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VIII Fighter Command

12 August 1942

Official description

31st Fighter Group at Westhampnett is declared fully operational and ready for combat operations under RAF control until it gains enough experience to be able to fight as a group. This is first US fighter unit in UK to reach this operational status.

Description

13 Spitfire Mk V from 31st Fighter Group are despateched on a feint Rodeo, a fighter sweep over enemy territory, in a wide loop over Clacton/Dunkirk/Calaise and Dover.

Mission details

1. CLACTON / DOVER / DUNKIRK / CALAIS

Description

FEINT RODEO

Aircraft type

Spitfire

Notes

A feint "Rodeo" over French coast. No losses, claims or casualties. The 31st Fighter Group is declared fully operational and ready for combat operations under RAF control until it gains enough experience to fight effectively as a group.

Units

  • 31st Fighter Group

    31st Fighter Group

    Group
    The 31st Fighter Group only flew missions from England between June and September 1942 but during this period they supported the Dieppe raid, the assault on occupied Europe, predominantly by the Canadian army. The attack was forced into early retreat...

Mission Statistics

Number of aircraft Sent 13

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
20 November 2020 20:14:05 jmoore43 Changes to description
Sources

Capitalized "Dunkirk".
Date Contributor Update
18 September 2018 11:16:01 Emily Changes to official description
Sources

THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by Carter / Mueller, the Office of Air Force History,
Date Contributor Update
19 October 2014 18:31:13 Lee8thbuff Changes to name and description
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Oct-2014, Mission description based on "Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. For more information on RAF mission codes see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_RAF_code_names
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:43:14 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.

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