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He Bombed the Nazis, Outwitted the Soviets and Modernized Christmas
The B-17 he was piloting had lost two of its four engines to enemy fire, and as Si Spiegel surveyed the ruined landscape, he had one thought: We have to get behind the Russian front. (www.nytimes.com) Plus d'info...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
A very interesting story. It includes the way Jews were treated after the war, I’m glad those days are behind us. But it doesn’t take long to find hate on social media and we all need to be diligent that it does not take over our society
Interesting that they repaired aircraft and flew it from Poland to Foggia Italy over Russian held territory ... Which leads me to my uncles logbook as pilot in 15th AAF 2 BG, 20th Squadron WWII flying out of Foggia Italy.. Some stories just need telling and this is from his logbook ... Mission #49 July 27,1944 Budapest Hungary. Bombed armament works. Flak was heavy intense and Accurate. Many holes in ship. Lost #1 engine over target due to flak. Feathered #1. Flak also hit #2 engine knocking out supercharger and causing bad oil leak. Had to feather #2 engine 20 minutes off target. Crew threw out all possible equipment- guns, armor plate, flak suits, bombsight etc. Salvoed the ball turret in time to clear mountains in Yugoslavia. Flew at 115 mph. Was able to hold ALT. Made good landing. Much credit should go to Dittrich & Crosser. Dittrich stayed in ball turret while #1 engine was on fire + kept me informed about #2 engine oil leaking on hot supercharger. He got out of ball when I feathered #2. Crosser was key man in getting rid of ball turret. Ship was #118 SNAFUPERMAN .... This was one of the missions that earned him issuance of 3 DFC's .... Three of his missions were also 'Operation Frantic' where they flew from Foggia to Mirgrorad Russia then back to Foggia after staying in Russia. He went to Russia in 1996 to receive a medal for operation Frantic .... Never once did tell me a story from WWII.... His next mission #50 was his last with nothing but a piece of flak through the windscreen that nicked his neck which he brought home as a farewell souvenir.
Oh heck, since I'm now looking at it, he flew the same plans a few days later on his last mission. The repair crews sure could patch them up...... Mission #50 July 31 1944. Ploesti Romania. Bombed Xenia oil refinery. Flak was heavy intense + accurate. Flew SNAFUPERMAN again #118. 3 holes, one in cockpit glass. Saw no enemy fighters. Lost one ship. This was my last Mission....... One month later the entire 20th squadron was shot down over the White Carpathian Alps including many of the ships he flew.
I was a member of a flying club and one of our members had flown for the Luftwaffe during WW2. If you google "the missing ten minutes - Franz Stigler" you will find a story of uncommon kindness. In our lounge we the the original painting which depicted this event. Heroes and compassionate people wore both uniforms.
Please don't include posts we can't read without paying.
respectfully, why not?
Because FlightAware has up to now been a free information exchange, that's why!