuff doesn't always work that way. I think the" rules" reduce actionable abilities. 2 would a war ever be this large? I am not surd. But china / india , all Asian/ Eurasian have a lot of soldiers. Russian is supposed to hold a large military as we've learned different so far. So if u go by population, 45% are drafted is alot.

[@voraciousreader3341]

The Pacific island war and that on the Asian mainland as well as New Guinea received hardly any attention at all from the end of the war until more books started coming out around 2005, *60 YEARS* after the war ended…..I estimate that 85-90% of WWII books published during that time period were about the war in Europe. The development of the internet helped, especially since I could see the films where my dad fought in the South Pacific

[@CoalMiner379]

Thank you to all veterans from every war for your courage and sacrifice, Welcome Home Soldiers Welcome Home! God Bless our Veterans and God Bless America!!!

[@Nitramrec]

God bless ALL survivors!

[@julianwaugh8221]

My father couldn't fly due to eyesight problems his brother was with the pathfinders ,7 missions. Dad was running airstrips ,the RAF would be doing night bombing during the day they would " sleep" he would hear them screaming and having terrible nightmares. He snuck onto a Lancaster for a raid just so he could have a better appreciation of what the crews were going through. He told me he needed a change of underwear was in order never been so frightened in his life and these crews were doing runs day after day.

[@NostalgicNickyNYC]

My Grandpa was a B-17 navigator, which means he saw everything. The odds of him surviving were low, but he survived. People don't realize how lucky they are to be living, because if my Grandpa died, I wouldn't even be here😢😢😢😢.

[@aeonsbeyond]

My grandfather was a captain under George Patton a specialist who did 20 different jobs who launched the artillery in Falaise. The World War II generation was unique nobody and nothing was like that before or since how any of them survived I do not understand

[@82luft49]

I was aware about the 50 thousand British airmen being lost, but I was not aware that 80 thousand American airmen were also lost. Just amazing.

[@samb1123]

I don't know what the percentage there was of American air crew that became casualties but the percentage of Commonwealth air crews was 66% for the war all told. A friend's father was trained as Flight Engineer on a Lancaster who was scheduled to go to Europe from Canada in 1945 when the war ended. He felt disappointed at first, then relieved as the true nature of the situation sank in.

[@hicks727]

24 million Russians (civilian and military) died in WW2

[@stevenlee798]

I've read the 8th airforce had (over 26000 ) casualties. So I'm guessing that the 80 000 would include the pacific Italy fronts plus all fighter, transport, coastal commands etc etc to make that number. About 1/3 losses when there was 2.5 million men in the usaaf in march 1944

[@noalarms4618]

@@hicks727 24 million (mostly of hunger) is probably a gross under-estimation and by far the majority sacrificed on the high altar of Uncle Joe’s paranoia, incompetence and in-humanity.

[@rockinroll817]

The Army Air Corp service had a higher fatality rate than the Marines in the Pacific.

[@williammcnab6159]

My ex Wifes Uncle Pat was part of the Dam Busters crew on one of the Lancasters charged with the destruction of one of the major Dams controlling the Ruhr valley I believe. I met him several times and one of my regrets was not talking to him about his experiences. I was born in 1943 named after my uncle, who was killed in the Tobruk area in North Africa fighting against the Germans in that area. He was killed just before I was born.

[@dancarter482]

I met an unassuming chap on a council estate one day who'd been in tanks in the desert 'til he was wounded then sent to Europe as soon as he could walk again then ended up in Berlin after the war guarding the new border .. .. .. Just cogs in the war machine!

[@MrTaylorTexas]

My grandfather's brother was a nose gunner in a liberator. They went down in the North Sea and were not found. I can only imagine what it was like back then.

[@DanMarksman]

I salut him and his friends.

[@user-ei3dq2dw6i]

Much respect to your grandfather's brother and all brave service people that gave us our freedom today

[@pauldirac808]

Thank god for men like your grandfathers brother . Respect .

[@tjotwo]

@MrTaylorTexas, my father was a nose gunner in a B-24. He came back with an alcohol addiction. The solution to the PTSD of those horrific missions was to send them to their barracks with rations of booze. Many thanks and God bless all those who laid their lives on the line for our nation. BTW, I came to the NW from Leander, Texas. Small world...

[@normannokes9513]

The merciless North sea deterred invaders but claimed so many airmen.

