Desperate days
A 725th BS/ 45th BG B-24H, nicknamed ‘Extra Joker’ was attacked 23. August 1944 during a raid on Markersdorf airfield in Austria.
Two FW190 of JG3 attacked them and in seconds a fuel tank was penetrated, almost instantly it caught fire and ‘Extra Joker’ plummeted downwards in a death dive and eventually exploded, taking all ten of her young crew with her.
The kill was well documented as their photographer flew as guest on an other ship on this mission, to take photos of their plane. Shocked to see him friends fall to earth in flames, all he could do was to cover their death on film..