VIII Fighter Command FO-195 FIGHTER/BOMBER MISSION
4 December 1943At 16:15 hrs on December 4, 1943 SX-K, piloted by Lt. Kipfer, was landing at Metfield from the mission and blew a tyre causing the aircraft to nose over. Although Lt. Kipfer was flying the aircraft for the mission, SX-K was assigned and named by Lt. Wilbert H. Juntilla.
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Description
A force of 140 P-47s is despatched from: 56FG; 352FG; and 353FG. 16 P-47s from 353FG dive-bomb the German arifield of Glize-Rijen, Holland. P-47 of 352FG perform a fighter sweep ahead of the attacking force. P-47s from 353FG and 56FG provide escort. The fighters claim 3-0-0 of German aircraft in the air. No information found to describe German aircraft destroyed at the airfield. There are no losses.
Mission Details
GILZE-RIJEN
Description: DIVE-BOMB ATTACK
Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
Notes: 16 P-47s of 353rd Fighter Group dive-bomb Gilze-Rijen Airfield in Belgium while other 353rd Fighter Group and 56th Fighter Group aircraft provide escort. Amount of bombs used not in available record. 352nd Fighter Group carries out a fighter sweep.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: Not determined
- Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 3
- Aircraft sent: 140
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 23-Jun-2015. Added claims on enemy aircraft to statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 23-Jul-2015. Added Mission Narrative 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'.