Previously, various types of "BOX" and "Squadron" based formations have been described. I have several formation sheets that were given to pilots in the morning briefings prior to a mission. As an example:
Squadron Briefing formation sheet 3/19/45.....normal box formation
is an example of squadron based formations flown between July 1944 and March 1945. In April 1945, a new type of formation was used. As an example of this, a briefing sheet is shown:
Squadron Briefing formation sheet 4/14/45...double V formation
An other example of some of the materials given to pilots during the
pre-mission briefings, is the
"Pilots Flimsy"---3/19/45
These sheets list callsigns, frequencies and other important data needed
by the flight crews. In addition to the formation sheets and flimsy
sheets, the pilots were given a mission map, which was a smaller version
of that used by the navigators;
Partial "Mission
map"---3/19/45
Finally, the decision of what crewmembers would be flying each plane was documented in the "loading lists" for each mission. A sample loading list is shown;
Some other mission related images:
