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TUESDAY, 29 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 70:
108 B-17's are dispatched against
the air depot at Villacoublay, France and another 40 against the
airfield
at Tricqueville, France; neither groups hit the target due to heavy
cloud
cover and return to base; they claim 0-3-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 14
B-17's
are damaged. Another 84 B-17's are dispatched against the aeroengine
works
at Le Mans, France; 76 hit the target between 1959 and 2003 hours
local.
Both of the 2 YB-40's dispatched as escorts are forced to abort. The
lack
of success of the YB-40's in this and previous missions in Jun 43
convinces Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker, Commanding General Eighth
Air
Force, that if the escort bomber is to succeed it must be able to
carry
bombs and must be endowed with the same flight performance as the
B-l7.
The 548th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 385th Bombardment Group
(Heavy)
arrives at Great Ashfield, England from the US with B-17's. The
squadron
will fly it's first mission on 17 Jul 43.
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