During WW2, a total 364,514 operational sorties were flown and 8,325 aircraft lost in action. Bomber Command aircrews suffered a high casualty rate: of a total of 125,000 aircrew, 57,205 were killed (a 46 percent death rate), a further 8,403 were wounded in action and 9,838 became prisoners of war. Therefore, a total of 75,446 airmen (60 percent of operational airmen) were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. Most of the crews were between 19 to 25 years old.
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Pic here shows the shredded insides of a Halifax bomber in 1942 after returning from a mission over Europe...feel free to let it all sink in. #stayzero #zerofoxtrot #ww2 #bomber #raf #balls #planes