[@thomasdoran2363]

Wow, Just 'WOW' - Such bravery from 'just' teenagers . . . . . and such horror on the ground Living/serving both then, and after, must have been a daily torment RIP those people who were born in such violent, tumultuous times

[@Cudabeara]

I was born in 1955. We, one of the last generations To have lived and saw the Aftermath of WWII. Driving around hospitals seeing all the wounded soldiers lined on acres and acres of rolling hills of grass, so they could get time in the Healing/outdoors. PBS’s programs are the best to Learn of our past. Replaces growing up in Neighbourhoods and the close bond Everyone had and the history classes taught on the porches.

[@denisrobertmay875]

I'm not sure that is true. Almost all the Cities I know have preserved ruined buildings, particularly churches, as memorials to the Blitz, every village has warmemorial, there are the traces of the emergency built airfields and, near me, the remains of the preparations for Overlord. The reciprocal are found on the opposite side of the channel along with the war graves. There are countless others all across Europe. I grew up during the war years in the Garrison Town of Aldershot eventually serving in August '45.

[@aeonsbeyond]

I guess you were seeing the wounded lying in the grass during the Korean War because you weren't alive 1945 I'm confused by your statement

[@garyandrewranford]

I will remember them, always... You gallant, brave men and women of WW2

[@mariekatherine5238]

Crazy respect to all who flew.

[@andrewhorsburgh2549]

Today's youth will never believe how much their freedom was owed to so many that are not alive today. Do we really need a world war to make them wake up to what is important.

[@carfvallrightsreservedwith6649]

The next World War will have tens of millions dead in 45 minutes, 100 million plus in 30 days.

[@aeonsbeyond]

A World War on that scale today would just crush the planet. Imagine World War II with a couple of hundred nukes going off in the background it just won't happen the same way. Someone once told me World War III will be like all the other wars ever fought compressed into a single hour

[@julianwaugh8221]

My uncle was with the pathfinders he had trained in Florida under the Arnold plan and was a check pilot for newbies he got USAF wings returning to england he survived six missions not the seventh

[@stephen4121]

Britain never stood alone. We had millions of Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Rhodesians, Kenyans, Malawians, Indians, Nepalese, Fijians, West Indian and many other nations fighting with us from the first day to the last of the war.

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

Thousands, not millions. Brave people, all of them, who preferred to fight rather than be oppressed.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

When Germany finally conquered France in 1940, Britain did stand alone as the only unconquered nation in Europe. The Commonwealth aid came later. It was an historical fact not a boast. Churchill said We STAND alone present tense.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

Actually those nations offered several undress of thousands not millions later in the war.

[@dennischallinor8497]

My father trained pilots during WWII in a place called Dafoe, Saskatchewan and whenever we would watch a movie about submarines he'd get so into the movie he'd say: "I'll take my chances in an airplane any day, with those bloody things if something goes wrong you're trapped like a rat!" I must say I do enjoy flying more than sailing. Once you are free of the earth the engine makes you feel so free and powerful just buzzing around up there. Bliss.

[@rocketeerPM2500]

Why even mention your 'bliss' of peacetime flying? It's quite irrelevant to the grim reality of wartime flight ops. Show some respect for the memory of those brave aircrew who died in their thousands, and spare us your trite buzzing around BS.

[@damienhudson8028]

Thanks for posting this. Great to see men on both sides speak and footage from both sides. History can be revisionist, but this video is a primary source from the decades following the end of WW2. Great to see it.

[@shivajivythilingam8685]

Salutes and tributes to all allied forces. 🙏😪..

[@Nitramrec]

In the second part of WW2 my father was a simple soldier in the german supply troops. He defended his homeland and tried to survive (in which he luckily succeeded). But I don't claim he would a hero!

[@williammcnab6159]

I see your comments were edited. Why do we make War on our Brothers in Arms as Mark Knopfler sings. I hope your thoughts were along these thoughts.?

[@jamescoleakaericunderwood2503]

@@williammcnab6159 it's not the common man ... Read the poem " Wounded" from WWI.... A PIPE A FRIEND A FIRE IN GODS GOOD TIME WHEN PRESTO LIKE A BALLOON I LEAP UPON THE STAGE OF SPLENDID DEEDS.... I YELL WITH RAGE... I WALLOW IN GORE! I THAT WAS A CLERK IN A DRY SALTERS STORE!

