The
second Schweinfurt raid was a
World War II air battle that took place October 14, 1943, over
Germany between forces of the
United States 8th Air Force and German
Luftwaffe's fighter arm (
Jagdwaffe). The aim of the American-led mission was a
strategic bombing raid on
ball bearing factories in order to reduce production of these vital parts for all manner of war machines. This was the second mission attacking the factories at
Schweinfurt. American wartime intelligence claimed the first
Schweinfurt–Regensburg mission in August had reduced bearing production by 34 ut had suffered heavy losses. A planned follow-up raid had to be postponed to rebuild American forces.