123 US B-17s take off for Hamburg.
16.15
Luftwaffe begin attacks on the US formations.
16.20
Main air-raid alarm sounded in Hamburg.
16.36
384th BG drop the first bombs on Howaldtswerke shipyards.
16.40
The last bombs drop on Hamburg.
17.10
381st BG, unable to locate Klöckner factory, drop their bombs on Heide on the way home.
17.22
The all-clear sounds in Hamburg.
18.10
After almost two hours, the Luftwaffe finally stop harassing US formations.
20.00
The surviving B-17 crews return to base.
Night of 25/26 July
00.35
Main air-raid warning in Hamburg.
00.40 approx
6 RAF Mosquitos bomb Hamburg in a nuisance raid.
26 July: second USAAF raid
08.50
121 American B-17s take off for Hamburg; 379th BG and 384th BG abort mission, leaving only four bomb groups to do the job.
11.32
Main air raid alarm sounded in Hamburg.
11.59
Fifty-four B-17s drop their bombs on harbour district. The bombing lasts one minute.
12.50
All-clear sounds in Hamburg.
15.08
American bombers return to base.
Night of 26/27 July
00.20
Main air raid alarm sounded in Hamburg.
00.30 approx
Four RAF Mosquitos (of six dispatched) bomb Hamburg in nuisance raid.
00.55
All-clear sounds.
27 July
Five false alarms keep much of Hamburg in panic throughout the day.
Night of 27/28 July: second RAF raid
22.00
787 RAF bombers take off for Hamburg.
23.40
Main air-raid alarm sounds in the city.
00.55
RAF Pathfinders drop yellow markers.
01.00
First bombs begin to fall in the east of the city.
01.20
The firestorm begins to develop.
01.45
The last bombs fall.
02.00
Firestorm so strong that men outside main fire station can only crawl on their hands and knees against the wind.
02.40
All-clear sounds.
03.00–03.30
Climax of firestorm.
05.00 approx
British planes return to base.
28 July
Morning
Karl Kaufmann orders the evacuation of women and children. Almost a million people begin their exodus from the city.
Night of 28/29 July
00.15
Main air-raid alarm sounds.
00.25 approx
4 RAF Mosquitos bomb Hamburg on nuisance raid.
01.03 All-clear sounds.
Night of 29/30 July: third RAF raid
22.00
777 RAF planes take off for Hamburg.
23.58
Main air-raid alarm sounds in the city.
00.37
First marker flares fall on the city.
00.43
First bombs begin to fall.
01.30
The last bombs fall.
02.00
A second firestorm develops in the north-eastern suburb of Barmbek.
02.15
All-clear sounds.
04.30 approx
RAF bombers return to base.
Night of 2/3 August: fourth RAF raid
23.20
740 RAF bombers set out for Hamburg.
00.59
Main air-raid alarm sounds in the city.
01.30 approx
British force begins to encounter violent electrical storm.
02.07
Scattered bombing begins all over northern Germany.
02.10
Some marker flares fall over Hamburg, but most are misplaced or lost in cloud.
03.30
All-clear sounds.
06.00 approx
Battered RAF force returns to base.
Appendix D
Comparison of British, American and German Terms
1 Air force units, 1943
British (bombers)
American (bombers)
German (fighters)
RAF
USAAF
Luftwaffe
…
US Eighth Air Force
Luftflotte
Bomber Command
VIII Bomber Command
Jagddivision
Group (8–12 sqns)
Wing (6–9 groups)
Geschwader(3 Gruppen +1 Stabschwarm)
Squadron (3–4 flights)
Group (4 squadrons)
Gruppe(3 Staffeln)
Flight (6–7 aircraft)
Squadron (7 aircraft)
Staffel(9 aircraft)
…
…
[ Stabschwarm(4 aircraft)]
NB The three air forces were very differently organized, and comparing them in this way is slightly problematic. For example, Allied bomber units are being compared to German fighter units. And, while RAF Bomber Command might have been similar to the American VIII Bomber Command, in 1943 the British organization was much larger than its American counterpart. The above is therefore only a very rough guide.
2 Ranks
British
American
German
Aircraftman
Private
Flieger
LAC
Corporal
Obergefreiter
Corporal
Staff Sergeant
Unteroffizier
Sergeant
Tech Sergeant
Feldwebel
Flight Sergeant
Master Sergeant
Oberfeldwebel
Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer
Hauptfeldwebel
Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
Fähnrich
Pilot Officer
Second Lieutenant
Leutnant
Flying Officer
First Lieutenant
Oberleutnant
Flight Lieutenant
Captain
Hauptmann
Squadron Leader
Major
Major
Wing Commander
Lieutenant Colonel
Oberstleutnant
Group Captain
Colonel
Oberst
Air Commodore
Brigadier General
Generalmajor
Air Vice Marshal
Major General
Generalleutnant
Air Marshal
Lieutenant General
General der Flieger
Air Chief Marshal
General (four stars)
Generaloberst