FRE 686

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A formation of B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 91st Bomb Group return to Bassingbourn following a raid on Antwerp, on 5 April 1943. Reverse: EXCLUSIVE PICTURES AS CREWS RETURN FROM RAID. Night and Day air blitz of enemy continues. “Forts” smash Axis factories at Antwerp. Raid carried out by crews who took part in Paris raid previous day. The greatest air offensive in history is being carried out by the Anglo-American air forces. For 72 hours bombs have been crashing down on Hitler’s Europe in the West almost nonstop. Axis Factories, ports and shipping have felt the weight of allied bombs. On Sunday American Fortresses raided the Renault works at Billancourt, near Paris with telling effect. On Monday the same crews took part in a smashing attack on the Erla plane engine works at Antwerp, where Minerva car engines used to be made. In addition to the great damage inflicted by the heavy weight of bombs a number of German Fighters were shot down by the bombers. One of the American Fortresses piloted by 1st Lieut Harold H Beasley of Andalusia, Alabama shot down four German fighters in the Paris raid and another one during the Antwerp Raid. PHOTO SHOWS: Fortresses flying in to their home base " somewhere in England " on their return from the Antwerp raid. April 6th 1943 PN. 256833

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Units

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Locations

Mission

Revisions

Date:
ContributorEmily
ChangesChanges to caption and place associations
Sources

FRE 686

Date:
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection