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Posted on 12/11/2003 12:03:48 AM PST by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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The Bombing of the Ruhr Dams Adolph Hitler unleashed a campaign of international aggression when his forces invaded Poland Sept. 1, 1939. Eventually this move would engulf the United States and much of the world in a world war. In a matter of days Poland fell to Hitler’s “Blitzkrieg,” and a new style of warfare involving massive use of air power and ground troops in coordinated strikes began.  The opportunity to strike back at Hitler came in November 1942. In Operation Torch, American and British troops landed in Morocco and Algeria. In this first attempt to carry the war to the enemy, the commander, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, hoped to entrap the German Army between American forces pushing eastward and British forces advancing westward from Egypt. The British victory at El Alamein led to the surrender of over a quarter of a million German soldiers in Tunisia in 1943. These successes encouraged the British to take additional steps in carrying the war to Germany. But exactly how was this to be done? What targets could British forces attack that would bring considerable damage to the Germans? Planners in the Royal Air Force reasoned that if the dams on the Mohne, Eder, and Sorpe rivers could be breached, the resultant flooding to communications and industry in the Ruhr valley could significantly disrupt German wartime production. Events began to move quickly March 17, 1943. The British formed Squadron X in considerable secrecy to breach the Ruhr dams. Within two weeks the squadron received its official designation, No 617 Squadron, and its 133 aircrew had been picked from the Royal Air Force. The potential value of the mission became all the more apparent when reports from the British Government’s Ministry of Economic Warfare predicted widespread chaos in the Ruhr valley if these dams could be damaged.  The Upkeep rotating mine in place beneath the fuselage, held between a pair of side-swing calipers and rotated, via a belt drive by a hydraulic motor mounted in the forward fuselage. The electric power made available by the dams fueled German industry in the region. The task was not to be an easy one. Structural analysis indicated that the dam walls were made resistant to damage form conventional freefall bombs. Another means would have to be devised to cause catastrophic breaks in the structures. For months, Dr. Barnes Wallis, a British inventor, had been working on the problem of how to breach the seemingly invulnerable dams. After extensive investigation, he concluded that a bouncing bomb that could be dropped from an airplane and skipped across the surface of the dam’s reservoir like a flat pebble across a pond might hold the answer. With the codename “Upkeep,” the bouncing bomb Dr. Wallis devised was more like a spherical mine. The plan called for the mine to be placed beneath the fuselage on a modified four-engined Lancaster. Held in place by a pair of side-swing calipers, the mine was to be rotated up to 500 rpm by a belt drive tied to a hydraulic motor mounted in the forward fuselage. Turning at 500 rpm, the mine was to be dropped from the plane 1,200 to 1,500 feet above the surface of the reservoir. It was speculated that the rotating mine would act just like a bouncing pebble on a pond and make contact with the dam wall. The mine would then sink to a predetermined depth where three hydrostatic pistols would detonate and explode the 6,600 pounds of Torpex explosive against the dam wall. The shock waves set off from the explosion would then open the structure sending millions of gallons of water into the valley below.  Dr. Barnes Wallis The proposed mission contained a lot of firsts. Nothing like it had been tried before. Because of this there were no prior records that could offer guidance. Flying low level with a heavy load of munitions over enemy territory offered ample risks. When flown over waters the risks were compounded. Because of the many mission imponderables, the RAF resorted to extensive photographic reconnaissance. From the reconnaissance missions, planners hoped to learn when the water levels behind the dams would be at their maximum height. It was also hoped the reconnaissance missions would provide information on anti-aircraft defenses.  On February 7, 1943, Spitfires belonging to No 541 Squadron flew nine sorties against the Mohne dam and reservoir from their home station of Benson in Oxfordshire. When the Mohne reservoir was full it contained an estimated 140 million tons of water, enough to do substantial damage if suddenly released. Because of inclement weather, most of the reconnaissance flights could not get clear pictures of the target area. In early April enough detail was acquired on film that a scale model of the reservoir could be built and then used to train the crews who would fly the mission.  At the same time crews of No 617 Squadron trained intensively for nearly six weeks, practicing low level flying and navigation both at night and during daylight hours. Practice attacks against Uppingham and Derwent reservoirs went a long way toward improving confidence and bombing technique. During the first few days in April 1943, the RAF flew reconnaissance sorties against the Eder and Sorpe dams which lay 50 miles southeast and 6 miles southwest respectively from the Mohne reservoir. Photographs revealed the Eder was even larger than the Mohne and held some 200 million tons of water. In keeping with past procedures, scale models were built and pilots briefed on the basis of the models. So the enemy would not suspect an attack, targets throughout the Ruhr valley were selected for bombing by the RAF during this period.  