VIII Fighter Command FO - 33 BOMBER SUPPORT

29 May 1943

Description

A fcombined force of 131 P-47s is despatched to support the bomber formation attacking at Rennes, France. There are no losses and the fighters calim 0-1-0 on enemy aircraft.

Mission Details

SAINT-NAZAIRE

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: Despatched in support of bomber operations but not an escort per-se.

4th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

56th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

From left to right: Captain Walker L. Boone, Flight Officer Manuel S. Martinez and Flight Officer Gerry E. Brasher, pilots of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, sit on the bonnet of a jeep at Duxford air base. Passed for publication 28 October 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Thunderbolts - the "Guardian Angels" of Flying Fortresses. Here are pictures of Thunderbolts P-47s, the famous American fighter planes, which escort Flying Fortresses on their daylight missions over Occupied Europe. Pho

78th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

Mission Statistics

Aircraft sent: 131

Revisions

Date4 Jan 2015 21:49:36

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 4-Jan-2015. Added description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:43:20

ContributorAAM

Changes

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'.