VIII Fighter Command FO-120 BOMBER ESCORT

2 September 1943

Description

A combined force of 182 P-47s from: 4FG; 56FG; 78FG; and 353FG are despatched to escort the B-17 bomber formations that are sent to attck German airfields in NW France. Because the weather hampers boming efforts and most of the formations abort, the fighters conduct fighter sweeps instead. At this time in the air war, fighter escort for bombers was limited beacuse of the ahort range of the P-47 fighter. Even with the addition of drop tanks the range of the fighters was still limited. The fighters were instructed to stay with the bombers in primarily a defensive mode. There was some "sweeping" activity ahead of the bomber stream but very limited. It would still be a long time (March 1944) before fighters would be employed in a "search and destroy", offensive, capacity. 3 P-47s Failed to Return (FTR)-2KIA 1POW. Freeman lists one P-47 as a Category E (Damaged Beyond Repair) associated with this mission but further information was discovered by Bishop & Hey that this loss was associated with a training flight and not related to combat.

Mission Details

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: Fighter escort intended for bombers but carried out fighter sweep instead.

Mission Statistics

  • People killed in action: 2
  • Prisoners of war: 1
  • Aircraft sent: 182
  • Aircraft missing in action: 3
  • Aircraft damaged: 1

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

A P-47 Thunderbolt (LH-T, serial number 42-74665) nicknamed "Fatty Patty II" of the 353rd Fighter Group flown by Captain Charles W Dinse shoots down a BF 110 during a mission. Gun camera image. Printed caption on reverse: '50416 AC - Discovering an Me 110 below him, Capt. Charles W. Dinsa, 304 Touhy Ave., Park Ridge, Ill., dove down and destroyed it. The pictures were taken by his automatic camera as his bullets found their mark. Credit for the kill was shared with Lt. Richard A. Stearns, Jr., 102 Forest
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-665391
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-665556
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 334th Fighter Squadron 336th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-885233
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-661401
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 29-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
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'.