A little more from that same site:
"The 15th AF encountered the Luftwaffe’s main strength and lost 33 heavy bombers of 176 launched to Regensburg. By contrast, the 8th AF lost a similar number – 31 aircraft – from a far greater number of sorties flown, with bomber strength numbering more than 700. It was another firm indication that unescorted heavy bombers could not hope to carry out their missions without severe casualties – the absence of long-range escorts meant that the 15th AF, unlike the 8th AF, bore the brunt of an opportunistic Luftwaffe which employed to devastating effect the tactics honed during combat in northern Europe, suffering interceptions from up to half a dozen single engine fighters at a time, rocket firing bombers and even air-to-air bombing.
In one raid against Steyr on 24 February, for example, all ten 15th AF B-17s in the rearmost formation were systematically shot down; it was clear that regardless of its gradually sapping strength, the Luftwaffe still posed a threat to the Allied Air Forces and when the opportunity arose, it could still deliver a terrible blow to the heavy bombers and their escorts.
Their contribution cannot be overlooked, for the 15th AF’s raids against Messerschmitt factories and other industrial targets had caused significant destruction and production delay and, to the benefit of the 8th AF, drew the Luftwaffe away from the northern target area. Having been hit hard by ‘Big Week’, the 15th AF withdrew from long-range bomber operations until sufficient escort fighters were available to escort the vulnerable B-17s and B-24s to their targets and back."
Davis' numbers are a bit different - he has a total of 175 15th AF heavies attacking on the 25th, but only 116 of them went to Regensburg, from which, according to him, 32 were lost. The next time the 15th's buffs flew was March 17th.
