Death of the Luftwaffe

S2 E16: Operation Bodenplatte was a daring plan to destroy American forward air bases all over Holland, Belgium, and the Netherlands during World War ll. On January l, 1945, 17 of these airbases were attacked. One of the greatest dogfights in history will take place as the Americans make a stand at a Y-29 forwards airbase in northeast Belgium. At 9am a massive formation of German aircraft is headed for Y-29. Eight P-47 Thunderbolts ambush the Germans, derailing the initial attack. 20 American aircraft get off the runway at Y-29 to engage nearly 70 German planes. Ultimately, over two dozen German planes are shot down to the loss of just one P-47 Thunderbolt. The failure at Y-29 embodies the failure of Operation Bodenplatte and helped to facilitate the death of the Luftwaffe.