Statistics

Statistical Summary of the Bombing Effort

 

Summary
USAAF RAF
Tons of bombs dropped 1,463,423 1,307,117
Bomber sorties 754,818 687,462
Fighter sorties 991,750 1,695,049
Claimed enemy aircraft destroyed 35,783 21,622
Bombers lost 9,949 11,968
Fighters lost 8,420 10,061
Personnel lost in action 79,265 79,281
Bombers assigned to combat units (peak) 7,177
(3/45)
6,956
(4/45)
Fighters assigned to combat units (peak) 6,203
(5/45)
7,728
(8/44)
Personnel assigned to combat units (peak) 619,020
(8/44)
718,628
(7/44)

 

Tons of bombs dropped
Tons Percent
USAAF 1,463,423 52.8
8th Air Force 692,918 25.0
9th Air Force 225,799 8.1
12th Air Force 207,367 7.5
15th Air Force 312,173 11.3
1st Tactical Air Force 25,166 0.9
     
RAF 1,307,117 47.2
Bomber Command 1,066,141 38.5
Fighter Command 3,910 0.1
2nd Tactical Air Force 69,138 2.5
Mediterranean Air Command 167,928 6.1
     
TOTAL 2,770,540 100.0

 

Bomber and fighter sorties
Bomber
sorties
Fighter
sorties
USAAF 754,818 991,750
8th Air Force 348,994 270,364
9th Air Force 119,146 298,685
12th Air Force 127,092 280,458
15th Air Force 152,542 89,835
1st Tactical Air Force 7,044 52,408
     
RAF 687,462 1,695,049
Bomber Command 391,801 336
Fighter Command - 700,226
Coastal Command 134,414 81,282
2nd Tactical Air Force 40,614 286,891
Mediterranean Air Command 120,633 626,314
     
TOTAL 1,442,280 2,686,799

 

Claimed enemy aircraft destroyed
Destroyed Probable Total
USAAF 31,340 4,443 35,783
8th Air Force 18,810 2,208 21,018
9th Air Force 2,400 319 2,719
12th Air Force 2,908 819 3,727
15th Air Force 6,258 1,008 7,266
1st Tactical Air Force 964 89 1,053
       
RAF 17,364 4,258 21,622
Bomber Command 1,214 310 1,524
Fighter Command 6,914 1,973 8,887
Coastal Command 254 37 291
2nd Tactical Air Force 1,894 130 2,024
Mediterranean Air Command 7,088 1,808 8,896
       
TOTAL 48,704 8,701 57,405

 

Aircraft losses (on operations)
Bombers Fighters Total
USAAF 9,949 8,420 18,369
8th Air Force 5,945 3,112 9,057
9th Air Force 814 2,141 2,945
12th Air Force 773 1,824 2,597
15th Air Force 2,380 1,030 3,410
1st Tactical Air Force 47 313 360
       
RAF 11,968 10,061 22,029
Bomber Command 9,163 16 9,179
Fighter Command - 3,559 3,559
Coastal Command 841 549 1,390
2nd Tactical Air Force 353 1,762 2,115
Mediterranean Air Command 1,611 4,175 5,786
       
TOTAL 21,917 18,481 40,398

 

Personnel lost in action
Lost
USAAF 79,265
8th Air Force 44,472
9th Air Force 4,168
12th Air Force 7,203
15th Air Force 23,174
1st Tactical Air Force 248
   
RAF 79,281
Bomber Command 70,408
Fighter Command
Coastal Command
2nd Tactical Air Force
Mediterranean Air Command 8,873
   
TOTAL 158,546

 

Sources: U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey.

Last modified: 10 December 2022