Mission 51

Mission Summaries > April 1944

WEDNESDAY, 12 APRIL 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

Mission 300:

455 bombers and 766 fighters dispatched to bomb industrial targets at Schweinfurt, Zwickau, Oschersleben, Schkeuditz, Halle and Leipzig are forced to abandon the mission because of haze and multilayer clouds; Luftwaffe fighter opposition is concentrated over N France and the bombers claim 10-6-7 fighters; 1 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; and 25 damaged; 5 B-24s are lost*; casualties are 12 KIA, 16 WIA and 56 MIA.

Escort is provided by 124 P-38s, 449 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 193 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claim 18-1-3 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-8 on the ground; 3 P-38s and 2 P-51s are lost, 2 P-47s are damaged beyond repair and 3 P-38s, 17 P-47s and 1 P-51 are damaged; 5 pilots are MIA.

HQ, 353rd Fighter Group moves from Metfield to Raydon, England.

Target: Zwickau, Germany - Zwickau airfield and Fw 190 assembly plant
8th Air Force F.O. No:	300
Aircraft Taking Off:
Aircraft Dispatched:
Aircraft Aborts:
Aircraft Over Primary:
Aircraft Over Secondary:
Aircraft Over Last Resort:
Aircraft Bomb Load:
Group Bomb Load:
Results:
Tactical Mission Report:	Mission Data: Date: 12 Apr 44 Primary Target: Zwickau Aviation Industry and Airfield Secondary Target: Oschersleben Last Resort Target: Any military target in Germany Units Participating: Narrative: The target for the day for the 445th Bomb Group was the industrial complex at Zwickau (primary) and Oschersleben (secondary). The bomber force was plagued by clouds and contrails starting with assembly over England and continuing over the English Channel and on into occupied France and Belgium. The decision was made to abandon the mission. The 445th descended to 16,000 ft. and turned back to head home. At that point, a thin layer of clouds separated the 445th from their fighter cover. A force of 40-50 Fw 190s savaged the formation until driven off by the P-47 escorts. Five aircraft were lost, and the remainder suffered significant battle damage. It took 15 minutes for the escorting fighters to drive of the German fighters.
Losses: MACR #3828 MACR #3829 MACR #3831 MACR #3833 MACR#4057
Note:

Zwickau airfield and Fw 190 assembly plant