VIII Bomber Command 3
20 August 1942Official Description
Principle of coordinated day and night bombing receive its first formal definition in ‘Joint British/American Directive on Day Bomber Operations involving Fighter Cooperation.’ Emphasis is placed on achieving continuity in bombing offensive from UK. 11 Heavy Bombers attack Longeau Marshalling Yard at Amiens, a vital point in the traffic flow between France and Germany.
Description
Bombers from 97BG are despatched to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Amiens/Longeau, France. 12 Spitfires from 31st Fighter Group provide escort. 31st Fighter Group also despatches Spitfires on diversions and for an RAF Lysander on Air Sea Rescue (ASR) duties.
Mission Details
Description: FIGHTER DIVERSION
Aircraft Type: Spitfire
Notes: A diversion sweep.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 12
Description: FIGHTER DIVERSION
Aircraft Type: Spitfire
Notes: A diversion with RAF Defiants.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 12
Description: FIGHTER DIVERSION
Aircraft Type: Spitfire
Notes: Diversion
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 11
Description: FIGHTER ESCORT
Aircraft Type: Spitfire
Notes: 12 Spitfires escort the bombers.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 12
Description: FIGHTER ESCORT
Aircraft Type: Spitfire
Notes: Escort for an RAF Lysander on Air Sea Rescue duties.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 2
AMIENS/ LONGEAU
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Railroad marshalling yards at Amiens, France are attacked.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 23.00
- Aircraft sent: 12
- Aircraft effective: 11
Revisions
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by Carter / Mueller, the Office of Air Force History,
Lee Cunningham 25-Oct-2014. Mission description based on "USAAF Combat Chronology" Jack McKillop http://www.usaaf.net/chron/index.htm
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'.