[@anthonyduraosr.4350]

My grd father grew up philly , pa around German town pa a German family help him sister survive as kid ,s dury depression if you're dad survived surved his country cared for family that heroic he ,told, good g, people bad,G people H, dad to me

[@donquixote1950]

Outstanding video! Excellent video & narration. TY!

[@montyzumazoom1337]

My uncle Fred flew 27 ops. Rear gunner in a Lancaster and rear and waist gunner in a Flying Fortress. He survived the war and lived out his days in Peterborough UK

[@seventhson27]

My uncle flew two missions over Berlin. He survived and came home. He said he only lost one person. A photographer riding along. The photographer was leaning out over the bombay taking pictures when a AA went off near the plane and jarred the photographer out the bombay.

[@michaelmoore234]

Fantastic to see , real hero's , keep it up.

[@patrickkobolt3069]

I love hearing from the people who were there.

[@petepal55]

34:30 the guy flew two tours totalling 50 missions. That has got to be the most astounding luck I've ever heard of, titaniums not tough enough for his pair!

[@jjohnston326]

I used to fly in an group called the C.A.F in the B-17 Texas Raiders. When I was there, there was a man named JC Thompson who flew as a rear gunner on 52 missions, at which point he was finally grounded for "excessive drinking." Having seen several of his closest friends having their guts blasted across the interior of your aircraft will do that to a fella. He had a tattoo on his arm of a heart with part of an arrow going through it. I asked him about it one day, why wasn't it finished? His best friend had been giving him the tat one night, they got called up for briefing, went out on mission, only one came back. When I found out why the tat wasn't done, I was shook.

[@StihlmaddArborist]

My Grandfather and his fellow crew members flew 57 missions . Lancasters 187 squadron C for Charlie. Lest we forget.

[@teddythewonderlizard1448]

One of the outstanding bomber pilots of the war - Leonard Cheshire - 39:02 - 39:14. A man amongst men.

[@kenmiller8370]

My dad was a flying fortress pilot on the ball bearing factory mission. He started on coffin corner when the Germans took out the inside main planes this time and then he flew up to join another group and they took out most of that group. After delivery, he made it back with all the emergency lights on. He said it was a very quiet day when they told the experienced pilots they would have to do 5 more missions before they could go home to the U.S. because they had lost so many pilots, but they got credit for one extra mission. All the early pilots had the odds against them surviving if they flew a lot of tough missions. He had been there when the army air force arrived in England and lost a lot of his friends. He felt he was truck driver delivering the cargo and getting his crew home as quickly as possible. He did not like dropping bombs on people's houses and never talked about it very much. He said that if all the leaders had to see the ugly stuff themselves and put their own life into harm's way first then wars might not be stated or would come to a conclusion quicker.

[@John-ws5oh]

This is really Awesome!! You can see the eyes of the men as they re experience their military service in the air. Amazing video,well done

[@jimthorne304]

Good production which avoids the trap of producing a history from the point of view solely of one country or even one part of one air force. I think many don't recognise that Germany had a very effective defence system. However, one point that I thought was omitted was that Germany ran out of fuel. They couldn't fly the aircraft that they had.

[@davidmoller6985]

Serious respect to all who served...not sure what they would think about what western democracy has become today

[@garrettsmith3391]

Effective. Men on both sides fought honorably. God bless them.

[@MattKearneyFan1]

The Germans fought honorably? Sorry but they fought for no reasons other than trying to take over the world for a madman

[@redwater4778]

There is no honor in bombing civilians.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

Don't tell me the SS and the Einsatztsgrupen fought honorably.

[@panhead55]

Great film sir! I love both perspectives, as this couldn’t have been easy for anyone. May God be with all…

[@markbirrell7662]

Currently reading ‘One who nearly made it back’ RCAF, very sad and brave men.

[@garymclaughin]

Glad someone mentioned the B-24 also the last year of the Battle of the Atlantic allies went on the offence with hunter killer groups of destroyers and the B-24 long range version. Good documentary. Sawadee Khap.

[@claytonbhowe7490]

Ya me to 1969 these were the bravest men who ever lived I salute them all

[@veronho1ness]

The Bomber Boys betrayed by their own. The attrition rate was such that you had better odds of predicting a coin toss than doing a full tour as a bomber crew member.

[@borderlands6606]

Mortality among bomber crews was higher than junior officers in WW1, and they lead men out of the trenches into machine gun fire.

