21 Jun 1944

Germany
  • 145 B-17s began an Operation Frantic shuttle bombing mission between the United Kingdom and bases in Ukraine. 72 P-38s, 38 P-47s and 57 P-51s escorted the bombers to the target, the synthetic oil plant at Ruhland, Germany. 123 B-17s bombed the primary target while the rest bombed secondary targets. The fighter escort returned to England while fighters based at Pyriatyn, Ukraine relieved them. 1 B-17 was lost to unknown causes and 144 B-17s landed in the USSR, 73 at Poltava and the rest at Myrhorod. During the night, the 73 B-17s at Poltava were attacked for 2 hours by an estimated 75 German bombers led by aircraft dropping flares. 47 B-17s were destroyed and most of the rest were severely damaged. Heavy damage was also suffered by the stores of fuel, ammunition, and ordinance. ww2dbase [B-17 Flying Fortress | P-51 Mustang | Operation Frantic | Ruhland | DS]
24 Aug 1944

Photo(s) dated 24 Aug 1944
Aerial photo for bomb damage assessment on the synthetic oil factory at Ruhland, Germany following an Operation Frantic bombing strike on 21 Jun 1944 (24 Aug 1944 photo).

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




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Major Alfons Kotowski (standing on gun), Adolf Pilch (right of photograph, with mustache), Lech Zabierek (next to Pilch, back facing camera), and others of Polish resistance Kampinos Regiment with a captured German 2 cm FlaK 38 gun during the Warsaw Uprising, Poland, Sep 1944

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