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Osprey Air Campaign #12
Ploesti 1943: The Great Raid on Hitler's Romanian Oil Refineries
Librarian's Note: An alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here.
Operation Tidal Wave was one of the boldest and most controversial air raids by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). At the time, the Romanian Ploesti oil fields produced about a third of all Axis oil, and was Germany's single most important fuel source. In the summer of 1943, the USAAF decided to stage a major raid on Ploesti from air bases in Libya. The resulting Operation Tidal Wave raid on 1 August 1943 was one of the costliest to date, losing 53 aircraft, about a third of the starting force. Of the more than 150 bombers that took part in the raid, only 88 B-24s returned to Libya, 55 of which were damaged. On the other hand, of the 17 Medals of Honor awarded to US soldiers and airmen from Pearl Harbor in 1941 to D-Day in 1944, 5 were awarded to pilots of the Tidal Wave mission in recognition of their extraordinary performance. Although undoubtedly bold and heroic, the mission had questionable results. Initial assessments argued that the mission caused 40% of the refinery capacity at Ploesti to be lost but subsequent studies concluded that the damage was quickly repaired and that output had exceeded August levels within a month.
This new study examines the raid in detail, exploring the reasons why its dubious success came at such a high price. Supported by maps, diagrams, and full-colour artwork including battlescenes and bird's-eye views, this is the full story of the audacious Ploesti raid of 1943.
Operation Tidal Wave was one of the boldest and most controversial air raids by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). At the time, the Romanian Ploesti oil fields produced about a third of all Axis oil, and was Germany's single most important fuel source. In the summer of 1943, the USAAF decided to stage a major raid on Ploesti from air bases in Libya. The resulting Operation Tidal Wave raid on 1 August 1943 was one of the costliest to date, losing 53 aircraft, about a third of the starting force. Of the more than 150 bombers that took part in the raid, only 88 B-24s returned to Libya, 55 of which were damaged. On the other hand, of the 17 Medals of Honor awarded to US soldiers and airmen from Pearl Harbor in 1941 to D-Day in 1944, 5 were awarded to pilots of the Tidal Wave mission in recognition of their extraordinary performance. Although undoubtedly bold and heroic, the mission had questionable results. Initial assessments argued that the mission caused 40% of the refinery capacity at Ploesti to be lost but subsequent studies concluded that the damage was quickly repaired and that output had exceeded August levels within a month.
This new study examines the raid in detail, exploring the reasons why its dubious success came at such a high price. Supported by maps, diagrams, and full-colour artwork including battlescenes and bird's-eye views, this is the full story of the audacious Ploesti raid of 1943.
96 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2019
About the author
Steven J. Zaloga
381 books77 followersSteven Zaloga is an author and defense analyst known worldwide for his articles and publications on military technology. He has written over a hundred books on military technology and military history, including “Armored Thunderbolt: The US Army Sherman in World War II”, one of the most highly regarded histories of the Sherman Tank. His books have been translated into Japanese, German, Polish, Czech, Romanian, and Russian. He was a special correspondent for Jane’s Intelligence Review and is on the executive board of the Journal of Slavic Military Studies and the New York Military Affairs Symposium. From 1987 through 1992, he was the writer/producer for Video Ordnance Inc., preparing their TV series Firepower. He holds a BA in history from Union College and an MA in history from Columbia University.
Mr. Zaloga is also a noted scale armor modeler and is a host/moderator of the World War II Allied Discussion group at Missing-Lynx.com, a modelling website. He is a frequent contributor to the UK-based modeling magazine Military Modelling. He is a member of the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society.
Mr. Zaloga is also a noted scale armor modeler and is a host/moderator of the World War II Allied Discussion group at Missing-Lynx.com, a modelling website. He is a frequent contributor to the UK-based modeling magazine Military Modelling. He is a member of the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 3, 2024
When I first started reading military history as a kid in the mid-1960s, the cult of air power and the United States Air Force was still in full swing, but even then, the 1943 raid on Ploesti seemed to inspire reservations, if only for the heavy casualties incurred. Flash forward to the mid-21st century, and this whole exercise seems even more dubious, as one now has access to intelligence information that was denied to the first generation of authors who wrote about this raid.
What it mostly comes down to is radio, as the commanders of the raid mandated radio silence as a means of gaining surprise, thus forfeiting hands-on control, not realizing that the German air defense system was aware that the American force was on its way basically the moment Operation "Tidal Wave" crossed into the Balkans from North Africa. The result being that a third of the force was lost, everyone was decorated for their gallantry, and the commander of IX Bomber Command was made a scapegoat and sent back to the United States. Whatever else was learned from this action, it's that the Axis oil industry could only be shut down with sustained effort; not a big one-time raid. Apart from that this is another excellent number in one of the best series that Osprey has come up in recent years.
