Bombing of Ludwigshafen and Oppau in World War II
Encyclopedia
The bombing of Ludwigshafen and Oppau
in World War II
attacked several strategic targets in the area, including targets of the Oil Campaign of World War II
. Ludwigshafen oil plants were managed by Dr. Wurster of the Ludwigshafen Military Government, and their chief function was to improve "gasoline quality by dehydrogenation" using the DHD process. Ludwigshafen also refined "30-50 tons/day of crude oil...brought in from Brücksel, near Karlsruhe...to products including lube oils." About 2.5 miles away from Ludwigshafen, an Oppau
plant produced fertizer and up to "800 T/day nitrogen as ammonia and a considerable part of this was exported as liquid ammonia to Hochst, Wolfen and Bittefeld." A separate Oppau plant produced up to 60 T/day of Urea
. Dr. Gogel was head of the "high pressure department" at Oppau. After visiting the Ludwigshafen and Oppau factories from March 25–31 and 27–30 May, in August 1946, a post-war
team published the Report On Investigations by Fuels and Lubricants Teams At The I.G. Farbenindustrie, A. G., Works, Ludwigshafen and Oppau.http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/Bureau_of_Mines/info_circ/ic_7375/ic_7375.htm
Oppau
Oppau may refer to* Ludwigshafen-Oppau, a suburb of Ludwigshafen, Germany** the Oppau explosion which occurred there in 1921* until 1945, Opawa, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
attacked several strategic targets in the area, including targets of the Oil Campaign of World War II
Oil Campaign of World War II
The Allied Oil Campaign of World War II was directed at facilities supplying Nazi Germany with petroleum, oil, and lubrication products...
. Ludwigshafen oil plants were managed by Dr. Wurster of the Ludwigshafen Military Government, and their chief function was to improve "gasoline quality by dehydrogenation" using the DHD process. Ludwigshafen also refined "30-50 tons/day of crude oil...brought in from Brücksel, near Karlsruhe...to products including lube oils." About 2.5 miles away from Ludwigshafen, an Oppau
Oppau explosion
The Oppau explosion occurred on September 21, 1921 when a tower silo storing 4,500 tonnes of a mixture of ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate fertilizer exploded at a BASF plant in Oppau, now part of Ludwigshafen, Germany, killing 500–600 people and injuring about 2,000 more.The plant began...
plant produced fertizer and up to "800 T/day nitrogen as ammonia and a considerable part of this was exported as liquid ammonia to Hochst, Wolfen and Bittefeld." A separate Oppau plant produced up to 60 T/day of Urea
Urea
Urea or carbamide is an organic compound with the chemical formula CO2. The molecule has two —NH2 groups joined by a carbonyl functional group....
. Dr. Gogel was head of the "high pressure department" at Oppau. After visiting the Ludwigshafen and Oppau factories from March 25–31 and 27–30 May, in August 1946, a post-war
Post-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
team published the Report On Investigations by Fuels and Lubricants Teams At The I.G. Farbenindustrie, A. G., Works, Ludwigshafen and Oppau.http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/Bureau_of_Mines/info_circ/ic_7375/ic_7375.htm
| Ludwigshafen and Oppau WWII bombings | ||
| Date | Result | |
|---|---|---|
| The 447th BG bombed the Ludwigshafen "chemical plant".http://users.cybercity.dk/~nmb5433/missions1.html | ||
| The 445th BG, flying B-24's, sent 28 aircraft to bomb the chemical works.http://445bg.org/01-10_thru_01-10.htm | The 447th BG bombed the Ludwigshafen "oil refinery".http://users.cybercity.dk/~nmb5433/missions1.html Of 1,700 bombs dropped, only 127 hit the Farben plant. | |
| The 447th BG bombed Ludwigshafen.http://users.cybercity.dk/~nmb5433/missions1.html | ||
 Mission 576: 41 B-24s bomb the Ludwigshafen "chemical works". |
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| Mission 601: 325 of 345 B-17s bombed the "Ludwigshafen/Opau Oppau Oppau may refer to* Ludwigshafen-Oppau, a suburb of Ludwigshafen, Germany** the Oppau explosion which occurred there in 1921* until 1945, Opawa, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland... " synthetic oil plant. |
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| Mission 605: 277 of 303 B-17s hit a Ludwigshafen "synthetic oil plant". |
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| Mission 611: 348 of 384 B-17s attacked the "Ludwigshafen/Opau oil refinery." |
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| Mission 628: 74 B-17s bombed the "oil refinery" at Ludwigshafen |
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| Mission 644: 147 of 154 dispatched B-17s bombed the "synthetic oil plant at Ludwigshafen/Opau". The Bergius plant at Ludwigshafen was much smaller than the other Bergius process Bergius process The Bergius Process is a method of production of liquid hydrocarbons for use as synthetic fuel by hydrogenation of high-volatile bituminous coal at high temperature and pressure... plants. |
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| Mission 647: B-17s, including those of the 447th BG, bombed the Ludwigshafen/Opau "synthetic oil plant"http://users.cybercity.dk/~nmb5433/missions1.html and the "marshalling yard" at Ludwigshafen. |
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| Mission 650: 214 B-17s bombed the "Ludwigshafen/Opau oil refinery". |
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| Mission 662: 13 of 87 B-17s dispatched to hit the oil refinery at Wesseling bombed a Ludwigshafen target of opportunity. |
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| The 447th BG bombed the Ludwigshafen "oil refinery".http://users.cybercity.dk/~nmb5433/missions1.html | ||
| 1,000 high explosive bombs and 10,000 incendiaries fell within the factory fences, starting 10 large, 30 medium and 200 small fires. Bombs that missed the factory that day ruined 354 residences and dehoused 1,800 people. | ||