Twenty-four-year-old Wing Commander Guy Gibson, center, pictured in 1943, was chosen to form and lead No. 617 Squadron on the epic dams raid May 16, 17, 1943. The arrival of the Lancasters configured for the mission arrived at Scamton between April 8 and May 11. This heralded that takeoff time was approaching rapidly. On May 11, a practice mission had the crews fly the operation using inert cylinders at a target along the Kent coast. A full dress rehearsal followed on the evening of May 14 against dams in central England. Finally, in the afternoon of May 15, Headquarters Bomber Command issued the order to carry out Operation “Chastise” on the night of May 16/17, 1943. Not until the pre-mission briefings on May 16 were the crews made aware of their targets. Many had guessed they would be flying against the German battleship Tirpitz. The plan of attack called for nineteen Lancasters to launch against the dams. Nine aircraft led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson were to attack the Mohne Dam. If the dam were successfully breached, then those aircraft still with mines were to fly on to attack the Eder dam.  A second wave of five aircraft led by Flight Lieutenant J.C. McCarthy, an American who had joined the RAF, was to fly a much more northerly route and bomb the Sorpe dam. A reserve wave of five Lancasters was held back to attack any of the dams that had not been bombed. Shortly before 9:30 on the evening of May 16, the first of the nineteen Lancasters roared to life and took off from Scamton. They headed low level across the North Sea, crossed the Dutch coast and then turned toward the Ruhr. One aircraft had to return after it touched the sea in a glancing blow that separated its bomb from the fuselage. Five more aircraft either crashed or were shot down on their way to the target. Another was so badly hit by anti-aircraft fire that it had to limp home without delivering its payload.  Twelve of the nineteen Lancasters that began the mission attacked the dams. Amidst intense flak, Wing Commander Guy Gibson and four more crews bombed the Mohne dam. On the fourth attempt Flight Lieutenant D. J. H. Maltby’s Lancaster made the vital breach that caused the dam’s wall to burst. Gibson then flew nearly forty miles to bomb the Eder dam. While anti-aircraft batteries did not defend the dam, the geography of the area made the bomb runs difficult at night. On the tenth attempt the Eder dam’s wall exploded in a shower of water and masonry. The attack on the Sorpe dam proved unsuccessful.  By any reasonable measure the mission had been successful but the losses were frightening. Only 11 aircraft returned to Scamton. Eight aircraft were lost and 53 crewmen perished. For his bravery in leading the raid and drawing ground fire away from his attacking planes, Gibson was awarded the Victoria Cross. Thirty-four other crewmen received decorations for parts they had played in the raid. Photographic reconnaissance of the area the following day revealed that the damage below the Eder dam was substantial. The Eder and Mohne dams released millions of gallons of water into the Ruhr valley killing over 1,300 people. The torrents of water caused flooding for over 20 miles in the valley. Steel production in the valley was halted for the remainder of 1943 and traffic on the canals and railroads in the valley was interrupted for months. The photographic coverage provided by Benson’s Spitfires proved essential in the success of the mission. Post mission reconnaissance flights confirmed the extent of the damage to a degree.  One of the dams successfully breached was the Mohne. Water was still flowing through the broken dam wall some hours after the atack when a recce Spitfire took this picture. An accurate assessment of the damage would not be obtained until after the war. The raid on the dams marked a turning point in the wider use of intelligence photographs acquired by specialized reconnaissance aircraft. The photographs of the breached dams released by the Air Ministry and published the next day in the British press was nothing short of a tremendous boost in support for the war. While many battles remained to be fought, the British lion had struck back at the might of the Third Reich and it felt good.
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At the out break of the Second World War, Dr. Barnes Wallis, designer of the Vicker's Wellington Bomber began to consider how he could help shorten the war. Although, engaged at the time in the design of the Vicker's Warwick, the planned replacement for the Wellington. Dr. Wallis began, in his spare time, to study the German industrial machine. These studies lead him to conclude that aerial bombardment of Germany's industrial system had some serious short comings. The most alarming of which was that no matter how many times a factory was attacked; it was merely a simple process to either rebuild it or better still, to disperse it over a wide area. The later making the task of permanently destroying the factory that more difficult. One thing did however, begin to become clear to Wallis. There was one area of German Industry that was impossible to relocate or disperse and that was his power sources: Coal Mines, Rumanian Oil Fields, Hydroelectric Dams.
