Us Official Photographs

Fortress over German town

In this unusual shot a Fortress of the 8th Bomber Command is shown winging steadily over a small German town en route to Brunswick. The target for the day was the Waggum main assembly plant of the Luftwaffe's ME 110 twin-engined fighters. According to photo interpretation the plant was almost completely wiped out by explosives and incendiaries. This was only one of three important targets hit by a strong force of 8th AAF bombers and long range fighters on 11 January and resulted in a gigantic air battle with German fighters. Sixty bombers failed to return to bases in England and at least 152 Hun fighters were known to be destroyed. (398th Bomb. Grp.)