The Northern Neck-Middle Peninsula Chapter of the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society will hold its monthly luncheon program on Thursday, Feb. 15 at the Pilot House Restaurant, adjacent to Hummel Field Airport in Topping.

The program begins at 11:30 a.m. with a meet and greet, a buffet lunch at noon and the program beginning at 12:30. This month’s presentation will include a video of two WWII bombing runs in 1943 from England over Schweinfurt, Germany, to destroy Nazi ball-bearing factory production, with disastrous results for U.S. and British airplanes and crews.

The initial attack in August began with 376 B-17 Flying Fortresses. Sixty B-17s were lost and 90 were damaged, with casualties of seven KIA, 21 wounded, and 557 MIA or POW. The second attack two months later in October began with 291 B-17s. Seventy-seven B-17s were lost and 121 were damaged in this attack, with casualties of 590 KIA, 43 WIA and 65 MIA or POW.

“Come learn about the Allies heavy sobering losses ...