Located in the heart of Germany's Industrial center, the Ruhr Valley, these dams supplied the majority of the electrical power and also controlled the water levels in canals that transported materials to and from the factories. Of the seven dams in the region, three stood out from the rest: the Moehne, the Eder, and the Sorpe. By breaching one or more of these not only would Germany's steel industry be seriously effected. But so too would his tank, locomotive, aircraft and gun manufacturing processes.
With the target now clear in his mind Wallis soon concluded that an attack using a conventional bomb was out of the question. A new and specialized weapon would be required.
By January 1943, Dr. Wallis had designed, tested and managed convince both the government and the Air Ministry that his weapon, now code named "Upkeep"; could effectively breach a dam.
Two major problems now remained before any attack could be mounted. The first was how to transport Upkeep to the target, whilst the second, was how to train a squadron sufficiently to give the best possible chance of success.
However, even though the Lancaster would have little trouble with the weight of Upkeep; modifications were required to the aircraft to allow the weapon to be carried. These were devised by Mr. Roy Chadwick, designer of the Lancaster, and resulted in the removal of both the bomb bay doors and mid upper turret. In addition, special fairings were installed at each end of the bomb bay to maintain smooth air flow over the aircraft. The changes to the standard Lancaster resulted in a new variant of the aircraft: the Lancaster Mk. BI Special or type 464 Provisioning Lancaster.
Instead on March 21, 1943, the Air Ministry authorized that a new unit, initially known as "X" Squadron, but soon after renumbered No. 617 Squadron was to be formed at Scampton, Lincolnshire and be attached to No. 5 Group. The new squadron it was decided would be lead by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar.
The crews soon had little difficulty flying at the required 220 mph; but the critical height of sixty feet became a growing concern amongst them. The normal pressure altimeter lacked the accuracy; whilst the radio altimeter, although better, also failed to give sufficiently accurate readings to be relied upon. The problem was eventually solved by fitting two Adlis lamps to the underside of the aircraft; one the nose and the other in the rear section of the bomb bay. It was then a fairly simple process to align each beam in such a way that they would converge on the water at exactly sixty feet below the aircraft.
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www.milartgl.com
www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand
www.nucleus.com/~ltwright
www.historylearningsite.co.uk
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www.chm.bris.ac.uk
With the breaching of two of the primary targets; Operation Chastise was undoubtedly a success. As Barnes Wallis had predicted, wide spread damage was caused by flooding and Germany's manufacturing industry, communications and various other services were also interrupted.  Almost 20 miles down river lies Kassel. This recce picture shows the extent of the flooding caused by the breaching of the dams. But perhaps the most important consequences of the raid were not to be measured in material damage, but in the effect the raid had on the war as a whole: For Germany, the raid forced the redeployment of troops and weapons desperately needed on the Russian Front, to repair and then permanently defend the dams. While on the home front, the news of the raid gave a much needed boost to the morale of the British people; who had had their backs to the wall for three long years. Of the one hundred and thirty-three aircrew flying in nineteen aircraft. Fifty-three or forty percent lost their lives, while an additional three became prisoners of war. Eight aircraft or forty-two percent of the force failed to return. In recognition of their achievement. Queen Elisabeth, on the behalf of King George VI, who was out of the country at the time, presented the thirty-four of the survivors with the decorations and medals of gallantry.  Wg Cdr. G.P. Gibson, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar Distinguished Service Order: Flt Lt. J.C. McCarthy, DFC, Flt Lt. D.J.H. Maltby, DFC, Flt Lt. H.B. Martin, DFC, Flt Lt. D.J. Shannon, DFC, Plt Off. L.G. Knight Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross: Flt Lt. R.C Hay, DFC, Flt Lt. R.E.G. Hutchison, DFC, Flt Lt. J.F. Leggo, DFC, Flg Off. D.R. Walker, DFC Distinguished Flying Cross: Flt Lt. R.D. Trevor-Roper, DFM, Flg Off. J. Buckley, Flg Off. L. Chambers, Flg Off. H.S. Hobday, Flg Off. E.C. Johnson, Plt Off. F.M. Spafford, DFM, Plt Off. J. Fort, Plt Off. C.L. Howard, Plt Off. G.A. Deering, Plt Off. H.T. Taerum Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying): Flt. Sgt. K.W. Brown, Flt. Sgt. W.C. Townsend, DFM Bar to Distinguished Flying Medal: Sgt. C.E. Franklin, DFM Distinguished Flying Medal: F/Sgt. G.A. Chalmers, F/Sgt. D.A. MacLean, F/Sgt. Simpson, F/Sgt. L.J. Sumpter, Sgt. V. Nicholson, Sgt. G.L. Johnson, Sgt. D.P. Heal, Sgt. S. Oancia, Sgt. J. Pulford, Sgt. D.E. Webb, Sgt. Wilkinson |
Howdy troops and veterans!
