Operation Frantic - Operations

Operations

A photographic reconnaissance detachment with a handful of F-5 Lightnings was sent to operate local flights from Poltava in late May, and a "triangular trade" in reconnaissance operations using Italy, Ukraine, and England preceded the bombing runs and also ran concurrently with them over the summer. These flights were conducted by units of the 325th Reconnaissance Wing, commanded by Colonel Roosevelt.

After much preparation at the three Ukrainian airfields by advance elements of Headquarters, Eastern Command USAAF and Air Transport Command, the first shuttle mission ("Frantic-Joe") was conducted by Fifteenth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses and their P-51 Mustang fighter escorts taking off from airfields around Foggia, Italy, raiding the railroad marshalling yards at Debrecen, Hungary, and then flying on to the Ukraine.

• First Shuttle Mission (Fifteenth Air Force)

2 June 1944

130 B-17s, escorted by 70 P-51 Mustangs, bombed the marshaling yard 47°31′10″N 021°37′41″E / 47.51944°N 21.62806°E / 47.51944; 21.62806 at Debrecen, Hungary and landed in the USSR, the B-17s at Poltava and Mirgorod and the P-51s at Piriatyn. One B-17F (42-30319, 97th BG, 414th BS) lost over the target; 27 other B-17s, forced off course en route to the Oradea, Romania marshaling yard, also hit Debrecen.

6 June 1944

104 B-17s and 42 P-51 Mustangs (having flown to the USSR from Italy on 2 June) attacked the airfield at Galați, Romania and return to their shuttle bases in the USSR. Eight enemy fighters are shot down and two P-51Bs (42-103369, 42-103432, 325th FG, 318th FS) are lost.

11 June 1944

126 B-17s and 60 P-51s departed Russian shuttle bases for Italy to complete FRANTIC-1. On the way, 121 B-17s bombed the Focşani, Romania airfield 45°46′29″N 027°11′31″E / 45.77472°N 27.19194°E / 45.77472; 27.19194. One B-17F (42-3383, 97 BG) lost.

• Second Shuttle Mission (Eighth Air Force)

After the first shuttle mission, the consensus was that operations had been highly successful, and a joint atmosphere of celebration and high spirits reigned at Poltava. The second shuttle raid assigned Eighth Air Force B-17s to attack synthetic oil facilities near Berlin on the way to the Ukraine.

21 June 1944

145 of 163 B-17s opened shuttle bombing between the United Kingdom and the USSR. 72 P-38 Lightnings, 38 P-47 Thunderbolts and 57 P-51 Mustangs escorted the B-17s to the target ( synthetic oil plant 51°29′00″N 013°53′36″E / 51.4833333°N 13.89333°E / 51.4833333; 13.89333 at Ruhland, Germany ); 123 B-17s bombed the primary target, 21 bombed the marshaling yard 51°27′32″N 013°30′57″E / 51.45889°N 13.51583°E / 51.45889; 13.51583 at Elsterwerda and a lone B-17 bombed the marshaling yard 51°18′34″N 013°16′46″E / 51.30944°N 13.27944°E / 51.30944; 13.27944 at Riesa, Germany, owing to a bomb rack malfunction. 4th Fighter Group P-51s accompanied the B-17s to the USSR (including 486 Squadron "borrowed" from the 352nd FG). 20 to 30 Luftwaffe fighters attack the force; in the resulting battle a P-51B (43-6784, 4th FG, 335th FS) and six German fighters are destroyed; an F model B-17 42-3490, 385th Bombardment Group, 549th Bomb Squadron piloted by Matthew Totter was damaged by Flak and lost three engines. It flew to Sweden, was interned and later converted to SE-BAN, a Swedish airliner. 144 B-17s landed in the USSR, 73 at Poltava, and the rest at Mirgorod; the 64 remaining P-51s landed at Piriatyn.

What was unknown at the time is that after the raid on Ruhland, the attacking B-17s were being shadowed from a distance by a Luftwaffe Heinkel He-111 bomber, which identified the Ukrainian airfields where they landed. Other sources indicate that the Germans were already aware of the locations and had assembled a strike force at Minsk in anticipation.

On the night of 21 June, the Combat Wing of B-17s which earlier landed at Poltava sustained severe losses in a German air attack. Personnel were alerted at approximately 2330 hours when it was announced that German bombers had crossed the front lines in the general direction of Poltava. At 0030 hours, Pathfinder aircraft released flares directly above the airfield and ten minutes later the first bombs were dropped. For almost two hours, an estimated 75 Luftwaffe bombers attacked the base, exhibiting a very high degree of accuracy. Nearly all bombs were dropped in the dispersal area of the landing ground where only B-17s were parked, indicating without question that the B-17s constituted the specific objective of the raiders.

Of the 73 B-17s which had landed at Poltava, 47 were destroyed and most of the remainder severely damaged. One American B-17 copilot, Joseph Lukacek, was killed. His captain, Raymond Estele, was severely wounded and died later; several others suffered minor injuries. The stores of fuel and ammunition brought so laboriously from the United States were also destroyed. Three days after the attack, only nine of the 73 aircraft at Poltava were operational. The truck-mounted 50-caliber machine guns that the Soviet high command insisted would be adequate had no effect on the Luftwaffe, as no aircraft were shot down or disabled. Also, Russian and American fighter aircraft were not allowed to take off (by Soviet high-command) to engage the Luftwaffe during this attack; the reason for this is unclear.

American personnel losses were light due to adequate warning and the network of slit trenches distant from the aircraft parking area. Russian losses were much higher since work crews were ordered to fight fires and disable anti-personnel bombs while the raid was ongoing. Butterfly bombs continued to explode on the field for many weeks thereafter. Red Air Force losses included 15 Yak-9s, 6 Yak-7s, three trainers, a Hawker Hurricane, and a VIP DC-3. Soviet anti-aircraft fire was intense but random, and perversely served to outline the field for the German aircraft. There are conflicting reports about whether Soviet aircraft engaged the enemy, but since there was no radar intercept capability, even American fighters would have been ineffective.

The well-planned German attack was led by Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Antrup of KG 55 and carried out by He-111Hs and Ju-88s of KG 4, KG 53, KG 55, and KG 27 operating from bases at Minsk. The operation was nicknamed Zaunkoenig. After the He-111s left, the Ju-88s strafed the field at low altitude. He-177s from Night Reconnaissance Squadrons performed target reconnaissance, pathfinder duties and bomb damage assessment. There were no German losses.

22 June 1944

Flyable B-17s at Mirgorod and P-51s at Piriatyn were flown to Soviet air bases farther east in anticipation of further attacks; they were to be returned and dispatched to bases in Italy as soon as the weather permitted. This saved many aircraft, as German bombers struck both Piriatyn and Mirgorod during the nights of 22 and 23 June. Piryatin had very short runways and had no fuel or munitions for the aircraft. The Germans missed Piryatin while fuel and ammunition stores at Mirgorod were hit. Air Transport Command ferried the now-excess aircrews back to the UK via Mehrabad Airport, Tehran, Iran.

26 June 1944

Losses and damage sustained from the Luftwaffe bomber attack on Poltava and damage suffered on route to Russia had reduced the number of operational B-17s to a total of 73. All available aircraft were formed into one composite Combat Wing of three groups for the execution of the return mission to Italy. The aircraft at the dispersal airfields were flown back to Myrhorod and Poltava for servicing, rearming and refueling. This delayed the take-off times to mid-afternoon, which meant that the aircraft would not arrive in Italy until the early evening twilight. The B-17s rendezvous with 55 P-51s from Pyriatyn, bomb the oil refinery and marshaling yard 49°20′18″N 023°29′07″E / 49.33833°N 23.48528°E / 49.33833; 23.48528 at Drohobycz, Poland (one returns to the USSR because of mechanical trouble), and then proceed to Italy; Fifteenth Air Force P-51s meet the formation one hour after the attack and escort the B-17s to Foggia. It was planned for the Eighth Air Force aircraft to return to bases in England on 27 June or as soon thereafter as weather conditions permitted, but unfavorable forecasts persisted. During this period the B-17s participated in one Fifteenth Air Force mission and the P-51s in two missions.

2 July 1944

The Eighth Air Force P-51 Group joined with other Fifteenth Air Force fighters in escorting 509 heavy bombers on a mission to three objectives in the Budapest, Hungary area; a marshaling yard 47°27′56″N 019°05′37″E / 47.46556°N 19.09361°E / 47.46556; 19.09361 (253 aircraft); Vecses Airfield 47°26′02″N 019°15′33″E / 47.43389°N 19.25917°E / 47.43389; 19.25917 (142 aircraft) and the Shell Oil Refinery 47°26′23″N 019°03′43″E / 47.43972°N 19.06194°E / 47.43972; 19.06194 (114 aircraft). The P-51s preceded the bombers and conducted a free-lance sweep in the target area. Aggressive enemy opposition was encountered and 4 P-51s were lost in combat and one other P-51 failed to return. USAAF bombers and fighters claim 50+ fighters shot down.

3 July 1944

Fifty-Seven Eighth Air Force B-17s were dispatched, escorted by the P-51 Mustang group (38 aircraft) in conjunction with 44 Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers, attacking a marshaling yard and railway shops 46°11′39″N 021°19′21″E / 46.19417°N 21.3225°E / 46.19417; 21.3225 at Arad, Romania.

5 July 1944

72 Eighth Air Force B-17s complete the shuttle mission (UK-USSR-Italy-UK) and attack a marshaling yard 43°19′49″N 003°14′15″E / 43.33028°N 3.2375°E / 43.33028; 3.2375 at Béziers, France (with Fifteenth Air Force B-24s) while on the last leg from Italy to the UK; 42 P-51s return to the UK with the B-17s (of the 11 P-51s remaining in Italy, ten return to the UK the following day and the last several days later)

After the Poltava disaster, the USAAF wanted to move the P-61 Black Widow-equipped 427th Night Fighter Squadron to Poltava to provide radar-enabled night air defense over the fields. However, the Soviets vetoed this plan, insisting that air defense was their responsibility. The P-61s were diverted to Italy. The shuttle bombing missions were not abandoned for the moment, but they were suspended until the mess on the ground could be cleaned up and the defenses of the airbases improved. Realizing that the Soviets could not adequately protect the heavy bombers from night raids, the Americans abandoned plans to permanently station three heavy bomber groups on Soviet airfields.

Because of the loss of fuel and the inability to protect the force, the next Frantic missions were composed of long-range fighters.

• Third Shuttle Mission (Fifteenth Air Force)

To keep the project alive, Fifteenth Air Force next shuttled P-38 and P-51 fighters to the Soviet Union in late July.

22 July 1944

76 P-38s and 58 P-51s begin the second Fifteenth Air Force shuttle mission, attacking airfields at Zilistea (Jiliste) 45°34′23″N 027°09′43″E / 45.57306°N 27.16194°E / 45.57306; 27.16194 and Buzău, Romania 45°12′59″N 026°58′42″E / 45.21639°N 26.97833°E / 45.21639; 26.97833 and landing at bases in the USSR.

25 July 1944

Operating from USSR bases, 34 P-51s and 33 P-38s attack the airfield 50°19′20″N 021°27′24″E / 50.32222°N 21.45667°E / 50.32222; 21.45667 at Mielec, Poland and return to the USSR. Mielec was the site of the PZL aircraft factory.

26 July 1944

Fighters leave USSR bases, strafe enemy aircraft in the Bucharest–Ploiești, Romania area, and return to bases in Italy.

• Fourth Shuttle Mission (Fifteenth Air Force)

4 August 1944

In an attempt to comply with the first direct Soviet request for USAAF air strikes, 70+ P-38s and P-51s of the Fifteenth Air Force leave Italy, attack the airfield 45°41′59″N 027°07′56″E / 45.69972°N 27.13222°E / 45.69972; 27.13222 and town of Focşani, Romania and land at bases in the USSR.

