The First Frantic
Text: Jan Bobek
Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz
Cat. No. 82107
During the so-called "Shuttle" missions, using bases in the USSR, the US Air Force hit a total of 24 strategic Axis targets from June to September 1944. The first Shuttle Mission, designated Frantic 1, was scheduled for June 2, 1944. It deployed 130 B-17 bombers and 70 P-51s from the 15th Air Force based in Italy. One of the fighter units chosen for the mission was the 325th FG "Checkertails." Its commander, Col. Sluder, later recalled that the preparation for the mission was top secret, and only five officers from his unit knew about it. His unit had flown Mustangs in combat for the first time on May 27, 1944, so this was still a completely new aircraft to his men. Additionally, ground personnel had to be transported to the Soviet Union. The mechanics received new uniforms and boarded B-17 bombers from the 2nd BG. They were convinced they were flying to the UK or even home. When they learned during the flight where they were actually going, many were shocked. On board one of the bombers was Gen. Ira Eaker, commander of the Allied air forces in the Mediterranean.
The mission of June 2, 1944, was not just a flyover of enemy territory, its objective was the railway station in Debrecen, Hungary. Eaker placed great emphasis on keeping the fighter escorts close to the bombers, which were carrying more valuable cargo than usual. Only one B-17 was lost after being hit by flak. The bombers then landed at Poltava in Ukraine, and the "Checkertail Clan" eventually found Pyriatyn airfield, located a little further west, after some navigational difficulties. Soviets and American personnel were waiting for them at the scene, having prepared conditions for maintenance and operations.
The Soviets did not allow photographs of the bases to be taken back to the West, but the Americans smuggled a few films out. Soviets provided plenty of food, drink, and singing performances. The female soldiers were initially shy about dancing with the Americans, but after the Soviet commander ordered the ladies to dance, that part of the program was filled as well. From the American side, fighter pilot Bob Barkey had quite a success with his tenor.
On June 6, 1944, the command of the 15th Air Force planned a strike against targets in the Balkans from two directions. The refinery at Ploiești was attacked from Italy by 310 Liberators with fighter escorts, which attracted most of the Axis fighter units in Romania. Other raids from Italian bases targeted Brașov, Pitești, Turnu Severin, and Belgrade in occupied Yugoslavia.
From the east, 104 B-17 crews from the Poltava base and 42 Mustangs from the 352nd Fighter Group flew over Romania. Their destination was Galați airfield in eastern Romania. They managed to hit the airfield due to good visibility, and none of the bombers were shot down. Although enemy fighters were spotted by the Flying Fortress crews, the enemy fighters were so far away that the Americans were unsure of their identification. The formation then returned to Poltava, and after landing, the crews learned of the commencement of the landings in France.
The fighter escort experienced a slightly different situation. Americans clashed with Romanian Bf 109 G-6s from the elite Grupul 9 vânătoare. The Americans claimed six downed fighters and one Ju 88. One of the victories was scored by the aforementioned 1/Lt. Barkey, whose aircraft is depicted on Piotr Forkasiewicz's boxart. The Romanians machines were only damaged and several of them made emergency landings after the battle. They did, however, manage to shoot down two Mustangs. Lt. Donald J. MacDonald was captured and Lt. John D. Mumford was missing. Moreover the P-51 of 2/Lt. Barrie Davis was severely damaged by Romanian fighter ace Lt. av. Ion Dobran. Wounded Davis managed to make it to Mirgorod, Ukraine without a canopy and with severely damaged tail surfaces. He received the first Purple Heart for a combat mission from Soviet territory. Ion Dobran was forced to make an emergency landing with his damaged Bf 109 when he came under fire from 1/Lt. Wayne Lowry. Details of this engagement can be found, for example, in the Osprey publication "Rumanian Aces of World War 2" by Dénes Bernád.
Operation Frantic 1 was completed on June 11, 1944. On the return of the American crews to Italy, the target was the Romanian airfield of Focșani. The first Shuttle Mission was judged a great success. However, subsequent Frantic missions gradually encountered problems and security risks that contributed to the growing distrust between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union.