THANK YOU for serving the USA!
*giggle* I really shouldn't play that wolf howl like I do.....it really gets the kitties in a twitch. But it's too funny to see their faces when they hear it. LOL!! I'm such a mean mommy.
Today's classic warship, USS New Mexico (BB-40)
New Mexico class battleship
displacement. 32,000 t.
length. 624'
beam. 97'
draft. 30'
speed. 21 k.
complement. 1,084
armament. 12 14", 14 5", 4 3", 2 21" tt.
USS New Mexico (BB-40) was laid down 14 October 1915 by the New York Navy Yard; launched 13 April 1917; sponsored by Miss Margaret C. DeBaca, daughter of the Governor of New Mexico; and commissioned 20 May 1918, Capt. Ashley H. Robertson in command.
After initial training, New Mexico departed New York 15 January 1919 for Brest, France, to escort home transport George Washington carrying President Woodrow Wilson from the Versailles Peace Conference, returning to Hampton Roads 27 February. There on 16 July she became flagship of the newly-organized Pacific Fleet, and three days later sailed for the Panama Canal and San Pedro, Calif., arriving 9 August. The next 12 years were marked by frequent combined maneuvers with the Atlantic fleet both in the Pacific and Caribbean which included visits to South American ports and a 1925 cruise to Australia and New Zealand.
Modernized and overhauled at Philadelphia between March 1931 and January 1933, her original "cage" masts were replaced by a then-modern tower superstructure, and many other improvements were made to her armament and protection. New Mexico returned to the Pacific in October 1934 to resume training exercises and tactical development operations.
As war threatened, her base was Pearl Harbor from 6 December 1940 until 20 May 1941, Then she sailed to join the Atlantic fleet at Norfolk 16 June for duty on neutrality patrol. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, she returned to the west coast, and sailed 1 August 1942 from San Francisco to prepare in Hawaii for action. Between 6 December and 22 March 1943, she sailed escort troop transports to the Fijis, then patrolled the southwest Pacific, returning to Pearl Harbor to prepare for the campaign against the Japanese in the Aleutians. On 17 May she arrived Adak, her base while serving on the blockade of Attu, and on 21 July she joined in the massive bombardment of Kiska that forced its evacuation a week later.
After refitting at Puget Sound Navy Yard, New Mexico returned to Pearl Harbor 25 October to rehearse the assault on the Gilbert Islands. During the invasion, begun 20 November, she pounded Butaritari, guarded transports during their night withdrawa ls from the islands, and provided antiaircraft cover during unloading operations, as well as screening carriers. She returned to Pearl Harbor 5 December.
Underway with the Marshall Islands assault force 12 January 1944, New Mexico bombarded Kwajalein and Ebeye 31 January and 1 February, then replenished at Majuro. She blasted Wotje 20 February and Kavieng, New Ireland 20 March, then visited Sydney before arriving in the Solomons in May to rehearse the Marianas operation.
New Mexico bombarded Tinian 14 June, Saipan 15 June, and Guam 16 June, and twice helped drive off enemy air attacks 18 June. She protected transports off the Marianas while the carrier task force spelled the doom of Japanese naval aviation in its great victory, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, 19-20 June. New Mexico escorted transports to Eniwetok, then sailed 9 July guarding escort carriers until 12 July, when her guns opened on Guam in preparation for the landings 21 July. Until 30 July she blasted enemy positions and installations on the island.
