Daring or Unusual Air Attacks

[sassthathoopie]

I have been really enjoying the coverage of the Dambusters raid, and also the repeats of the documentary on the Vulcan bombing of the runway at the outset of the Falklands war.

I have read a few different accounts of wartime flying, including Vulcan 607 and the Paul Brickhill book which includes the other exploits of 617 squadron. However these two raids both seem to stand out because they went beyond the realms of a 'standard' mission (whatever that is!)

I'm sure there must have been other raids flown or aerial battles fought that were particularly out of the ordinary. It would be great if those better informed than me could post, ideally with links to articles or video describing these raids.

Just as keen to hear stories from other airforces as well as the RAF

[kowalski655]

The mosquito raid on Amiens prison,another low level attack

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Jericho

[sassthathoopie]

Ah yes had forgotten about that one

[kowalski655]

And the Dolittle raid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doolittle_Raid

bombers flying off carriers!!!

[Simpo Two]

Pearl Harbor

And its inspiration, Taranto.

Swordfish vs Bismarck is another good one (and similar but unsuccessful attacks on Scharnhorst and Gneisenau: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Dash )

Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 18th May 12:09

[Siko]

Eben Emael. This was a daring glider raid which landed troops on top of Fort Eben Emael and successfully captured it at minimal loss during the German invasion of Belgium in 1940. This was considered to be the strongest fort in the world with upto 1200 troops and it was captured with only 78 men, thanks to the surprise from the first ever usage of gliders and shaped charges in a military attack.

[sassthathoopie]

Fascinating stories here chaps - keep them coming!

[davepoth]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operations_Manna_and_...

Not sure if this one counts as an attack, but pretty notable nonetheless.

[Simpo Two]

On the glider front there's also the assault on Pegasus Bridge on D-Day. But I see these, and paradrops, not as 'air attacks' as such but transport for the army.

[FourWheelDrift]

Bristol Blenheims were used on a quite a few low level bombing raids.

The attacks on the heavily-defended Knapsack and Quadrath power stations near Cologne in 1941. 54 Blenheims 250miles into enemy territory at tree top height in broad daylight with no fighter escort.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1515268...






Also a lot of low level factory/docks raids. From the nose of a Blenheim on it's attack run.

[tight5]

the germans having a go -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1JBYIClEd0

[Taffer]

Daring? Unusual? Yep:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Entebbe

[SlipStream77]

The OCA missions carried out by the Tornado GR1 crews during Operation Granby were certainly daring.

Deploying the JP233, they had to fly low and slow directly along the runways of active enemy airfields. Not only that, as the munitions went off, they lit up the aircraft!

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/AirOperationsduringO...

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/AirPowerintheGulfWar...

[dudleybloke]

[Simpo Two]

Peacetime suicide air attacks don't count. Any fool can fly an aeroplane into a building and die.

[FourWheelDrift]

ash73 said:

Swordfish attack on the Bismarck (and Sheffield!)

O/T John Horsley there (played Doc Morrissey in the original Reginald Perrin series) still with us and possibly, albeit silently the first time anyone ever said fking bds in a major UK film that I know of.

[jonnyb]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Taranto

[Simpo Two]

Simpo Two said:

Taranto.

jonnyb said:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Taranto

You'll be the last one in by the time the AA has woken up

[Gargamel]

There was an obit recently of a Pilot who strafed the German Embassy in Paris.

And dropped a French Flag too !

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/britain-at-war/...

[webby74]

Attack on the Kunstzaal Kleykamp Art Gallery in The Hague. Another low level raid