Official description
Not yet known
Description
This mission is composed of two elements. The first element is a force of 39 P-38s despatched to fly fighter sweeps over the Dutch islands. There are no losses or claims.
The second element is a combined force of 132 P-47s from: 352FG; 355FG; and 356FG despatched to assist the P-38s in conducting a fighter swep over the Dutch islands. There are no losses or claims.
Mission details
1. DUTCH ISLANDS
Description
FIGHTER SWEEP
Aircraft type
P-38 Lightning
Notes
Fighter sweep over Dutch islands.
Units
-
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...
Mission Statistics
Number of aircraft Sent |
39 |
2. DUTCH ISLANDS
Description
FIGHTER SWEEP
Aircraft type
P-47 Thunderbolt
Notes
Fighter sweep over Dutch islands.
Units
-
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
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...
Mission Statistics
Number of aircraft Sent |
132 |