VIII Fighter Command FO-212 BOMBER ESCORT

4 January 1944

Description

A combined force of 70 P-38s from 20FG & 55 FG are despatched to provide escort to bombers attacking at Kiel, Germany. The P-38 are joined by 42 P-51s despatched by IX Fighter Command 354FG. 20FG sustaines 2 losses - 1KIA 1POW. 1 P-38 from 55FG sustaines engine failure on take off and crashes into a fuel truck on the perimeter track - pilot receives minor injuries but the aircraft is destroyed. 354FG sustaines 1 loss of a P-51 - 1KIA. The fighters claim 1-1-4 of attacking German fighters.



A combined force of 430 P-47s are despatched from 4FG; 56FG; 78FG; 352FG; 353FG; 355FG; 356FG; 358FG; and 359FG to provide escort to B-17s attacking at Munster city, Germany. There are no fighter losses in this element, but 1 aircraft is damaged. P-47s from 78FG strafed a locomotive. The fighters of this element claim 7-0-1 of attacking enemy fighters.

Mission Details

KIEL

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning

Notes: 78th Fighter Group strafed a locomotive in Germany. First use of paddle blade propellers by P-47s of 56th Fighter Group.

Mission Statistics

  • People killed in action: 1
  • People wounded in action: 1
  • Prisoners of war: 1
  • People returned to duty: 1
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 1
  • Aircraft sent: 70
  • Aircraft effective: 1
  • Aircraft missing in action: 2

MUNSTER

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Mission Statistics

  • Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 7
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 2
  • Aircraft sent: 430
  • Aircraft damaged: 1

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT by IX Fighter Command P-51s from 354FG

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang

Notes: A force of 42 P-51s from 354FG (IX FC) is despatched to assist in the escrot of bombers attacking at Kiel, Germany. 1 aircraft is lost - 1 KIA. The P-51 element claims 1-1-3 of attacking enemy aircraft.

Mission Statistics

  • People killed in action: 1
  • Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 1
  • Enemy aircraft probably destroyed by fighter: 1
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 3
  • Aircraft sent: 42
  • Aircraft effective: 42
  • Aircraft missing in action: 1

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Dec-2015. Added P-51 of 354FG (IX FC) element to Mission Events and completed statistics per "The Mighty Eight War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham -1-Dec-2015. Correcting VIII FC claims on enemy aircraft in Kiel element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Dec-2015. Added fighter claims on enemy aircraft to statistics of Munster escort per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" , Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Dec-2015. Added fighter claims on enemy aircraft to statistics of Kiel escort per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Dec-2015. Added P-47 despatch to Detailed Description per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Dec-2015. Added Detailed Description per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey, MBE.

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'.