A few weeks after the Peenemunde raid, on November 9th 1943, a "suspicious erection" was noticed on a set of reconnaissance photos at Bois Carr, near Yvrench in France. This was the first V1 launching site to be analysed. It shows the long, low building of heavy concrete (christened a "ski site") which was used for the storage of flying bomb components. Within a few weeks, s...
Part of a vertical photographic-reconnaissance aerial taken over Munich, Germany after the raid by aircraft of Nos. 1 and 5 Groups, Bomber Command, on the night of 24/25 April 1944, showing the building complex of the Residenz, gutted by incendiary fire. Damage has also been caused to the Feldherrnhalle fronting onto Odeonsplatz (lower right), which was an important Nazi Party 'shrine'.
Vertical photographic-reconnaissance aerial showing severe damage to the SNCA de Sud-Ouest aircraft factory at Chateauroux/Deols airfield, France, following an attack by 30 Avro Lancasters of No. 5 Group, Bomber Command, on the night of 10/11 March 1944.
Vertical aerial reconnaissance view of Castelvetrano airfield, Sicily, the day before a successful attack was made on it by Malta-based Bristol Blenheims of Nos. 18 and 107 Squadrons RAF. A number of Junkers Ju 52 and Savoia Marchetti SM 82 transport aircraft, many of which were destroyed during the raid, can be seen parked around the airfield perimeter.
High oblique photograph showing bombs bursting on newly-built hangars on the airfield at Desvres, France, during an attack by 6 Bristol Blenheim Mark IVs of No. 110 Squadron RAF, ('Circus' operation).
Annotated vertical aerial photograph taken during a daylight attack by 12 Douglas Boston Mark IIIs of No. 226 Squadron RAF on shipping in le Havre, France. Two Bostons fly over the docks as bombs explode on the dock gates ( 'A'), and also among barges in the Bassin Vauban ('B').
Overhead aerial of 'Nan Green' Beach JUNO Area and Strongpoint 9785, (Widerstandsnest 29) east of the River Seulles at Courseulles-sur-Mer. This position was defended by 6th Company of the German 736th Grenadier Regiment, and was captured by the Regina Rifles and the 1st Hussars of 7th Canadian Brigade, after heavy fighting on 6 June. Note the scattered stakes and 'Hedgehog' obstacles on the be...
Overhead aerial of the gun battery at Pointe du Hoc, consisting of four medium casemates, after air bombardment. The battery was captured by a detachment of the 2nd Ranger Battalionn, 1st US Division, on 6 June 1944, who held it against numerous counter-attacks until relieved the following day. The casemates were found to contain dummy guns.
Overhead aerial of the gun battery at Mont Fleury, behind 'King Red' Beach GOLD Area, after air bombardment, showing four medium casemates under construction. Note also the anti-tank ditch, (left), and minefields, (centre top). The battery consisted of four 12.2 cm Polish guns (one in a completed casemate) manned by elements of the German 1260th GHQ Coastal Artillery Battalion, and was captured...
Annotated vertical aerial photograph taken during a daylight raid on the Fives/Lille steel and engineering works at Lille, France, by Short Stirlings of No. 3 Group. Bombs can be seen exploding on the east side of the works ('1'), while other bombs fall to the east and south-east ('2'). For a short period in July 1941, Stirlings, with a heavy fighter escort, were used in 'Circus' operations wit...
Vertical aerial photograph taken during a 'Circus' operation by Bristol Blenheim Mark IVs of Nos 21 and 110 Squadrons RAF, showing bombs bursting on goods trains, trucks, bridges and track at the western end of the marshalling yards at Hazebrouck, France.
Annotated vertical aerial photograph taken during a 'Circus' operation by No. 2 Group aircraft, showing an attack on the power station at Comines, France. Explosions and smoke are rising from direct hits on the boiler house, the pump house and the circulating water pipes of the power station (bottom). Direct hits on workers' houses can also be seen within the marked rectangle (middle). 24 Brist...
Vertical aerial photograph taken during a 'Circus' operation by No. 2 Group aircraft, showing smoke rising from direct hits on the generating plant of the power station at Pont-a-Vendin, France, during an attack by 18 Bristol Blenheim Mark IVs drawn from Nos. 18 and 139 Squadrons RAF.