[@bobmurdoch4719]

Not the longest battle. That was the battle of the Atlantic, with the most casualties being Merchant Navy ships. I am not decrying the brave men of Bomber Command. But the first casualties came on the first day and the last at the last day. Brave guys all of them. Thanks

[@davidholder3207]

Another documentary showing that when a German military force had to fight on an equal footing - it failed. The allied air forces took enormous punishment before victory was won. Let us not forget those who gave their lives in the war against Facism.

[@RedRodders]

I was waiting with a production worker for a tanker to arrive from Germany, the old chap was over his shift hours but had to wait. The lorry arrived and was unloading lethacin, when the old chap replied to the driver he only took about 12 hours to Germany and back including unloading. The driver was impressed and asked what he was driving, "A Lancaster" was the terse reply

[@jaketaylor3901]

That dogfight footage is amazing

[@joeschlotthauer840]

Thunderbolt is caught on German gun camera(?) at 40:42...

[@haroldland4620]

superb footage thankyou

[@alexandarvoncarsteinzarovi3723]

The bombing of any structures or targets, unless it involves actual military targets in active service such as a shore battery, armored convoys, enemy fleets etc., is a war crime, 1. the sinking of the USS Arizona & KMS Tirpitz was a war crime, 2. the usage of the V1 & V2 rockets on London was a war crime, 3. the deployment of sarin gas is a war crime, 4. the use of concentration camps & slave laborers is a war crime 5. the use of the atomic bomb in the bombing on Japan was a war crime! 6. the mass city bombing used by all parties is a war crime 7. the destruction of Warsaw was a war crime, 8. grave robbing and monument destruction is a war crime,

[@bobg6638]

History is fascinating

[@julianwaugh8221]

The expression the whole nine yards comes from the fact that a waist gunner would have a nine yard long belt of ammo It would indicate a fierce battle if you had done the whole nine yards.

[@stevecirimele5585]

Wow I always wondered where that saying came from!

[@timphillips9954]

The British technology in WW2 was on a different level.

[@denniskeena5936]

The longest battle of the war was the battle of the Atlantic . Not the air battle over Germany.

[@canusakommando9692]

Exactly! Thanks for being informed.

[@sprinter1832]

Dennis Keena The ONLY battle of the war was the Battle of Britain! had we lost that,there would have been no D-Day, No US in Europe, so no help for Russia,

[@paigetomkinson1137]

I've seen another documentary like this, exact same format and some of the same voice actors. I never realized it was a series! It would be great if there were even more of them to come! Now that I think about it, I'm sure they are chronological, following most of the same people. Wonderfully well done, in any case.

[@hali705]

the original series is called -the war years - it is a French/Canada production-there is a channel called the same-there are also episodes under the title of -the big battles. -Great show

[@mars6433]

After watching these documentaries, all I can think of to say is, "Thank you, boys. Thank you.".

[@Jim-bq5do]

At 0:44..."No-one can say who won"...What!!??

[@larrywhited3070]

I balked at that as well. I know that the narrator was trying to come across as a profound intellectual along with being aware of the high cost of war in lives on both sides, but proud views from an elevated ivory tower are rarely grounded in realty which often instead is quite gritty. England and the allies won, with America's involvement being decisive in the closing years. Germany lost, which is also a reality. At the closing couple of minutes (Re. 49:50 ) the narrator had a similar observation as he had expressed at the first. He was bound and determined to try to chisel out a notable place for his personal commentary in this documentary. Apart from his "contribution", the video is excellent.

[@dougclevenger6748]

Excellent !!!!!!

[@russellrykhus9130]

After the war the RAF conducted a study into the accuracy of night bombing. They concluded that only one out of 10 bombs dropped fell within 5 miles of the intended target. Night bombing was a waste of time and resources given the relatively inaccurate bombsites and navigation methods available in the 1940'sw.

[@itchycooable]

that was 1941/42 not the end of the war , they then brought in aids like gee/oboe and later h2s , just sayin.

[@clicheguevara5282]

The intended target was civilians and it was very effective.

[@benwilson6145]

The study was done in 1942. lessons were learned

[@redwater4778]

Maybe the bomber crews just didn't want to kill civilians and purposely missed targets.

[@stenalriksson6475]

Vad sägs om fosfor bombning av civila?

[@alfredawomi2340]

Please do mention when the interviews were taken in description box.

[@borderlands6606]

The age of the protagonists suggests the mid-1960s.

