U.S. Bombers Trace Pattern Of Battle Four-motored Flying Fortress bombers of the Eighth U.S. Army Air Force leave four-plumed wakes across the sky over Western Europe during a battle with German fighter planes. The single wakes of the attacking German planes criss-cross the bombers' wakes in a tell-tale pattern of battle. During the month of October, U.S. Fortresses and heavy Liberator bombers operating from bases in Britain shot down 784 German planes, probably destroyed 130 and damaged 347 ov