Whispers In The Air Allied Bomber Refuge In Neutral States DVD MP4 USB

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How Allegations That Airmen “Lack Moral Fibre” Resulted In Accusations Of Desertion Of Duty In Landing Allied Bombers In The Neutral Countries Of Switzerland And Sweden, Presented In The Highest DVD Quality MPG Video Format Of 9.1 MBPS As An MP4 Video Download Or Archival Quality All Regions Format DVD! (Color, 1989, 46 Minutes.) #LackOfMoralFibre #LMF #RAFBomberCommand #USAAF #WWIIAviation #EuropeanTheatreOfWWII #SecondEuropeanWar #EuropeanCivilWar #EuropeanTheaterOfWWII #AirWarfareOfWorldWarII #AerialWarfare #AirWarfareOfWWII #StrategicBombingDuringWorldWarII #StrategicBombingDuringWWII #WorldWarII #WWII #WW2 #WorldWarTwo #WorldWar2 #SecondWorldWar #AerialBombardment #AirStrikes #Aviation #AviationHistory #HistoryOfAviation #MP4 #VideoDownload #DVD

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Allied Bombers Landing in Neutral Countries During WWII

The overwhelming majority of these incidents involved damaged or fuel-starved American and British bombers attempting to avoid capture in Axis territory. Under international law (Hague Convention V), neutral countries were required to intern both aircraft and crews for the duration of the war.

The principal neutral countries involved were:

• Switzerland
• Sweden
• Spain
• Portugal
• Turkey

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1. Switzerland (Most Frequent)

Switzerland became the primary refuge for crippled Allied bombers returning from raids over Germany, Austria, France, and Italy. Thousands of Allied aircraft violated Swiss airspace during the war.

The Swiss interned approximately 1,700 American airmen, numerous RAF personnel, and many damaged aircraft. Swiss authorities sometimes treated internees well, but conditions varied widely; some American airmen were even imprisoned in harsh camps such as Wauwilermoos.

Notable Incidents

October 1, 1943
First American bomber officially shot down by Swiss defenses near Bad Ragaz after violating Swiss airspace.

1943-1945
Large numbers of B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators landed at:

• Dubendorf
• Geneva
• Altenrhein
• Other Swiss airfields

March-September 1944
Major influx of American bombers after deep raids into Germany. Many heavily damaged Eighth Air Force bombers diverted into Switzerland rather than risk crashing in Germany.

April 1, 1944 - Schaffhausen Bombing
USAAF bombers accidentally bombed the Swiss town of Schaffhausen, mistaking it for a German target. Forty civilians were killed.

Total Swiss Airspace Violations
6,304 Allied aircraft violated Swiss airspace during the war.

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2. Sweden

Sweden accepted numerous Allied bombers that became damaged during raids over Germany or Scandinavia. Sweden generally interned crews but was often more lenient than Switzerland. Many crews eventually escaped or were quietly repatriated to Britain.

Notable Incidents

July 24, 1943 - "Georgia Rebel"
USAAF B-17F belly-landed near Arjang, Sweden. First of approximately 68 B-17 bombers to seek refuge in Sweden during the war.

March 6, 1944 - "Liberty Lady"
B-17G Flying Fortress crash-landed on Gotland, Sweden after severe flak damage. The entire crew survived and was interned.

1944
Increasing numbers of USAAF bombers diverted to Sweden after raids against:

• Berlin
• Baltic targets
• German synthetic oil plants

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3. Spain

Spain under Franco was officially neutral (later "non-belligerent"), though politically sympathetic to the Axis for much of the war.

Damaged Allied aircraft occasionally landed in Spain, especially RAF aircraft from Mediterranean operations and USAAF bombers returning from southern Europe. Crews were generally interned briefly and often quietly released to British authorities.

Notable Incidents

1943-1944
Multiple B-24 Liberators and RAF bombers landed in:

• Catalonia
• Andalusia
• Gibraltar-adjacent regions

After Operation Tidal Wave (August 1, 1943)
Some damaged bombers from the Ploiesti oil raids diverted toward Spain or Portugal due to catastrophic fuel shortages.

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4. Portugal

Portugal maintained neutrality under Salazar but was quietly pro-Allied in strategic matters. Damaged Allied aircraft occasionally landed in Portugal or the Azores.

Unlike Switzerland, Portugal often facilitated rapid repatriation of Allied crews.

Notable Incidents

1943-1945
RAF Coastal Command aircraft and USAAF bombers occasionally diverted to Portuguese territory after Atlantic patrols or European bombing missions.

Azores Bases (1944)
Portugal allowed Allied use of Azores bases late in the war, effectively ending strict neutrality.

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5. Turkey

Turkey remained neutral for most of WWII and interned aircraft from both Axis and Allied nations.

This became more common during Balkan operations, Mediterranean operations, and shuttle bombing missions between Italy and the Soviet Union.

Notable Incidents

1944
Several USAAF aircraft participating in "Operation Frantic" shuttle bombing missions ended up in Turkish territory after navigational or combat problems.

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Why Crews Chose Neutral Countries

Damaged bomber crews often intentionally headed for neutral territory because:

• Internment was preferable to German POW camps
• Medical care was usually better
• Survival odds were much higher
• Some neutral states quietly helped Allied personnel escape

Swiss airspace in particular became an unofficial "last chance" refuge for crippled bombers returning from Germany.

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Aircraft Most Commonly Involved

Most Commonly:

• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
• Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Less Commonly:

• Avro Lancaster
• Handley Page Halifax
• Mosquito aircraft
• Fighter escorts (P-51, P-47)

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Approximate Numbers

Neutral Country	Approximate Allied Aircraft Interned
Switzerland	Hundreds
Sweden	~140 Allied aircraft total
Spain	Dozens
Portugal	Smaller numbers
Turkey	Limited numbers

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Historical Importance

These incidents reveal:

• The enormous scale of the Allied bombing campaign
• The dangers faced by bomber crews
• The complex role of neutrality in WWII
• The uneasy diplomacy between the Allies and neutral states

Switzerland and Sweden especially walked a delicate line between:

• Maintaining sovereignty
• Avoiding German retaliation
• Avoiding Allied anger
• Enforcing international neutrality laws

Many Allied airmen remembered internment as vastly preferable to becoming Luftwaffe prisoners.