[@rikijett310]

Outstanding movie!!!!

[@wolfganggugelweith8760]

Those planes killed so many children and civilian people. What a shame!

[@zacharypelphrey6166]

Better than dying in a gas chamber.

[@wolfganggugelweith8760]

@@zacharypelphrey6166 Members of my family got killed in bombings and in gas chamber. You must be a very experieced man that You know that difference! Hasta la vista!

[@philliphall5198]

That’s the sad part of war , they are always setting Ducks

[@petercarroll5874]

The commentator claims that the bombing campaign over Germany was "the longest battle of the war". I was always told, and read, that the Battle of the Atlantic, was the longest. It began on September 3rd 1939 and ended on May 8th 1945 after 2074 days, with the surrender of Germany.

[@ruscador1]

this was very interesting to watch thank you

[@0minous187]

the shockwave from that explosion at 4:31 was awesome

[@billotto602]

I've often wondered why P-38's & P-51's weren't used sooner. The P-38 was used, with drop tanks in the Pacific in 42. The British bought P-51's in 1940, found that the Allison engines sucked so they stuck Rolls-Royce Merlins in them & turned them into the most awesome fighter of the whole damn war ! How many bomber crews would have survived the war ? The world wonders...

[@slypen7450]

The combat footage was awesome! The casualties in Dresden were claimed to be much higher because the city was packed with refugees from Prussia and Easturn Germany.

[@jefferystutsman6419]

thats not what your mom said

[@clicheguevara5282]

My grandmother was one of those refugees but she decided to go back to her family in Berlin at the last minute. She'd ironically been sent to Dresden to escape all the bombing in Berlin (some of which was ironically being done by my American grandfather, who was in a B17 above Berlin in '45). She missed the bombing of Dresden by just a few days. Things like Dresden are why I _refuse_ to consider the Allies "the good guys". They were just less bad than "the bad guys".

[@CAGED1702]

My Mom was in Dresden on Feb. 13./14./15. 1945. She talked about it to me only ONCE! It must have been horrendous...

[@Nibby12]

Dresden supplied lots of steel to the German war effort, no German city was an innocent target.

[@clicheguevara5282]

@@Nibby12 ..and yet 95% of the people killed in those cities were innocent civilians. Justifying the bombing of cities is disgusting.

[@lablackzed]

Why you have not a million sub's is beyond me.👍

[@ChristopherMullen58]

I read the Allies dropped 500 pounders with delayed detonators to take out the firemen. Ruthlessness on both sides.

[@TheNextGoogification]

Wow what an extraordinary documentary!! Can't believe it's only got 94 comments having been up for a year

[@viktorroswell1041]

What you forget is history is non PC nowadays, those of us that remember are getting less and less when we are all gone the following generations will forget the sacrifices and the horrors of war, and guess what they will do it all over again!

[@Zopf-international]

It's horrific enough, but seeing those fighters attacking head on sends chills down my spine.

[@jamesbugbee6812]

Saundby was & is completely underappreciated 💜.

[@romanpernal7397]

Thank you

[@alfredneuman6488]

If the British Mosquito with a crew of two could carry almost the same tonnage of bombs as the US B17 with a crew of 10 and go almost twice the speed, imagine if they had been used instead. The redundant B17 crew could have been retrained as pilots and navigators. 5 times the number of aircraft... Makes you wonder, doesn't it????

[@robertbrehm1878]

The comparison between the Mosquito and the B-17 is based on the bomb load of a B-17 at its maximum fuel load for long distance bombing. When used at shorter distances with less fuel load the B-17 could carry a much larger bomb load than the Mosquito!

[@alfredneuman6488]

@@robertbrehm1878 But even so, 5 Mosquitos vs 1 B-17 is still a better bet in both tonnage and survivability.

[@robertbrehm1878]

@@alfredneuman6488 I’m not arguing that point, I’m just saying the tonnage equivalent is fictitious! The P-47 Thunderbolt could carry more tonnage than the Mosquito, had only one person and was almost as fast but nobody would expect it to replace the Mosquito. Each aircraft had its place in the overall bomber offensive.

[@alfredneuman6488]

@@robertbrehm1878 Agreed.

[@grantsmythe8625]

The Mosquito had guns in the front, like a P-38. When the German fighters came there was no way to protect themselves other than to become a fighter too which would not work with bombs on board. They'd also use up their fuel fighting and still be no nearer the bombing target. It's a good idea but wouldn't work.

