On a side note 50+ years later that recon pic is still better than what google can provide with its satellites for that region
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| WorldWar2.ro Forum > ARR - Romanian Royal Aeronautics > Bombing Missions 15th AF |
| Posted by: yugit December 21, 2011 06:52 pm |
| All : I am posting two photos , would appreciate present time photos of what these targets may look like. The bridge at piatra was repeatedly bombed by the 15th AF in May, June and July 1944. I have no details on when this bridge was finally put out of commission. The second bomb plot photo calls it Turnul Severin though the 459th seems to aim at a barge or something similar on the river. The first salvo seems to have hit the water or a target in the water rather than Turnul Severin M/Y . Alex |
| Posted by: muggs December 21, 2011 08:32 pm |
| Can't really figure out the Piatra pic, either something is off or who knows.. On a side note 50+ years later that recon pic is still better than what google can provide with its satellites for that region |
| Posted by: yugit December 21, 2011 09:35 pm |
| Muggs, thank you lots for your post and help BR Alex |
| Posted by: romrail December 22, 2011 06:45 pm |
| Piatra is in fact the old name of Piatra Olt station and city. The bridge still exists today, on the old railway which connects Bucharest and Craiova. As the current main line to Craiova, which conects Bucharest and the south eastern part of romania (Oltenia province) was finished only after the war's end, back then, the old railway going through Pitesti and Piatra Olt was the only main railway connection between Oltenia and Bucharest. This explains the bridge's strategyc importance and the actuall attempt to destroy it. |
| Posted by: romrail December 22, 2011 07:05 pm |
| And a satelite photo from the actual area. The bridge is in the image's right part, near "Balta Milcov".  |
| Posted by: muggs December 22, 2011 10:16 pm |
Thanks romrail, at first i thought it was a Piatra near the Danube but there was no bridge in that area, unfortunately again the imagery for this area is a bit outdated and of bad quality |
| Posted by: yugit December 22, 2011 10:55 pm |
| Muggs....thanks for your efforts...voila...that's it ! Perhaps you can check availability on current photos ( from the ground rather than aerial from google ) on Fata Motrului shot by the Luftwaffe on Sept 7,44 depicting a rail bridge. It says on it aprox. 52 Km air distance to Turnul Severin. Second depicts an amo dump at Costana with the Legend beneath: 1-3 Amo Dumps 4- Costana Railway Station ( capacity 0/23) 5- Railway bridge The arrows states 67 Km air distance to Targoviste It was shot by the Luftwaffe on July 10, 1944 Alex K |
| Posted by: Cantacuzino December 23, 2011 12:23 am | ||
Wrong. It doesn't states 67 km distance to Targoviste ( South Romania) More precise 67 km distance to Tschernowitz ( Cernauti) Also on the map is "Suczawa" ( Suceava) The map show an ammo depot ( Costana) in North of Moldavia. |
| Posted by: MMM December 23, 2011 06:45 am | ||
Quite so... Actually this "Costana" is in Ukraine by now, no longer in Romania! |
| Posted by: yugit December 23, 2011 10:12 am |
| my reading error ...I didnt know it belongs now to Ukraine Thanks Alex K |
| Posted by: romrail December 23, 2011 04:43 pm |
| Hello again! Until some gropund photos of the objectives shown in this topic will appear, I think that the "google" aerials, even if they are a bit outdated and not very sharp, are helpful. Concerning the railway bridge on "Fata Motrului", I'm posting below an aerial of the area.  |
| Posted by: Victor December 23, 2011 05:49 pm |
| romrail, the sattelite image you posted is of the bridge over the Jiu on the stretch of road between Filiasi and Arginesti. The Arginesti Forest is much older than 70 years and it should have appeared in the aerial photo. Fata Motrului is more to the west, after one passes through Butoiesti. See below.  Uploaded with http://imageshack.us yugit, please mention the source for the images you post. You know the forum rules. |
| Posted by: yugit December 23, 2011 07:42 pm |
| Victor and Romrail, thanks for your addition. I am attaching herewith June 11, 44 Focsani airfield bombing with request for any present ground photos of whatever may be left in there , eventually the unscaved plane ID which is visible NE. Legend : 1.Repair Shops 2.Hangars 3.Barracks 4.similar as above 5.buildings Galati airfield June 2, 44 Oradea ( unknown area) Sept.6,44 Craiova (unknown area June 24,44) Note last salvo is heading towards what was believed to be the target ,the rail repair shops and M/Y. Thanks Alex K |
| Posted by: romrail December 23, 2011 10:40 pm |
 You're right Victor!Looks like I've messed up the bridges and posted the wrong one. Yet I suspect that since the bridge over Jiu river was located on the same main line between Craiova and Turnu Severin it might have been also a target of the bombings. |
| Posted by: Victor December 24, 2011 09:16 pm | ||
I do stare at the map of that particular region for a living, so it's easier for me  yugit, please mention the sources for the images, as I asked in the previous post. Regarding the Craiova photo, I have highlighted with red the bombed area on the current map. With yellow you will see the present-day railroad track and the train station on it. The bombed area is currently the Electroputere factory/shopping mall (just opened this November). In the vicinity is the Ford plant, so one can joke by saying the Americans were clearing the ground for it. My opinion is that the target was something different and not railroad related. Maybe some barracks or military depots. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/534/craiova.jpg/ Uploaded with http://imageshack.us |
| Posted by: yugit December 24, 2011 09:27 pm |
| Victor 1.I am under the impression that I have already mentioned that in the past addressing a question posed by Bernard on an other topic, though no prob. I will repeat it. 2. Unless otherwise stated ,the material that I'll post, is from my private collection, from the 15th Air Force history books I posses, from microfilms and CD handed over by the respective BG or FG historical divisions ,veterans and relative of the vets. 3. The above photos are from 459BG microfilms,459th "Coffee Tower " 301BG "Who Fears ?" 456th BG "Steed Flying Colts ,99th BG The Dimondsback" ,463rd BG Irish Orphans" , Maxwell SHAEF USAF , Luftwaffe archives Berlin and Freiburg in Breisgau 4. The photos posted can not be reproduced or published elsewhere without prior permission. Also on my collection, many hundred of photos and material handed over by US and Soviet veterans, all related to Rumania campaigns. Happy New Year to all PS:thanks for the Craiova google map, as into the mission it was the RR Repair Depots ( check field order excerpt) |