VIII Fighter Command FO-80 FIGHTER SWEEPS

26 July 1943

Description

129 P-47s from: 4FG; 56FG; and 78FG perform diversionary fighter sweeps in the Rotterdam, Holland area in support of the bombing mission on Hannover and Hamburg, Germany.

Mission Details

ROTTERDAM

Description: FIGHTER SWEEP

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: Diversionary sweep for the Hannover, Germany raid.

4th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

56th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

From left to right: Captain Walker L. Boone, Flight Officer Manuel S. Martinez and Flight Officer Gerry E. Brasher, pilots of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, sit on the bonnet of a jeep at Duxford air base. Passed for publication 28 October 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Thunderbolts - the "Guardian Angels" of Flying Fortresses. Here are pictures of Thunderbolts P-47s, the famous American fighter planes, which escort Flying Fortresses on their daylight missions over Occupied Europe. Pho

78th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

Mission Statistics

Aircraft sent: 126

Revisions

Date9 May 2015 18:39:34

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:43:21

ContributorAAM

Changes

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'.