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#1
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like this?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11029903 |
#2
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I don't have the exact figures - I will go through Warner's book to find out - but I would imagine the Blenheim would have made up a large proportion of the losses. It always amazes me how much courage the Blenheim crews had.
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#3
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I recently read the excellent Blenheim Strike by Theo Boiten. The Blenheim losses in 1940 anti shipping strikes were incredible. Averaging around thirty percent per mission. At one point the brass sent a bulletin around to the squadrons, saying they were prepared to sacrifice eighty percent to achieve their aims. Sod that. Better off in U-boats.
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#4
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Re Bomber Command, I seem to recall reading somewhere, that in 44 it had a similar casualty rate to that of a WWI infantry regiment ![]() @Zander, nice link, thanks. |
#5
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http://www.lancaster-archive.com/bc_stats7.htm
http://www.lancaster-archive.com/bc_stats5.htm Blenheims flew 12,214 sorties and lost 475 a/c for a 3.9% loss. |
#6
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A good nbr to keep in mind is that the Total casualties of the BC during WWII was slightly superior to that of the nbr of GI's dead in Eu during the same period!
This can explain why the hidden controversial but extraordinary sacrifice from their crew during post war period hve angered many. Last edited by TomcatViP; 10-25-2012 at 09:05 PM. |
#7
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This site totals 687 losses of Blenheims (causes not specified), as to 515 total losses on OP's link:
http://www.bomber-command.info/cblenloss.htm Out of a total build of 4422 or 5516, depending on sources found on net. Now I assume that these losses in OP's link do not include losses suffered in France as the Fairey Battle has 237 sorties in total with only 3 losses (what a safe plane to fly...only slightly above than 1% losses...so much better than the Blenheim...) Seems to be confirmed as the Blenheim squadrons of the Desert Air Force are not included in that link above totaling to 687 losses. Then there will be losses in far east and with Costal Command (and few night fighters as well). Don't know what the total losses of all causes of the Blenheim were, but assuming that this number was above 1000 aircraft is somewhere around 25% of all aircraft (or higher) of all produced. One in 4. Nope I don't want to be in one, does not sound a safe thing to me. What does it tell us overall? Statistic are numbers squeezed, streched and manipulated for a particular purpose. +++++ |
#8
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Was the Desert AF part of Bomber Command?
I wouldn't want to fly a Bf109/Fw190 with less than 2000 left at the end of the war out of over 50,000 built. |
#9
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