Day-by-Day Timeline of Events
Tuesday, June 1st - June 30th, 1943
British and American authorities work together to formulate the Pointblank Directive - a combined air bombing campaign against the air production facilities of the German Luftwaffe.
Tuesday, August 17th, 1943
With only limited-range Allied fighter escorts, the first major air raid on Schweinfurt and Regensburg is launched. The air raid consists of 230 aircraft from the 1st Bombardment Wing and 146 aircraft of the 4th Bombardment Wing.
Tuesday, August 17th, 1943
Bad weather delays the original 5:30AM launch time of the operation.
Tuesday, August 17th, 1943
Aircraft of the 4th Bombardment Wing take-off at 6:20AM in an effort to reach its target in daylight.
Tuesday, August 17th, 1943
German Luftwaffe defense fighters attack the 4th Bombardment Wing formations passing over Germany.
Tuesday, August 17th, 1943
At 11:18AM, the 1st Bombardment Wing finally takes off.
Tuesday, August 17th, 1943
Some 250 German fighters, already alerted to the bomber group presence, are launched to repel subsequent air attacks.
Tuesday, August 17th, 1943
Sometime between 11:46AM and 12:09M, the 4th Bomber Group makes their bombing run on targets at Regensburg.
Tuesday, August 17th, 1943
At approximately 3:00PM, the 1st Bomber Group finally reaches its targets after incurring heavy losses from German fighters. Their bombing run ensues over Schweinfurt.
Tuesday, August 17th, 1943
At around 4:50PM, elements of the 4th Bomber Group begin landing at their pre-determined bases in North Africa. Twenty-four aircraft from the group are noted lost.
Tuesday, August 17th, 1943
At approximately 6:00PM, elements of the 1st Bomber Group begin landing back at their UK bases. Some 36 aircraft are missing.
Thursday, October 14th, 1943
Some 291 USAAF bombers of the 13th Bombardment Wing are once-again launched against Schweinfurt. Though 30% of German ball-bearing production is knocked out, 60 American aircraft do not return to home bases in the UK. The high level of losses in these raids forces the USAAF to temporarily suspend long-range bombing attacks into Germany.
Thursday, February 24th, 1944
The USAAF 1st Division launches another bombing raid on Schweinfurt through 238 bombers and long-range escort fighters. Eleven aircraft are lost.
Thursday, February 24th, 1944
A British bomber force made up of Handley Page Halifaxes and Avro Lancasters take part in a night-bombing raid on Schweinfurt, dropping some 2,000 tons of ordnance on the area.
Thursday, March 30th - March 31st, 1944
Some 100 Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax bombers mistakenly drop 400-tons of ordnance on Schweinfurt, thinking that it is their target of Nuremburg.
Friday, July 21st, 1944
8th Air Force B-17 and B-24 bombers are launched on Schweinfurt.
Monday, October 9th, 1944
8th Air Force B-17 and B-24 bombers are once again launched on Schweinfurt.
Sunday, April 1st - April 30th, 1945
The final raid, this by American medium bombers, is launched against Schweinfurt.