70 years ago today 17 September 1944 - From the 8th AF Historical Society database and The Mighty Eighth War Diary by Roger A. Freeman. The UK-USSR-Italy-UK shuttle mission (Operations FRANTIC) initiated 11 September is completed as 72 B-17s (96BG & 452BG) and 59 P-51s (20FG) returned without bombs from Italy to the UK; 2 B-17s and a P-51 abort and a P-51 crash lands due to malfunction SW of Paris; 70 B-17s 57 P-51s land safely in the UK. Mission 637: 875 B-17s are dispatched to bomb 117 flak batteries and installations and an airfield in support of airborne landings in the Netherlands; 815 B-17s attack the primaries and 6 hit Eisenach; 2 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 119 damaged; 9 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 15 MIA. Escort is provided by 141 of 153 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA). Bomb Groups participating – all of 1BD and 3BD, except 13th CBW (preparing for next FRANTIC mission); losses were 384BG (1 a/c), 457BG (1 a/c). 503 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s escort aircraft of the First Allied Airborne Army making a parachute and glider drop of 20,000 troops into the Netherlands to secure the axis of advance toward the Zuider Zee for the British Second Army, as part of Operation MARKET-GARDEN, 17-30 Sep; troops dropped are the I Airborne Corps, consisting of the British 1 Airborne Division (with Polish Parachute Brigade) and US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions; the fighters also bomb and strafe flak positions and other ground targets, encountering intense flak and about 30 fighters; they claim 7-0-0 aircraft in the air, 1-0-0 on the ground and the destruction of 107 flak positions; 6 P-47s and 7 P-51s are lost, 3 P-47s and 2 P-51s damaged beyond repair and 41 P-47s and 6 P-51s damaged; 2 pilots are WIA and 11 MIA. Fighter Group e/a credits – 4FG (6 a/c), 356FG (1 a/c), 361FB (1 a/c). Fighter Group losses – 4FG (2 a/c), 55FG (1 a/c), 56FG (1 a/c), 78FG (1 a/c), 353FG (1 a/c), 356FG (3 a/c), 359FG (1 a/c), 361FG (1 a/c), 364FG (2 a/c), 479FG (1 a/c). OTHER OPERATIONS: 7PG dispatched 11 F-5s on PR Holland, France & Germany. 25BG dispatched 10 Mosquitoes on WR Continent, 1 Mosquito to scout for FRANTIC bombers and 2 B-24s WR Atlantic/UK. ASR dispatched 20 P-47s on partols and 2 P-51s also on ASR serch. 1 B-17 8 P-51s, 4 P-47s on radio-relays. 101 B-24s on TRUCKIN mission with fuel to France. 36 BS dispatched 6 B-24s on RCM.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 15:27:56 +0000
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