Tidal Wave Footage Photos, 15th AAF and Luftwaffe, 'Black Sunday', 1 August 1943

you missred, the pilot from L to R is Toma and Right to Left is unknown

Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 09, 2004 03:03 pm

Hallo Manfred Danke Schoen und viellen Dank fuer Dein Kompliment....I appreciate your comments , yes I am one ,since many years still flying ,though I miss the military flying time was much more fun than straight and level ....I m just a bus driver of a B-767 , neverthless howabout you, and where did you get the photos from ? any other photos from the Luftwaffe being stationed in Roumania ?

Scheonen Abend

Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 09, 2004 03:56 pm

Alex, I repet the romanian pilot in far left is "Ofiter de echipaj Ioan Maga" for me it's no confusion with Cpt.Toma Lucian. I have many pictures with both pilots.
But also Denes confirm this. Mayby i will post pictures with this two pilots to be no doubts.

Yea would be great, can you do that ? I am curious to see

Thanks
Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 09, 2004 04:26 pm

The pilot on the right looks like Adj Economu.

On a second look ,I think I'm wrong..
I'll try to ask Dobran tomorrow.

As already mentioned by Denes, the Romanian pilot on teh extreme left is of. ec. cl. III Ioan Maga.

Jesus, I knew they were low, but THAT low?.... Those 1. aug. 43 pictures are simply unbelievable. You could almost count the roof tiles on that building...

I have found from the Archives of 44th Bmb Grp 15 AF , the TIDALWAVE flight planning as of July 28th, 1943

ALex


HEADQUARTERS
IX BOMBER COMMAND


28 July 1943

FIELD ORDER NO. 58

Maps: Plotting series and topographic charts of entire area -- BENGASI, CORFU, BRASOV, CONSTANTA, ISTANBUL, CYPRUS.

1.
a. See Intelligence Annex.

b. Friendly ground situation: no change.

2.
The Ninth U.S. Air Force will attack and destroy the 7 principal oil refineries in the PLOESTI area on 1 August 1943 employing 7 target forces in a minimum altitude attack in order to deny the enemy use of the petroleum products processed in that area.


a. ASSEMBLY:
On the line Site 7 - DRIANA - TOCRA, leading element to depart TOCRA at 0530 GMT.


b. ROUTE OUT:
BENGASI - TOCRA - Northern tip of CORFU - PIROT - 43º50' N 23º43' E - PITESTI - IP - TARGET

ATITUDES: BENGASI to TOCRA to 38º20' N 20º08' E begin climb so as to cross CORFU at 10,000 feet until reaching PIROT. At PIROT begin descent so as to cross DANUBE at 3,000-5,000 feet. Remain at 3,000 to 5,000 feet until reaching PITESTI. From PITESTI to IPs maintain minimum altitude above terrain. From IP to target reduce altitudes to bombing level.


c. AXIS OF ATTACK
Target Forces No. 1 to 5 Incl - 127º
Target Force Blue - 132º
Target Force Red - 150º


d. MANUVER AFTER ATTACK:
Target forces Nos 1 to 5 Incl continue on attack course 127º for following times after crossing E-W RR along southern border of PLOESTI. Then turn right to a heading of 233º to LAKE BALTA POTELEL approx 120 miles from PLOESTI.

No 1 - 2 min 15 sec
No 2 - 2 min 15 sec
No 3 - 2 min 15 sec
No 4 - 2 min
No 5 - 1 min 45 sec
Target Force Blue turn right as soon as possible to a heading of 233º. Target Force Red turn right as soon as possible to a heading of 220º. All forces remain at minimum altitude until after crossing RIVER DANUBE then climb to 10,000 feet.


e. ROUTE BACK
From targets, all forces will proceed to LAKE BALTA POTELEL as directed in withdrawl plan. From there to BARKOVISTA to southern tip of CORFU to TOCRA to bases.

