VIII Fighter Command SHIPPING PATROL
1 April 1943Description
4th Fighter Group despatches 14 Spitfires on a patrol for enemy shipping. This is the last time that VIII Fighter Command will use Spitfires in the fighter role. American pilots have flown 2,667 sorties in the Spitfire with losses of 17 aircraft and 13 pilots. VIII Support Command will continue to use Spitfires for photo and weather reconnaisance.
Mission Details
Description: SHIPPING PATROL
Aircraft Type: Spitfire
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 14
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 28-Dec-2014. Added Spitfire sorties and losses to description based on my own research information collection.
Lee Cunningham 28-Dec-2014. Corrected number despatched in even statistics.
Lee Cunningham 28-Dec-2014. Description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.
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'.