VIII Fighter Command FO-05 FIGHTER SWEEP

18 April 1943

Description

4th Fighter Group despatches 16 P-47s to perform a fighter sweep of the Nieuport/Dunkirk/Hazebrouck/Sangatte area. There are no losses or claims. The hope of VIII Bomber and Fighter Commands is that the Germans will send up their fighters to take on the Allied fighters. However, the German fighter response to these Allied fighter forays is minimal as the Germans believe that conserving their fighters for attack on bombers is their best course of action.

Mission Details

NIEUWPOORT / DUNKIRK / HAZEBROUCK / SANGATTE

Description: FIGHTER SWEEP

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: Fighter sweep NW French coastal areas.

Mission Statistics

  • Aircraft sent: 16

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 30-Dec-2014. Description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date
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'.