B-24s on Ploesti Raid

AF Art Collection (1957.001) by Standley Dersh

About The Art Piece

 

Throughout the war in Europe, American and allied air power struck heavy and repeated blows at strategic Nazi industries, curtailing production and forcing the Nazi Government into a costly program of industrial maintenance, reconstruction, and rebuilding under ground. A series of destructive raids began in June 1942. In all, Army Air Force bombers made 25 attacks on Ploesti between June 1942 and August 1944; the RAF made three. The raid here depicted shows B-24’s of the 15th Air Force attacking the area on 31 May 1944. On this raid 481 planes dropped more than 1,000 tons of bombs from an altitude of 19,000 to 24,200 feet. Sixteen bombers failed to return.