60,000 Pounds of Frozen Bombs Fell in the Wrong Place

It's February 20, 1944. Day One of Operation Argument, a dangerous attempt to destroy Hitler's aircraft factories. After a vicious attack by nearly two dozen enemy fighters, a damaged B-17 Flying Fortress plummets through 18,000 feet over Nazi Germany. In the cockpit, Lieutenant William Lawley fights the control wheel with torn-up hands, barely able to see through his injuries. His copilot is slumped forward on the yoke, forcing them into a steeper dive. The altimeter spins like a clock gone mad, but Lawley, dizzy from blood loss, doesn't have the strength to move his crewmate. Behind him, his men are too wounded to bail out. In the cargo bay, 60,000 pounds of frozen bombs have effectively turned them into a missile. Planners predicted 18% losses daily. And Lawley refuses to become part of this statistic. --- Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between. As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.