Скачать или смотреть The Air War Animated: The First Thousand Bomber Raid - Bombing of Cologne, 30th May 1942

Timestamps:
00:00 - Start
00:56 - Layout of German night defenses & Bomber Commands counter tactics
04:08 - First wave of bombers over Cologne
06:08 - Second wave of bombers over Cologne
09:03 - Third wave of bombers over Cologne
11:09 - Losses, damage and aftermath

NOTE: Accidentally said 10,049 bombers were dispatched at the start of the video, used youtube edit to delete me saying the "ten" in ten-thousand-forty-nine, hence that little jump at the start.

The technology, tactics and strategy behind the RAF Bomber Command's first thousand bomber raid on Cologne, code named Operation Millennium, and the Nachtjagd's response to the raid and aftermath.

The 1000 bomber raid was launched when the future of Bomber Command was in doubt. Analysis of bombing cameras in RAF bombing raids in 1941 had shown most bombers were dropping their bombs miles from the target, and thus most of the effort expended the last 2 years bombing Germany had been completely wasted. The arrival of Arthur Harris in early 1942 as the new commander in chief of Bomber Command, and the issuing of the "Area Bombing" Directive by the British Government, transformed the RAF into an area bombing force whose main goal was the destruction of German industrial cities and the morale of the workers within.

Harris knew that his bomber force as it existed was insufficient to carry out this task, he needed more and bigger bombers. Scraping together every bomber he could find from the front line and training units in his command, he sought to demonstrate what a huge raid could do to a German city, thus justifying the continued existence and expansion of the command. It was also a chance to try out new tactics to counter the German defenses and new navigation technologies being developed by Britain. Ultimately, the 1000 bomber raid likely saved Bomber Command, and ensured its expansion into the force that would devastate German Civilian and Military targets from 1943 onwards.

This video is a part of a very ambitious project that will animate the RAFs night bombing offensive against Germany. The next task is the "Battle of the Ruhr" series, which covers the RAF raids on Germany from March to July 1943. Each video will cover a month, so "season 1" will have five episodes. Hopefully no more than 10 minutes per raid, about 50 raids, so 2 hour episodes. I hope people will find it enjoyable.


Additional Keywords:
Bombing Cologne, Bombing of Cologne, 1000 Bomber Raid, Cologne Blitz