What it mostly comes down to is radio, as the commanders of the raid mandated radio silence as a means of gaining surprise, thus forfeiting hands-on control, not realizing that the German air defense system was aware that the American force was on its way basically the moment Operation "Tidal Wave" crossed into the Balkans from North Africa. The result being that a third of the force was lost, everyone was decorated for their gallantry, and the commander of IX Bomber Command was made a scapegoat and sent back to the United States. Whatever else was learned from this action, it's that the Axis oil industry could only be shut down with sustained effort; not a big one-time raid. Apart from that this is another excellent number in one of the best series that Osprey has come up in recent years.
August 23, 2021
This exceptional short work describes the famous low-level raid on the refineries around Ploesti using primary sources. Mr. Zaloga applies the same skill demonstrated in his many books about armored fighting vehicles that has made him one of the foremost military historians writing today. He wastes no words in telling this story from both sides. This is a clean and concise micro history amply supplemented with maps, photos and tables. Mr. Noon's illustrations are a perfect compliment to Mr. Zaloga's narrative. I especially appreciate that Mr. Zaloga provides detailed captions for every photograph. I've been interested in the 'summer fortunes of the Liberators' (the words of Roger A. Freeman in Mighty Eighth) ever since reading that book back in high school and discovering the Mediterranean exploits of the five groups with colorful nicknames: The Flying 8 Balls, the Flying Circus, the Pyramiders, the Liberandos, and the Sky Scorpions, then reading James Dugan's classic study Ploesti: The great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943 (1962). Zaloga completes the story with detailed information about the German, Romanian and Bulgarian defenders that was unavailable to Dugan. This fine book does full justice to the brave combatants on both sides. Highly recommended for anyone interested in WWII air combat.
May 5, 2020
The premise made sense: go after the Romanian target where most of Hitler's fuel came from. Destroy it and you stop the panzers and you ground the Luftwaffe. However, it turned out not to be that simple.
This Osprey book discusses the plan of attack, the U.S. Air Force's employment of five bomber wings attacking at low altitude in order to hit the refinery's surrounding the city of Ploesti. Miscalculations and an over-emphasis on security ensured that the intended targets would not be destroyed and in fact if there is a lesson from the bombing campaigns of WWII it is that the total destruction of ANY important target, no matter how strategic, is almost impossible.
The scope of the book is surprising for such a slim volume, especially one as well illustrated as this one. I've read at least one other book about the 1943 attack on Ploesti but the maps and diagrams provided in this book really helped me understand how the air battle evolved.
This Osprey book discusses the plan of attack, the U.S. Air Force's employment of five bomber wings attacking at low altitude in order to hit the refinery's surrounding the city of Ploesti. Miscalculations and an over-emphasis on security ensured that the intended targets would not be destroyed and in fact if there is a lesson from the bombing campaigns of WWII it is that the total destruction of ANY important target, no matter how strategic, is almost impossible.
The scope of the book is surprising for such a slim volume, especially one as well illustrated as this one. I've read at least one other book about the 1943 attack on Ploesti but the maps and diagrams provided in this book really helped me understand how the air battle evolved.
May 3, 2021
Zaloga earns his wings with a booklet that synthesizes the first large-scale USAAF attack from both sides of the Flak barrel.
On the Allied side, the complicated origins of the plan are slowly woven together, with the underestimation of radar as the main weakness, especially on the return flight over Bulgaria. On the Axis side, the successful build-up of dummy Ploesti's against the Red Air Force and the transfer of responsibility for AA defence from the Romanians (who kept fighter squadrons at hand) to the Germans were grounds for optimism.
The artwork is mostly just planes in formation, but we get great action photos taken with nose cameras & stark colour tables to illustrate the losses and great maps with flight plans.
On the Allied side, the complicated origins of the plan are slowly woven together, with the underestimation of radar as the main weakness, especially on the return flight over Bulgaria. On the Axis side, the successful build-up of dummy Ploesti's against the Red Air Force and the transfer of responsibility for AA defence from the Romanians (who kept fighter squadrons at hand) to the Germans were grounds for optimism.
The artwork is mostly just planes in formation, but we get great action photos taken with nose cameras & stark colour tables to illustrate the losses and great maps with flight plans.
November 11, 2020
Very concise but rich in details reading, on one of the most vital commodities in the war, and the allied efforts to put it out of commission. Ploesti is tied with the B24 and the valianr crews from the axis and allied who fought and die over the skies of Romania.
August 18, 2021
Un album foto inedit cu fotografii color (computerizat), care îşi fiecare bănuţ cheltuit !!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews