National Content: Belgium
The Flying Fortress, nazi’s terror
| Source | “La Libre Belgique”, the 1st of February 1944 |
| Event referred to | City Bombing during World War II |
| Technological characteristics | Type of file: Image Extension : pdf Characteristics Dimension of the file: 646 Ko Availability proposed: pdf document with zoom options |
| Description of the source | Kind of source: Newspaper article Origin of the source: Archives of the National Library of Belgium, Brussels Language: French Copyright issues: reproduction and pedagogical exploitation authorized in the framework of the MHM project |
| Contextualisation of the source | “La Libre Belgique” was a national newspaper before the war. It was a paper of right catholic tendency. It became clandestine at the beginning of the war. It was one of the most spread and read of the clandestine papers. |
| Interpretation of the source | The aim of this article is to cheer the population up. With such a Flying Fortress, with such an arm, the allied forces will soon liberate us. The more is long and precise the description of this fantastic arm, of its technical characteristics, of its power, of its terrific effects, the more grows up hope for a next liberation. |
| Original Contents | |
| Original Contents (English Translation) | The Flying fortress, nazi’s terror... The allied terrific air raids on Germany are becoming more and more violent. The German doesn’t think anymore to cover it up. On last year, the RAF was alone striking Germany. Today the Americans take part in this gigantic air offensive against Germany. Their arm is “Flying Fortress”. Flying Fortress is a great airplane made in aluminium. As it is able to fly much high, much quick, and to carry bombs, it uses four engines ; and as it flies high and quick, it doesn’t need to be escorted by hunt planes. It has its own protection on board : thirteen machine guns distributed on all its parts, in the front, in the back, on the sides, on the top, underneath. It flies 450 km/hour fast, at an altitude of 10 km. And in order to keep away enemy hunt planes, Flying Fortresses constantly fly in close group. (…) Thanks to this fantastic plane, Germany can be bombed day and night : by the English forces at night, by the American the days. All targets : not only Germany. This plane is sent on all fronts. (…) With four engines, thirteen machine guns and a crew of nine men, these powerful planes fight above Germany, above Mediterranean sea, above Italy, and above Pacific immense area. They are in China, in India, they are everywhere and they will be always more and more. Only during last May, F.F. attacked 19 targets in 9 days, dropped 2800 tons of bombs, brought down 459 enemy planes. In broad daylight, immense groups of F.F. attacked Kiel, Bremen, Rhur, Italy… |