Schweinfurt Again

This image shows "Thunder Bird" of the 303rd Bomb Group, on its 80th mission to Schweinfurt, Germany, which had claimed 163 four-engine bombers and 1500 crew members on previous missions. This 9 October 1944 mission was the 303rd Bomb Group's fifth and "Thunder Bird's" second, visit to this dangerous target. It was to prove a respite, although each day crews faced the cold, thin air, often at -40C, in patched-up, worn-out airplanes. "Thunder Bird" had seen as many as nine and eleven sister ships lost to fighters on previous missions, but she was to carry more than 500 crew members into combat on 116 missions before her retirement on 22 March 1945.