ALTITUDES: From target to LAKE BALTA POTELEL 3,000-5,000 feet. LAKE BALTA POTELEL climb to 10,000 feet holding this altitude until reaching CORFU. From CORFU to base utilize the most economical altitude.

3.
a.
Target Force No 1, Colonel Compton commanding, and consisting of 24 B-24s from the 376th Bomb Group will lead the formation and attack target No White 1 as indicated on Operations Map. Attack will be made in 4 waves of 6 airplanes each.


b.
Target Force No 2, Colonel Baker commanding, and major Brown deputy leader, consisting of 21 B-24s of the 93rd Bomb Group, will fly No. 2 position in the route formation and attack target White No II as indicated on Operations Map employing 3 waves of six airplanes each plus one wave of three airplanes.


c.
Target Force No 3, Colonel Baker commanding and Major Potts leading, consisting of 12 B-24s of the 93rd Bomb Group, will fly No 3 position in the formation and attack target White No III as indicated on Operations Map employing 4 waves of 3 airplanes each.


d.
Target Force No 4, Colonel Kane commanding, consisting of 40 B-24s of the 98th Bomb Group, will fly No 4 position in the formation and attack target White No IV employing 4 waves of 10 airplanes each.


e.
Target Force No 5, Colonel Johnson commanding and Major Brandon leading, consisting of 15 B-24s of the 44th Bomb Group will fly No 5 position in the formation and attack White No V as indicated on the Operations Map, employing 5 waves of 3 airplanes each.


f.
Target Force No 6, Lt Colonel Posey commanding, and Captain Diehl leading, consisting of 18 B-24s of the 44th Bomb Group, will fly No 6 position in the formation and attack target Blue I as indicated on the Operations Map, employing 3 waves of 6 airplanes each.


g.
Target Force Red, Colonel Woods commanding, and Captain Caldwell leading, consisting of 24 B-24s of the 389th Bomb Group, will fly the last position in the formation and attack target Red I as indicated on the Operations Map, employing 8 waves of 3 airplanes each.


x.
See Bomb Loading Annex.

4.
See Airdrome Annex.

5.
a. COMMUNICATIONS:
See Communications Annex.


b.
(1) Ground: No Change.
(2) Air: Colonel Compton in lead aircraft. Deputy leader, Colonel Baker, in lead aircraft 2nd target force.

By command of Brigadier General ENT:




JOHN C. KILBORN,
Colonel, AC,
A-3.

This post has been edited by Victor on February 09, 2006 06:32 pm

This thread is gold!!!
Pleese, keep up the posting Alex

The same material is available on website of the National Museum of the USAF.

They also have other documents related to the "Ploieşti Mission":
- Approximate Route of Flight (map);
- Target and Target Forces Plans (table);
- Bomb Load Plan (table);
- Supposed Defenses of Ploesti Area (map);
- Operational Record of Ploesti Mission (table).

Just take a look at http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/wwii/ce10.htm

Thank you Alex for the wonderful footage. I live in South Dakota USA, near to Ellsworth Air Force base where the 44th Bomb group originated from. There is a small museum there where the Ploesti mission figures prominently, and some of the veterans of the group come and visit a few times a year and share their recollections. The 44th BG is active to this day flying B1 bombers, over my head when I ride my bike in the summer on those beautful country roads. I guess the tradition continues.
Artur

Carol be aware that the Internet links you offered regarding Ploesti ops and pre flights are not working,try again!

Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 13, 2004 12:31 pm

CIP

Nice to hear from you again, I will....I have many friends at confederate Air Force and contact with families.....at some point I had contacts with the daughter of " Col. " Killer " Kane one of the CHM receipients and the " Pyramiders" lead plane...though I have lost it due to internet address change.

Alex

Killare Kane,... i have a movie showing the actual moment of the crash landing on film do you have this short footage or you wanna see it?
The thing is i am at work now and at home the internet connexion is down and it will be restored in a few days.