11 February 1944
Not yet known
This fighter escort operation is conducted by two separate fighter elements in support of heavy bomber missions attacking at Siracourt, France and Frankfurt, Germany.
The first element is a combined force of 126 fighters of type P-47 and P-51. A combined force of 84 P-47s from: 356FG and IX Fighter Command 362FG provide the actual escort of the heavy bombers attacking the V-Veapon sites around Siracourt, France. These are supported by a force of 41 P-51s from 8th Air Force 357FG, the first P-51 operation by 8th Air Force, who perform a fighter sweep in the Rouen area. There are no losses or claims in this element.
The second element is a combined force of 606 fighters of types: P-38, P-47 and P-51 despatched to escort the heavy bombers attacking at Frankfurt, Germany. Mission summary follows:
A combined force of 82 P-38s from 20FG & 55FG are despatched. 8 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 2KIA 6POW. 2 other aircraft are damaged, The fighters of this force claim 2-2-4 of attacking German aircraft.
A combined force of 486 P-47s are despatched. Included in this despatch are P-47s from IX Fighter Command 358FG (number not stated in source data). 4 aircraft from VIII Fighter Command Failed to Return (FTR) - 3KIA 1POW. 3 aircraft are Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) 2 of these were caused by pilot error on return and 1 was caused by pilot error on take off - 1KIA 2RTD. The fighters in this force claim 14-0-14 of attacking German aircraft in the air and 2-1-4 on the ground.
A force of 38 P-51s from IX Fighter Command 354FG are despatched. 2 Aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 2POW. 1 aircraft with battle damage was Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in a charsh landing upon return - 1RTD. The fighters in this force claim 14-0-10 of attacking German fighters.
FIGHTER ESCORT
P-38 Lightning
IX Fighter Command contributes 38 P-51s to the escort.
Group
In August 1943, the 20th Fighter Group arrived in Clyde, Scotland, before travelling to Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, which was to be their base for the rest of the war. The Group flew 312 missions before their last mission on 25 April 1945. The...
Group
The 55th Fighter Group were the first P-38 Lightning Group to go fully operational from England. The pilots flew long-range escort missions for bombers flying over occupied Europe and racked up 'kills' of their own by destroying enemy aircraft in...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 82 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 8 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 2 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 2 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 6 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Fighter Command | 2 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Fighter Command | 2 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 4 |
FIGHTER ESCORT
P-47 Thunderbolt
A mix of 486 P-47s from (VIII Fighter Command) and 358th Fighter Group (IX Fighter Command) provide escort (mix not detailed in available data). Two P-47 groups failed to locate the bombers on withdrawal. Claims on enemy aircraft include 2-1-4 on the ground.
Group
The 352nd Fighter Group were based at Bodney, Norfolk from July 1943 until November 1945 but in the winter months of 1944/1945 detachments moved to bases in Belgium to provide extra air support to ground forces during the Battle of the Bulge and to...
Group
The 353rd Fighter Group was assigned to the Eighth Air Force on 7 June 1943. The group flew P-47 Thunderbolts, and from October 1944, P-51 Mustangs, as escorts for bombing missions across occupied Europe and to strafe targets on the ground. Tactical...
Group
Where the 353rd Fighter Group had pioneered ground strafing techniques, it was the 355th Fighter Group who destroyed more enemy aircraft by ground strafing than any other Eighth Air Force Group. Based at Steeple Morden from July 1943 to July 1945, the...
Group
The 356th Fighter Group flew 413 missions between 15 October 1943 and 7 May 1945 and suffered the highest ratio of losses to enemy aircraft claims of any Eighth Air Force Group. This gave the Group the reputation of being the 'hard luck' outfit. The...
Group
The 358th Fighter Group flew seventeen missions with the Eighth Air Force from Leiston air base. At the beginning of February 1944 the Group were transferred to the Ninth Air Force in exchange for the 357th Fighter Group. With the Ninth, the Group went...
