I was reading some information about the Soviet Yak-9 fighter of World War Two. The last model had decent range and did some bomber escort duty for USAAF bombers that participated in shuttle missions!
In one mission, B-24 Liberators flew a shuttle mission to the Soviet Union and the next day the B-24’s flew from their Soviet base to the Romanian oil fields back to their Soviet base. This sort of stuff kept the German Air Defense spread out and confused.
I have only encountered one instance of the USA and USSR working together in this fashion, does anyone else have any information?
Adrian
By: crobato - 13th October 2004 at 00:01
You got the wrong AFM forum. Try Historic Aviation before the mods decide to move it.
By: Flanker_man - 6th October 2004 at 12:22
Some of the B-17’s and B-24’s ‘left behind’ on these raids saw service with the Soviet VVS.
The B-24 was particularly useful towards the end of the war – because it enabled pilots to train on a nosewheel-equipped bomber in preparation for the Tu-4 (Soviet reverse-engineered B-29).
Ken
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th October 2004 at 10:12
and I think the escorting occured when they flew home after their raids, for at least part of the way home anyway.
I think the escort would have occured as soon as they got within range of the Russian aircraft and ended when they flew return missions and left Yak-9 range. (Note probably Yak-9DD)
By: GDL - 5th October 2004 at 10:14
Those raids were over the Romanian oilfileds and then on into Russia as well, and I think the escorting occured when they flew home after their raids, for at least part of the way home anyway.
By: Dog House Ldr. - 5th October 2004 at 01:03
I believe that some alternate airfields were in Russia. USAAF used Russian airbases as landing fields after deep penetration strikes over Germany. Maybe that would explain YAK-9’s escorting B-24’s.
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October 5, 2004 at 12:03 am