Bomber Command losses - 1940

[Al Schlageter]

http://www.lancaster-archive.com/bc_...94657050nsk378

From 1st July to the end of Oct BC suffered:

Night - 3984 sorties - 251 losses > 6.3%
Day - 1303 sorties - 56 losses > 4.3%

Is there stats for Luftwaffe bomber?

[WTE_Galway]

Originally Posted by Al Schlageter

http://www.lancaster-archive.com/bc_...94657050nsk378

From 1st July to the end of Oct BC suffered:

Night - 3984 sorties - 251 losses > 6.3%
Day - 1303 sorties - 56 losses > 4.3%

Is there stats for Luftwaffe bomber?

Fighter Command losses over the Battle of Britain were 17%, though I am not sure if that figure is by sortie.

To put that 300 losses in perspective compared to later in the war, on 31st march 1944 Bomber Command lost 95 aircraft (640 men) in just one single raid on Nuremberg.

[Al Schlageter]

March 1944
9031 sorties, 283 + 39 losses = 3.6%

[zander]

like this?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11029903

[NZtyphoon]

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.

[Feathered_IV]

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.

[Al Schlageter]

Originally Posted by zander

like this?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11029903

Nice zander, Thanks.

[fruitbat]

Originally Posted by Feathered_IV

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.

Yes, bugger that for a game of soldiers.

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 Don't know how true that actually is though......

@Zander, nice link, thanks.

[Al Schlageter]

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.

[TomcatViP]

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.