Overhauled at Bremerton August to October, New Mexico arrived in Leyte Gulf 22 November to cover the movement of reinforcement and supply convoys, firing in the almost daily air attacks over the Gulf, as the Japanese posed desperate resistance to the reconquest of the Philippines. She left Leyte Gulf 2 December for the Palaus, where she joined a force covering the Mindoro-bound assault convoy. Again she sent up antiaircraft fire as invasion troops stormed ashore 15 December, providing cover for two days until sailing for the Palaus.
Her next operation was the invasion of Luzon, fought under a sky full of would-be suicide planes, against whom she was almost continually at general quarters. She fired pre-landing bombardment 6 January 1945, and that day took a suicide hit on her bridge which killed her commanding officer, Captain R. W. Fleming, and 29 others of her crew, with 87 injured. Her guns remained in action as she repaired damage, and she was still in action January as troops went ashore.
After repairs at Pearl Harbor, New Mexico arrived at Ulithi to stage for the invasion of Okinawa, sailing 21 March with a heavy fire support group. Her guns opened on Okinawa 26 March, and were not silent until 17 April as she gave every aid to troops engaged ashore. Again on 21 and 29 April she opened fire, and on 11 May she destroyed 8 suicide boats. While approaching her berth in Hagushi anchorage just after sunset 12 May, New Mexico was attacked by two suicides; one plunged into her, the other managed to hit her with his bomb. She was set an fire, and 54 of her men were killed, with 119 wounded. Swift action extinguished the fires within half an hour, and on 28 May she departed for repairs at Leyte, followed by rehearsals for the planned invasion of the Japanese home islands. Word of the war's end reached her at Saipan 15 August, and next day she sailed for Okinawa to join the occupation force. She entered Sagami Wan 27 August to support the airborne occupation of Atsugi Airfield, then next day passed into Tokyo Bay to witness the surrender 2 September.
New Mexico was homeward bound 6 September, calling at Okinawa, Pearl Harbor, and the Panama Canal before arriving Boston 17 October. There she decommissioned 19 July 1946. She was sold for scrapping 13 October 1947 to Lipsett, Inc., New York City.
New Mexico received 6 battle stars for World War II service.
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Air Power |
During the 1930's few would have foreseen that Britain would be as isolated and vulnerable as it became in 1940. Indeed, few people today understand how threatened the future of the entire free world was. The situation for the beleaguered island at this point in its history was bleak indeed.
Offshore was an enemy held continent, and that enemy was bent on conquering the British Isles. The British army had been defeated in France, supplies from North America were being cut off by the enemy's fleet of submarines, and Britain was suffering heavy air attack. Furthermore, although Canada had declared war on Germany one week after the British declaration, the United States continued to remain neutral and showed little indication that it would become involved.
Faced with this situation during the summer of 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill threw his support behind the defensive power of the Royal Air Force's Fighter Command and the development of Bomber Command with the words: "The Navy can lose us the war, but only the Air Force can win it. Therefore our supreme effort must be to gain overwhelming mastery in the air. The Fighters are our salvation, but the Bombers alone provide the means of victory." With this decision a massive effort was begun towards the production of heavy bombers and the training of aircrew to fly them.
The Avro Lancaster evolved from Britain's concerns regarding the deteriorating international situation during the late 1930's. The Handley-Page Halifax, Short Stirling, and the twin-engined Avro Manchester were all in the planning stages as the war began in 1939. The prototype twin-engined Manchester flew in 1939 but was plagued by instability and problems with its complex, 24 cylinder Rolls Royce Vulture engines. Of the 202 Manchesters built more were lost to engine failure than enemy action.
But even before the Manchester flew on operations, the aircraft's designer, Roy Chadwick, realized that the aircraft would have serious shortcomings and made plans for its modification. He added twelve feet to the wingspan and replaced the two troublesome Vulture engines with four of the proven Rolls Royce Merlins V-12's and the result was the Lancaster which made its maiden flight in January, 1941. A colleague later wrote that Chadwick, "showed himself to be a most resourceful andcourageous designer, ultimately snatching success from failure in the most ingenious way with a superlatively successful operational aircraft."
The new bomber was immediately regarded as a success and large production orders were placed. Avro's production facilities were soon overwhelmed, and numerous other companies and contractors joined the effort to produce Lancasters. Consisting of 55 000 separate parts, it has been estimated that half a million different manufacturing operations were involved to produce just one aircraft. Peak production was achieved during August 1944 when 293 aircraft were produced.
