Research is shaping up...
Hello again,
These are the missions that will be included in the Mini-campaign, as well as a Poltava raid for the Germans.
02/06/44
Fifteenth AF
Shuttle-bombing between Italy and the USSR (Operation FRANTIC) is started. Under command of Lieutenant General Ira C Eaker, 130 B-17s, escorted by 70 P-51s, bomb the marshalling yard at Debreczen, Hungary and land in the Soviet Union-the B-17s at Poltava and Mirgorod, the P-51s at Piryatin. 1 B-17 is lost over the target; 27 other B-17s, forced off course en route to the Oradea, Rumania marshalling yard, also hit Debreczen.
06/06/44
Fifteenth AF
Shuttlebombing (Operation FRANTIC) continues as 104 B-17s and 42 P-51s (having flown to the USSR from Italy on 2 Jun) attack the airfield at Galati, Rumania and return to Soviet shuttle bases; 8 enemy fighters are shot down and 2 P-51s are lost.
06/11/44
Fifteenth AF
126 B-17s and 60 P-51s depart Russian shuttle bases for Italy to complete the first FRANTIC operation. On the way 121 B-17s bomb the Focsani, Rumania airfield; 1 B-17 is lost.
06/21/44
Eighth AF
145 of 163 B-17s begin shuttle bombing missions (Operation FRANTIC) between the UK and bases in the USSR; 72 P-38s, 38 P- (picking up the B-1s near the German coast and escorting them to Stendal) and 57 P-51s escort the B-17s to the target (synthetic oil plant at Ruhland, Germany); 123 B-17s bomb the primary target, 21 bomb Elsteriverda and a lone B-17 bombs Riesa due to a bomb rack malfunction; after the attack, the supporting P-51s are relieved 50 miles (80 km) SE of Poznan, Poland by 65 other P-51s which are to accompany the B-17s to the USSR; 50 miles (80 km) SE of Brest Litovsk 20 to 30 Luftwaffe fighters attack the force; in the resulting battle 1 P-51 and 6 German fighters are destroyed; 1 B-17 is lost (to unknown causes) on the flight; 144 B-17s land in the USSR, 73 at Poltava, and the rest at Mirgorod; the 64 remaining P-51s land at Piryatin; 1 airman is KIA, 5 WIA and 10 MIA.
German note: During the night of 21/22 Jun the 73 B-17s which earlier landed at Poltava are attacked for 2 hours by an estimated 75 German bombers led by aircraft dropping flares; 47 B-17s are destroyed and most of the remainder severely
damaged; heavy damage is also suffered by stores of fuel and ammunition.
22/7/44
In Rumania, 76 P-38s and 58 P-51s begin the second Fifteenth Air Force shuttle missions, attacking airfields at Zilistea and Buzau (claiming the destruction of 56 enemy aircraft) and landing at Operation FRANTIC bases in the USSR;
7/25/44
Fifteenth AF
Operating from USSR Operation FRANTIC bases, 34 P-51s and 33 P-38s attack the airfield at Mielec, Poland and return to the USSR.
7/26/44
Fifteenth AF
Fighters on the second shuttle mission leave USSR Operations FRANTIC bases, strafe enemy aircraft in the Bucharest-Ploesti, Rumania area, and return to bases in Italy.
8/4/44
Fifteenth AF
In an attempt to comply with the first direct Soviet request for AAF air strikes, 70+ P-38s and P-51s leave Italy, attack the airfield and town of Focsani, Rumania and land at Operation FRANTIC bases in the USSR.
8/6/44
Fifteenth AF
60 fighters take off from Operation FRANTIC bases in the USSR, attack Craiova marshalling yard and other railroad targets in the Bucharest-Ploesti, Rumania area, and land at Italian bases.
Eighth AF
In an Operation FRANTIC mission, 75 of 78 B-17s hit Gdynia/Rahmel aircraft factories in Poland and procedes to bases in the USSR; they claim 0-2-2 aircraft; 23 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 154 of 160 P-51s; they claim 7-2-3 aircraft; 4 P-51s are lost and 1 is damaged beyond repair; 1 pilot is KIA and 5 MIA.
8/7/44
Eighth AF
In the USSR, a shuttle mission is flown in accordance with a Soviet request; 55 B-17s and 29 P-51s attack an oil refinery at Trzebina, Poland without loss; P-51s engage 6 to 8 enemy fighters over the target and claim destruction of 3 of them. The aircraft return to Operation FRANTIC bases in the USSR.
8/10/44
Eighth AF
45 P-51s in Italy during an Operation FRANTIC mission are dispatched with Fifteenth Air Force aircraft to escort a troop carrier evacuation mission.
9/11/44
Eighth AF
The Eighth begins another FRANTIC shuttle-bombing mission, as 75 B-17s with 64 P-51s attack the armament plant at Chemnitz, as part of a joint strike force and then continue on to land at USSR bases. 1 P-51 is lost. This FRANTIC mission lasts until 17 Sep and takes the planes from UK to USSR to Italy to UK.
15/09/1944
As part of Operation FRANTIC, 110 B-17s are dispatched to drop supplies to Warsaw patriots and then proceed to bases in the USSR; a weather front is encountered over the North Sea and the bombers are recalled. Escort is provided by 149 of 156
P-51s; 2 P-51s collide in a cloud and are lost.
17/09/1944
The last UK-USSR-Italy-UK shuttle mission (Operations FRANTIC) is completed as 72 B-17s and 59 P-51s fly without bombs from Italy to the UK; 2 B-17s and a P-51 abort and a P-51 crash-lands SW of Paris; 70 B-17s 57 P-51s land safely in the UK.
18/09/1944
In the last Operations FRANTIC mission, 107 of 110 B-17s drop 1,248 containers of supplies to Polish forces in Warsaw; 1 B-17 is lost and 7 damaged. Escort is provided by 137 of 150 P-51s (64 P-51s continue to the USSR), they claim 4-0-0 aircraft in the air and 3-0-6 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).
22/09/1944
The last Operations FRANTIC missions ends as 84 B-17s and 51 P-51s return to the UK from Italy; the remaining aircraft return on 8 Oct.