Group
The 359th Fighter Group flew 346 missions from East Wretham between December 1943 and April 1945. In the main these missions were escorting bombers flying over occupied Europe. The Group, soon after converting from Thunderbolts to Mustangs, were...
Group
The 361st Fighter Group was the last P-47 Thunderbolt Group to join the Eighth Air Force. Between 21 January 1944 and 20 April 1945, the Group flew 441 missions, the majority in an escort role in support of bombers flying over occupied Europe. The...
Group
Some of the pilots of the 4th Fighter Group had seen many hours of combat by the time they joined the 4th Fighter Group as they had volunteered with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Air Force. The three 'Eagle Squadrons' of RAF Fighter...
Group
Flying P-47 Thunderbolts throughout their time stationed in England, the Group, known as "the Wolfpack", had more ace pilots than any other Eighth Air Force Fighter Group. The 56th Fighter Group also destroyed more enemy aircraft in air combat than any...
Group
The 78th Fighter Group was initially based at Goxhill but moved to Duxford in April 1943 and stayed there until October 1945. The 78th FG flew each of the three US built principal fighters of the AAF in the ETO. In their Thundetbolts, the 78th FG ...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 486 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 4 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 3 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 4 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 4 |
| Number of people Evaded | 1 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 2 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Fighter Command | 16 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Fighter Command | 1 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 18 |
FIGHTER SWEEP
P-51 Mustang
357th Fighter Group (P-51) (VIII Fighter Command) flies its first mission. This is the first use of the P-51 by a unit of the 8th Air Force, they carry out a fighter sweep in the Rouen, France area.
Group
The 357th Fighter Group was the first P-51 Mustang Group in the Eighth Air Force, training with them from November 1943 at Raydon, England and entering combat with them in the February of the following year from their new base at Leiston. The Group was...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 41 |
FIGHTER ESCORT
P-47 Thunderbolt
A mix of P-47s from 356th Fighter Group (VIII Fighter Command) and 362nd Fighter Group (IX Fighter Command) provide escort (mix not detailed in available data).
Group
The 356th Fighter Group flew 413 missions between 15 October 1943 and 7 May 1945 and suffered the highest ratio of losses to enemy aircraft claims of any Eighth Air Force Group. This gave the Group the reputation of being the 'hard luck' outfit. The...
| Tonnage dropped | 10.20 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 85 |
BOMBER ESCORT
P-51 Mustang
38 P-51 from IX Fighter Command 354FG join the escort of bombers attacking at Frankfurt.
Group
The Group moved to England in the autumn of 1943 and was assigned to the Ninth Air Force in December 1943. The Group were the first to fly P-51 Mustangs operationally and in their bomber escort missions pushed to find the long-range limits of the...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 38 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 38 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 2 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 1 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Fighter Command | 14 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 10 |
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Robert Sylvester Kinsey Born April 1 1924 in Oklahoma's Osage Indian Reservation in Hominy Oklahoma to Robert S. Kinsey and Olive Forsythe. His father worked for the Train Company in the Oil Fields. Later moved to Atchison Kansas were he married his...
Military | Colonel | Fighter Pilot 1055 single engine/Group Commander | 20th Fighter Group
Attacked by fighters on a bomber escort mission to Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany on 11 February 1944 in P-38J #42-68036. Pilot baled out and a/c crashed near Bry, 5 miles East of Valenciennes, France. Evaded (EVD). Escape & Evasion report E&E 746.
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 07 February 2016 18:45:09 | Lee8thbuff | Created event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added New Mission event for P-51 element from IX Fighter Command per "Losses of the 8th & 9th AIr Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 February 2016 18:39:55 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added ground claims on enemy fighters to P-47 element statistics per "The Moghty Eighth War Dairy", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 February 2016 18:36:55 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cuningham 7-Feb-2016. Added claims on enemy aircraft to P-47 element statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 February 2016 18:35:20 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cuningham 7-Feb-2016. Added claims on enemy aircraft to P-38 element statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 February 2016 18:32:05 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to name and description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added Mission Narrative per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:20 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| 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'. |
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