The proven Rolls Royce Merlin engines were much in demand for many types of aircraft. For this reason a version of the aircraft was produced which made use of Bristol Hercules radial engines. Lancasters first flew operationally in March, 1942 and were well received by the RAF aircrew. It was regarded as "a pilot's airplane" which inspired confidence. Evidence of this is the story of a Lanc flight engineer who, having featheredtwo engines and facing the prospect of flying over several hundred miles of cold, unfriendly ocean, turned to his pilot and said, "I suppose this means we shall be bloody late for breakfast!"
During World War II the Lancaster was the most successful bomber used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force.The Lanc had speed, ceiling, and lifting power that no other aircraft of the day could match. Weighing 36,900 pounds empty, the Lancaster was capable of taking off with an additional 33,100 pounds of fuel and bombs; in other words it could almost carry its own weight again. The Lancaster carried 64% of the tonnage dropped by the RAF and RCAF during the war. The "Grand Slam", a 22,000 pound special purpose bomb designed to penetrate concrete and explode below the surface to create an earthquake effect, could only be delivered by the Lancaster and the Lancaster was thus chosen for special operations such as the "Dambusters" raid and the attack which sunk the German Battleship Tirpitz.
Lancasters were built to accomplish their specific purpose and crew comfort and security was clearly a secondary consideration. Generally flying under the cover of darkness, the Lancaster had virtually no defensive armour. The front, mid-upper, and rear gun turrets were hydraulically powered and carried a total of eight .303 calibre machine guns for defence against enemy aircraft.
The Lanc's massive bomb bay stretched for 33 feet and, unlike other bombers, was one continuous uninterrupted space. Partly for this reason, the Lanc had the versatility to undertake raids with large, specialized weapons. However, this meant that the main wing spars became obstacles to movement within the aircraft, particularly for airmen wearing heavy clothing and flight boots.
The crew worked in cramped conditions, particularly the air gunners who remained at their posts for the entire flight. Some had to place their flight boots into the turrets before climbing in, and then put their boots on. At night and at 20,000 feet the temperature in the turrets frequently fell to minus forty degrees and frostbite was not uncommon. Air gunners manned the rear and mid-upper gun turrets. A pilot, flight engineer, navigator, wireless operator, and bomb aimer/front gunner completed the crew of seven.
Of the total of 7377 Lancasters built, 3932 were lost in action. During the war Lancasters flew a total of 156 000 sorties and dropped 608,612 tons of bombs. 55,000 aircrew, including 10,000 Canadians, were killed serving in Bomber Command. During much of the war 5% of the bombers which set out each night failed to return making service in bombers the most dangerous field in the allied military.
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Avro
Primary function: Heavy bomber
Powerplant: Four Rolls Royce Merlin XX, 22 or 24 of 1,280hp each.
Crew: Seven (pilot, flight engineer, navigator, bomb aimer, radio operator and two gunners)
First flight: 9/1/1941
Date deployed: 1942
Number built: 7,378 (incl. 430 in Canada)
Recognition: Slab-sided fuselage with heavily-framed canopy mounted well-forward on the upper fuselage. Nose, tail and upper rear fuslage contain turrets housing defensive guns. Twin tail unit with unswept horizontal surfaces. main undercarriage housed in the cowlings of the inner engines. Some aircraft had the H2S radar bulge aft of the bomb-bay while a few other carried a mid-lower gun-turret.
Dimensions:
Length: 69ft 4in (21.08m)
Wingspan: 102ft 0in (31.00m)
Height: 20ft 6in (6.23m)
Weights: empty 36,828 lb 16,705 kg / max. 70,000 lb
Performance:
Maximum Speed: 287mph (462km/h)
Cruising Speed: 200mph (322km/h)
Ceiling: 19,000ft (5,793m)
Range: 2,530 miles (4,072km) with 7,000lb (3,178kg) bomb load.
Armaments:
Payload: Up to 22,000lb bombs carried internally. Later versions modified to carry a variety of single high explosive bombs of 8,000lb (3,632kg), 12,000lb (5,448kg) or 22,000lb (9,988kg) for special missions.
Defensive Armament:
2 x .303 Browning machine guns in nose turret, and
2 x .303 Browning machine guns in mid-upper turret and
4 x .303 Browning machine guns in tail turret.
Early models also had ventral turret with a single .303 machine gun.
Special versions were stripped of aramament to carry increased bombloads.
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