Annotated vertical aerial photograph taken during a 'Circus' operation by a combined force of Bristol Blenheim Mark IVs drawn from Nos. 21, 105 and 110 Squadrons RAF, which attacked the Etabs. Kuhlmann chemical factory at Choques, France. Bombs can be seen exploding on, the power house ('1'), the chemical works ('2'), the railway sidings and rolling stock ('3'), and other buildings believed to ...
Vertical aerial photograph taken from 3,100 feet by Bristol Blenheim Mark IV, T2032, of No. 82 Squadron RAF, of part of the docks at Dunkirk. Invasion barges assembled for Operation SEALION are moored to Mole No. 4 in the Bassins de Freycinet. A number of sunk and damaged barges can be seen at the top of Darse No. 4 (upper right), and the dock buildings to its right are completely destroyed. Tw...
Vertical aerial photograph taken during a bombing attack by Bristol Blenheim Mark IVs of Nos. 15 and 40 Squadrons RAF on the pontoon bridge erected by the Germany Army across the River Meuse at Dinant, Belgium, and on associated communications targets. A salvo of bombs can be seen exploding on engineering workshops on the eastern bank and across the river to the railway lines on the opposite si...
27/28 December 1944
Opladen: 328 aircraft - 227 Halifaxes, 66 Lancasters, 35 Mosquitos. 2 Lancasters lost. 9 of the Mosquitos bombed 3½ hours before the main raid. The aiming point for the attack was the marshalling yards but results are not known.
6 March 1945
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 260+ A-26s, and B-26s hit Recklinghausen, Siegburg, an...
The Berghof was Adolf Hitler's home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, Germany. Next to the Wolfsschanze this was the place where Hitler spent the most time during World War II and it was also one of the most widely known of Hitler's headquarters which were located throughout Europe. Rebuilt, much expanded and re-named in 1935, the Berghof as such was a functioning res...
These photos from the United States Strategic Bombing Survey collection show the bombing attack on 24 August 1944. On the first, before the attack - the inmates' camp appears at the upper right, with the SS compound in a semi-circle (and the adjacent buildings), and the Gutsloff armament factory - the actual target - at the lower right. In the second, bombs are hitting the Gutsloff complex and ...
Ainring was only twelve miles from Berchtesgarten and was used by Hitler and Goering when visiting the Berghof. Built as a civil airfield in 1933 Ainring was a base for the German Institute for Gliding (DFS) and had a wide variety of aircraft ranging from transports to helicopters. In early May Ainring was discovered by Americans of the 414th AFA Bn, soon the war would be over.
On the morning of 18th December 1941,six aircraft and crews from 35 Squadron took part in a daylight raid against the German Battleships, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in Brest Harbour along with five aircraft from 10 Squadron and six from 76 Squadron.
The German port city of Wilhelmshaven was bombed twice in 1943 -- once by the USAAF on January 27, and again by the RAF Bomber Command on February 11-12. These aerial reconnaissance images show Wilhelmshaven before and after the two bombings. The second bombing, carried out at night, was especially challenging because of dense cloud cover. Planes equipped with the RAF's newly developed H2S grou...
Very little remains of Chiseldon Camp today which could give any hint of the fascinating story behind its existence or its role in the making of British history.
It was a key training facility and staging post for soldiers bound for the First World War, and then the story was repeated during the Second World War.
And there is an intriguing addition to the plot in...
The two ships returned from the open Atlantic to the port of Brest, France, and then started preparations for their next operation. Gneisenau went into the dry dock for minor repairs. In early April, 1941, an unexploded bomb, dropped by RAF Bomber Command bombers during near constant air-raids on the ships, forced Gneisenau out of drydock, and she was anchored in the inner harbor. 22 Squadron o...
The former barracks area at the Oesterstrasse (Napier Barracks) is a very large area to redevelop, and this could take a long time to plan and organize.
During the First World War it had been used for Pilot training. After the war plans weremade for it to become an Airport, with Airmail traffic starting in 1921.
The Airfield was known as Dortmund - Brackel.
An Air Traffic ...
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