6 August 1944

60 fighters of the USAAF Fifteenth Air Force take off from bases in the USSR, attack the Craiova marshaling yard 44°20′22″N 023°47′25″E / 44.33944°N 23.79028°E / 44.33944; 23.79028 and other railroad targets in the Bucharest–Ploiești, Romania area, and land at Italian bases.

After balancing losses and battle damage against the value of the targets, U.S. military leaders at the Soviet bases discontinue the fighter-bomber operations.

• Fifth Shuttle Mission (Eighth Air Force)

6 August 1944

75 B-17s hit Rahmel aircraft factories 54°34′50″N 018°31′53″E / 54.58056°N 18.53139°E / 54.58056; 18.53139 at Gotenhafen (Gdynia), and proceed to the USSR. Escort is provided by 154 P-51s.

7 August 1944

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; the aircraft return to bases in the USSR.

12 August 1944

The second shuttle-bombing mission flown by Eighth Air Force from UK-USSR-Italy-UK is completed, with all aircraft flying to Fifteenth Air Force bases in Southern Italy.

13 August 1944

72 B-17s take off from Fifteenth Air Force bases in Italy; three have various problems, the others bomb Francazal Airfield, 43°32′39″N 001°22′04″E / 43.54417°N 1.36778°E / 43.54417; 1.36778, just south of Toulouse, France and then proceed to the UK. 62 P-51 Mustangs (part of the shuttle-mission force) and 43 from the UK provide escort. No aircraft are lost; 70 B-17s and 58 P-51s land in the UK, five B-17s and six P-51s, either left in Italy or returning there during this mission, subsequently return to the UK.

During this period, the United States at the highest level urgently requested the use of the Soviet bases for air support and supply of the ongoing Polish Home Army uprising in Warsaw. However, until the Poles had already been substantially crushed, Stalin refused all assistance and vetoed these missions. This caused a crisis in Soviet-American relations and changed U.S. perceptions of Soviet war aims among both military officers and diplomats.

• Sixth Shuttle Mission (Eighth Air Force)

11 September 1944

75 Eighth Air Force B-17s bomb oil refineries 50°21′22″N 012°55′24″E / 50.35611°N 12.92333°E / 50.35611; 12.92333 at Chemnitz, Germany, with escort of 64 P-51 Mustangs, fly on and land in the USSR.

13 September 1944

73 B-17s, escorted by 63 P-51s, continuing the UK-USSR-Italy-UK shuttle-bombing mission, take off from USSR bases, bomb steel and armament works 48°05′31″N 020°43′03″E / 48.09194°N 20.7175°E / 48.09194; 20.7175 at Diósgyőr, Hungary and proceed to US Fifteenth Air Force bases in Italy.

15 September 1944

Eighth Air Force in England dispatches 110 B-17s to drop supplies to the Warsaw Uprising Polish Home Army and then proceed to bases in the USSR. However, a weather front is encountered over the North Sea and the bombers are recalled to England. Escort is provided by 149 P-51 Mustangs; two P-51s (42-106783, 43-24842, 363d FS) collide in a cloud and are lost.

17 September 1944

Shuttle mission is completed as 72 US Eighth Air Force B-17s and 59 P-51s fly without bombs from Italy to the UK.

• Seventh Shuttle Mission (Eighth Air Force)

18 September 1944

After turning back due to bad weather on 15 September, the last Eighth Air Force UK-USSR-Italy-UK mission sends 107 B-17s to supply the Polish Home Army in Warsaw with 1,248 para-dropped containers. Fewer than 250 are on target for pick-up by the remaining Polish pockets. One B-17 is lost (43-38175 390th BG 568th BS). Escort is provided by 137 P-51s; 64 P-51s continue to the USSR, two P-51s are lost (42-26386, 44-19735, 355th FG 386th/368th FS).

19 September 1944

100 B-17s and 61 P-51s take off from bases in the USSR, bomb the marshaling yard 47°10′55″N 020°10′25″E / 47.18194°N 20.17361°E / 47.18194; 20.17361 at Szolnok, Hungary, and continue to bases in Italy. Aircraft remain in Italy due to bad weather until 23 September, when they reposition to the UK.