8th Air Force FO 257 IX FC BOMBER ESCORT
2 March 1944Description
47 P-51s from IX Fighter Command are despatched at part of the escort for bombers attacking the railroad marshalling yards at Frankfurt, Germany. Freeman indicates 1 FTR from this element, but this loss could not be confirmed. 1 aircraft was Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) when it ran out of petrol and crashed upon approach to Boxted - 1RTD. 2 other aircraft are damaged. The fighters in this element claim 2-0-0 of German aircraft on the ground.
Mission Details
Frankfurt, Germany
Description: FIGHTER ESCORT
Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Notes: 354th Fighter Group (IX Fighter Command) is the only unit providing P-51s to this escort and they claim two on the ground.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- People returned to duty: 1
- Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 2
- Aircraft sent: 47
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 2
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Blitzing Betsy
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2016. Completed statistics confrimed from "The Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey. MBE
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2016. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. DBR confirmed from "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
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'.