VIII Bomber Command PRACTICE MISSION

24 September 1943

Description

This operation was flown by B-17s from 3rd Bomb Division as a practice mission to test PFF equipment. Number of aircraft despatched not in available source data. 1 B-17 from 100BG is damaged and forced to ditch into the North Sea. 5KIA 5RTD (Rescued by ASR)

Mission Details

STUTTGART

Description: PATH FINDER PRACTICE MISSION

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: This is a practice mission by B-17s from 3rd Bomb Division to test Pathfinder (PFF) equipment and techniques. This mission was intercepted by enemy aircraft over the North Sea. One B-17 from 100th Bomb Group was shot down. Another 3rd Bomb Division B-17 carrying staff officers was attacked but managed to escape into cloud cover.

The insignia of the 95th Bomb Group.

95th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group.

96th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 0.00
  • Aircraft missing in action: 1

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Revisions

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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'.