Sonderkommando "Elbe" was the name of a World War II Luftwaffe task force assigned to bring down heavy bombers by ramming them in mid-air.
Its sole mission took place on 7 April 1945, when a force of 180 Bf 109s managed to ram 15 Allied bombers, downing eight of them.[1][2][3]
The task force was created to cause losses sufficient to halt or at least reduce the Western Allies' bombing of Germany.[4] The pilots were expected to parachute out either just before or after they had collided with their target.
^"German Pilot Perspective". RootsWeb. Retrieved 2 October 2007.
^"B-17; 44-8744; lost at 7.4.45; Pilot Lt. Burich; 385BG / 550BS - Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum".
^in addition to the list above B-17 44-8744 385th BG/550th BS also reported lost by ramming 7 April 1945
^Der Spiegel – Deutsche Kamikaze-Flieger; Himmelfahrtskommando für Hitler
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desperate and deadliest mission, with the dedicated aerial ramming unit SonderkommandoElbe. This operation involved German pilots of the unit ramming their...
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1945, while desperate measures by the Luftwaffe with units like the SonderkommandoElbe aerial ramming unit and the debut of the Heinkel He 162 Spatz jet...
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Herrmann was a leading exponent of the tactical deployment of Rammjäger SonderkommandoElbe (ram fighters), sent into action in April 1945. Suicide pilot volunteers...
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April 7 – The only flight of the German ramming unit known as the SonderkommandoElbe takes place, resulting in the loss of some 24 B-17s and B-24s of...
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