Our little friends

The flying fortress b-17

With machine gun turret positions in the nose, atop the fuselage, under the belly, in the tail, and with two side gunner positions, it was anticipated no hostile fighter could penetrate a B-17 defensive formation.  The sheer mass of defensive fire from a group of B-17s flying in geometrically calculated boxes would be enough to see off any Luftwaffe fighter pilot brave enough to make an attack.  But, at terrible cost, the B-17 crews quickly learned that their masters' theory didn't stand up when they met Messerschmit Me109 and Focke Wulf Fw190 pilots in mortal combat.  With no escort fighters to worry about, the Luftwaffe fighters circled their prey, carefully chose their line of attack, and ripped into the American bombers from angles they were least able to defend. Only one third of B-17 bombers completed their required 25 missions.

Our little friends

Urgent change in USAAF tactics came in the form of close escort P-51 Mustangs, P-47 Thunderbolts and P-38 Lightnings, initially with limited range but enough to stem the flow of losses.  Soon, fitted with long range tanks, the American fighters were able to provide support all the way to targets deep inside the Reich, and this combination ultimately helped bring industrial Germany to its knees.

Known to the bombers as "Little Friends," the escort fighters added hugely to the effectiveness of the USAAF bombing operations and were much loved by their crews.