Watch B-17 Flying Fortresses Over Occupied Europe in Stunning Restored Color

A Film Made in Combat

Combat America was filmed in 1944 and released in 1945 during the final months of the war. It was produced, directed, and narrated by Captain Clark Gable while serving with the United States Army Air Forces, and it was intended as a training film for bomber gunners.

Unlike staged newsreels, the film showed real missions over occupied Europe. Cameras recorded engine checks, takeoffs, and long flights toward German targets. The footage placed viewers inside the aircraft, where tension, noise, and uncertainty were part of every mission from start to landing under constant threat daily.

Life Inside the B-17

The film follows crews of the 351st Bomb Group based at RAF Polebrook in England. It explains how Flying Fortresses flew in close combat box formations to protect one another. This system allowed gunners to overlap fire while maintaining steady flight over enemy territory for long hours.

It also shows the harsh conditions inside the aircraft. Gunners worked in freezing air, limited space, and constant danger from fighters and flak. Each position, from nose to tail, carried responsibility, as crews relied on training, teamwork, and discipline to survive repeated missions over Europe daily together.

Aircraft, Effort, and Legacy

The footage captures changes to the B-17 itself, including the later G model with a chin turret. This addition helped counter frontal attacks that had caused heavy losses earlier. Ground crews are shown loading bombs, servicing engines, and preparing aircraft for repeated sorties under tight schedules daily.

Clark Gable flew several combat missions to film these scenes, sharing the same risks as the crews. His work preserved a clear record of the air war, offering modern viewers that bring the experience of the Mighty Eighth into sharper focus.

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