Heavily damaged American B-17 bomber (presumably after the German airstrike in June 22, 1944) in Ukraine. Shuttle flight of B-17 American bombers from the territory of the USSR. 169th Air Base special purpose Poltava airfield.
The autumn of 1943 the US asked Joseph Stalin allow heavy bombers of the US Air Force to fly over Soviet territory for the bombing in eastern Germany and the objectives in the Balkans, so they do not go back to England or Italy. In early 1944, the Soviet Union has allocated for this flight three fields in Ukraine in Poltava region: Poltava, Mirgorod and Piryatin (Poltava airfield complex, 169th Airbase of special purpose). Airfields were covered by Soviet air defense aircraft on airfields themselves everything was organized at the highest level.
The German air force followed the actions of American bombers, and on the night of June 22, 1944 she was struck to the airfields in Poltava and Mirgorod. Despite the fact that the Soviet command is assumed to be the course of events and dispersed planes at the edges of aerodromes, as well as provide a strong anti-aircraft fire and cover aerodromes by night fighters, the Germans destroyed and put out of action on the ground 44 American bombers and 15 Soviet aircraft.
Time taken: 22 June 1944Recording location: Poltava, Ukraine, USSR