[@masterchief-vd1xs]

To be honest i find it kind of shocking how unreflected the English speaking world is looking at these raids. Sure they had some inpact on the war but even in scientific circles it is disputed if it was an war elongating or shortening one. Also the main target, and this was specifically given out by the british bomber command, was never the industrial arm. It always was civilians. Most of the bombs were dropped when Germany was already fighting on its own territory. A third of the total payload was even dropped in the last 3 months. So while Germany is actively working with its past and critically questioning the killing of civilians, the former allies are still praising there heroes. What is the difference between a guy shooting Russian civilians in the field between the bomber crew killing civilians or "dehouse" them

[@ailona3578]

In 1943 when I was only 13 years old, the"good guys" the allies were bombing the capital of Hungary, Budapest. Every night several times there were air raids,always on the residential areas of the city. One time, while I was visiting my aunt ourside the city limits, when I returned home, the apartment building were we lived, was bombed. I watched my mother and my two little brothers, aged 8 and 5 being dug out from the ruins. I am now past my 93rd year, but I remember!!!. Bombing residential areas both by germans, russians and the "good guys" is a war crime.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

"What is the difference between a guy shooting Russian civilians in the field between the bomber crew killing civilians or "dehouse" them?" I'd say around 20-25 million.

[@fidgers]

I took a ride in a b17 some years ago. While we were in flight i kept thinking, how did these guys do it? 8 hrs or better in the cold, with people shooting at them? I got to in some small way step in theyre shoes briefly to get an idea of what they saw, smelled and felt. Ill never forget it or those guys that flew the 2nd world war.

[@samb1123]

The longest Battle of World War II was the Battle of the Atlantic. It started the first day and went to the last. The Air War in the West took a while to get rolling although it did go to the last.

[@edgeofeternity744]

The two are incomparable. As was mentioned in the video, a naval commander may have 2 major battles during the entire war. Bomber command had one every single day.

[@stephen4121]

@@edgeofeternity744 Talking of incomparable, you are comparing one naval commander with the entity of Bomber Command....you don't see the issue there?

[@SNP-1999]

The bombing of Hamburg by the RAF and USAAF in July 1943 caused over 40,000 dead, the highest casualty rate during the air offensive over Germany in WW2, greater even than the bombing of Dresden had in 1945. The horrific fire storm caused by the very warm temperatures was the main reason for the extensive damage to the once beautiful old city.

[@markpaul8178]

I don't know the specific counts of the dead at hamburg,you say 40,000.I believe that.But my uncle who was captured in normandy on the 7 the day of June,who was taken to Dresden as a p.o.w.said they were 200,000 dead after a two day raid.He helped pull the civilians out and buried them.He said it took a month.He was set free by the Russians.

[@sprinter1832]

SNP1999 How many people did the Germans kill??? what a pity about the "beautiful old city" the Germans also bombed Guernica in Spain, beautiful city, no defences, and hundreds killed! FFS!

[@craigclemens986]

It was incendiary bombs that caused the fires.

[@nickdanger3802]

"Inaccurate navigation and bombing, though in fact the biggest obstacle to the progress of our offensive, had not thus far been the Air Staff's main worry, for the seriousness of that particular problem was only gradually becoming realized. What was more obvious was that the total bombing effort had been disappointingly small. Bombers had been diverted-to O.T.U.s, to the Middle East, to Coastal Command. Bomber crews had been called upon to ferry Blenheims and Wellingtons out to Egypt, and force one reason and another throughout the winter little more than half the full establishment of crews had been operationally fit. On top of this, naval targets had absorbed most of the available effort. All told, it was little wonder that German industry had escaped lightly." --239-- Hyperwar Royal Air Force 1939-1945 Vol I

[@thomasdoran2363]

45:45 - I understand the benefits of a Rocket-Powered fighter - mainly being they're so difficult to hit, superior avoidance & difficulty to maneuver onto . . . . . but surely there was a difficulty for them too, in being their target-accurate, which was a handicap to them, by their phenomenal speed, but which made the pilots skills even more vital - at a time when crews were increasingly 'disposable' & pilot turn-over frighteningly high Just a Thought !

[@borderlands6606]

The rocket planes were a death trap, and reputedly killed more German pilots than the allies.

