Eli5-What happens with drop tanks,debris and spent ammo casings in an aerial battle?

Question

Example:1944:20 000feet over Germany,a few hundred B17 s and escort fighters are attacked by say 50 Luftwaffe aircraft. Drop tanks are dropped,most aircraft miss their shots,expended ammo casings is raining down,aircraft are shot up etc. What happens?

In: Other

Answer 1

Just like any other expendable item during a war: they remain wherever they landed until picked up. Folks across Europe are still finding old guns, unexploded ordinance, etc across the continent. Same thing across Africa. You can bet at the DMZ they will NEVER recover every landmine there. These facts are some of the most horrifying facts of war. That years, even decades, after the conflict ends some will still be casualties.