Description

This fighter operation is composed of two elements: The first element is a combined force of 428 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to provide escrot to heavy bombers attacking at Brunswick, Germany. First element despatch summary follows:



A force of 50 P-38s from 364FG are despatched. 2 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 1KIA 1POW. 2 aircraft are Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in crashes and abandonments - 1KIA 1RTD. The fighters in this element claim 2-0-1 of attacking German aircraft. There are no other losses, casualties or claims.



A combined force of 242 P-47s from 56FG; 352FG; 353FG; 356FG and 359FG are despatched. 1 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR), down in the Norht Sea - 1RTD (rescued by ASR). 1 aircraft is Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in a crash landing upon return - 1KIA. 8 aircraft are damaged. 1 airmen in a returning aircraft is WIA. Claims on enemy aircraft made by this element and that of the P-51 element were combined in the source data as: 44-4-13 in the air and 13-7-14 on the ground.



A combined force ot 136 P-51s are despatched. 8th Air Force: 4FG; 355FG and 357FG. These are joined by others from IX Figher Command 354FG. 9 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) all from 8th AF units - 5KIA 3POW 1RTD (rescued by ASR). 3 aircraft are damaged. 1 airman in a returning aircraft is WIA. The fighter claims of this element were combined with (and stated in the statistics of) the P-47 element. There are no other losses, casualties or claims.



The second element is a force of 37 P-47s from 361FG despatched to escort the B-24s of 2nd Air Division in their attack on the V-Weapon site at Watten, France. There are no losses, casualties or claims in this element.