[@billwilson3609]

I once worked for a painter that was the top turret gunner in an USAAF B-24 flying over Europe. He said they considered the rocket powered interceptors as a harmless novelty since those flew too fast for the pilot to place a long burst of gunfire into a slower moving aircraft. Most only got off a very short burst before peeling away to avoid colliding with his target.

[@abdulqayumkhan3992]

Great Air Battle Story

[@Johnnycdrums]

Without Albert Spear, Germany would have lost a lot quicker.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

That is a well thought out statement. Yes Speer reorganised German Industry to it's near potential after operating under par for years. Not to mention via the use of hundreds of thousands of slaves.

[@MawieStevens]

I am so proud of being british .❤❤❤

[@freddythecat3203]

5:47 is a Mk 1 Wellington ,the footage at 11:36 is Hamburg. 14:39 the myth of the Norden Bombsight! It worked fine in the clear blue skies of California, but was useless in the 9/10th cloud of northern Germany! 21:40 the morale of the British was not broken during the Blitz of 1940, so why the British thought doing the same thing to Germany 3 years later would succeed in breaking german moral was baffling

[@srgmiller340]

The Bombing disrupted the arms industry and removed from the front line thousands of guns and hundreds of thousands of military personnel and supplies

[@barrynash1676]

It was the only way they could hit back a Germany, as the allies had not landed on the continent. It would not be until May/June as the allies landed in Sicily before Normandy. Bless them and may their sacrifices not be in vain.

[@trafman100]

I agree Freddy but that was one objective, think it is stated in this video, the bombing tied up a million soldiers to man Anti aircraft guns and tied up Germany industry to focus on defence rather than bombing and offensive actions. Additionally it would have tied up millions of Germans trying to rebuild and repair the vital infrastructures that allied bombings had destroyed and also been a massive drain on materials and resources to effect these repairs. I agree a bit ambitious or short sighted to think the above would break moral of the German populations but that was only one of the aims and its rare to achieve each one of your aim and objectives in any theatre of war. Horrendous, tragic outcomes especially for civil populations, can only hope these operations actually did shorten the war and in doing so saved an equal or greater number of lives. It clearly should have eventually shown that the act of aggression of starting a war and invading others had come at total loss and devastation to the originator of that aggression , it gave freedom to much of Europe the sad tragedy is that , history will and does always repeat itself as power mad greed exists in some men who rise to the top in their older age and then send their youth to die to achieve their greed all under the false guise of noble protection of the motherland . Putler is at the very same today and such savagery has returned to Europe and what do we see, massive bombing destruction of Ukraine but moral high and resolute so exactly the same as the 1940s. Spot on Freddy it was not going to break moral then much as todays barbaric targeting of Ukraine is only serving to strengthen its resolve against Putin's egotistical evil ,imperial aims .

[@petersmith-cg3ry]

My father flew the Halifax Mk 3 plus with the new engines. 158 Squadron. DFC. SOME WILD STORIES So grateful for their bravery

[@romanpernal7397]

One thousand plane raid….what a massive undertaking…..but needed

[@Anautistictherapist]

“This is a story of an enemy who’s resources were stretched to their limits. Oh! And bombs.”

[@guiba3228]

Would the young people of today do the same, I think not. So many young service men gave there lives. So the young people of today can sit around and do nothing. I for one am thankful for what the service men did for me.

[@carlosescobar6973]

Exellent!!⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@tomjohnson3141]

It's interesting to watch videos detailing some of the the tools and strategies used to snuff out the life of other human beings. Humans are such peaceful, benevolent creatures.

[@fortunatodeguzman8017]

It seems your comment was laced with sarcasm,be reminded that self.defense war was being authorized by the Abrahamic God (Deutero. 20:1-20)- and the Allied Forces were on the defensive side,so was Israel for the past 74yrs against its Russian supplied attackers, so was Ukraine today- being invaded by bully Russia...

[@tomjohnson3141]

@@fortunatodeguzman8017 Sarcasm indeed Evil and brutality is part of this world, and humans senselessly introduce the majority of it. Just a sad fact of life and it will likely never change.

[@garyquelch888]

Brave brave men

[@clarkewi]

Greatest generation.

[@jackhammer111]

There were no significant amount of long range Thunderbolts. The 8th Air Force didn't resume deep penetration raids into Germany until the Mustangs arrived. And there weren't enough of those until about April of 1944. No Thunderbolt was covering bombers to Berlin and back.