USA BOMBERS IN RUSSIA. Operation Titanic: shuttle bombing in the Soviet Union | Upscaled Documentary

American bombers on Russian airfields: shuttle bombing missions in the Soviet Union. A 1944 upscaled documentary. This operation was part of a series of seven shuttle bombings during World War II conducted by American aircraft based in Great Britain and southern Italy, which landed at three Soviet airfields in Ukraine. From there, the planes flew bombing missions en route back to their bases in Italy and Great Britain.
Frantic was meant to open up new German-held areas of Europe to strategic bombing by the United States Army Air Forces, but saw mixed results, with German leadership perceiving the operation as an American propaganda campaign to impress the Soviets. Frantic also highlighted significant tensions between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, which proved both unfamiliar with and unfriendly to hosting foreign aircraft for joint operations. After its seventh bombing mission, in mid-September 1944, Frantic was discontinued.
American plans to use air bases in the USSR began as United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) staff studies soon after the German invasion on 22 June 1941. After the Japanese attack on the United States on 7 December, the concept was expanded to hit the Japanese Home Islands from Siberia. However, Soviet air cooperation was negligible through 1942, and it was not until the Foreign Ministers' Conference (Moscow Conference) in Moscow in October 1943 that the American delegation raised the issue formally with Foreign Commissar Vyacheslav Molotov.
At the Tehran Conference in late November 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt personally proposed the use of Soviet bases by American aircraft to Marshal Joseph Stalin. In this, he was assisted by a personal appeal from his son, Colonel Elliott Roosevelt, also in attendance, who requested the bases for use of his reconnaissance aircraft then operating from Italy.
The position papers given to Stalin emphasized both reconnaissance and bombardment operations, and Stalin agreed to proceed with the plan "in principle." American heavy bombers stationed in Britain and Italy would fly strike missions deep into the heart of Nazi territory or occupied Eastern Europe. Afterward, they would land at American air bases in newly recovered Soviet territory, re-arm, re-fuel, and then attack other targets on their return flights.
Operation Frantic, originally known as Operation Baseball, was intended to permanently establish three heavy bomber groups in Soviet territory, but only a small contingent, about 1,300 men, was eventually detached to the American bases in the USSR.
During the four months of major operations, 24 targets in German-held territory-some never before within effective range of the American strategic bomber forces-were attacked.
While the shuttle bombing technique complicated German air defenses, in practice most targets were already coming within reach of US bomber streams from Italy and England. Soviet vetoing of some targets prevented more effective use of the bases.
The operations were reduced and finally discontinued due to a number of issues; a catastrophic German air attack on the bases in June; Soviet hostility and non-cooperation that started in August; and the inability of the Americans to receive permission to use the bases for support of the Warsaw Uprising or for repatriation of American POWS from Soviet territory, which soured relations between the two countries.
VVS and USAAF airmen meet at Poltava, 2 June 1944. Despite the tensions between Soviet and American Leadership over Operation Frantic, the American airmen were made to feel very welcome by the Soviet personnel assigned to support them.
The main operational difficulty encountered by the US forces was inadequate force protection by the Soviets. The Soviets refused US requests to introduce adequate radar-guided artillery and night fighter support, and US aircraft were frequently fired upon by Soviet forces.
External images
Operation Bellicose map
The three bases reached their peak in July and August 1944, with a firmly limited complement of 1,300 US officers and men. By October, operations were put on a "skeleton crew" basis, with a winter contingent at Poltava only of about 300. Americans remained there until evacuation after VE Day.
Operation Frantic has greater historical importance for the development of Soviet-American relations than for its effect on Germany's war effort. Although it started out with high hopes, it eventually set a discordant note that foreshadowed the Cold War.
#ww2 #airplane #bomber

[@Dronescapes]

Click the link to watch more aircraft, heroes, and their stories, and missions: www.youtube.com/@Dronescapes

[@brianv1988]

Imagine if they had precision-guided munitions the war would have ended in half the time maybe even less

[@yingmingtan5619]

Unfortunately it was terminated in Sept 1944😮

[@bennyboogenheimer4553]

Don't offer a Russian woman a cigarette, untill you offer one to every Russian soldier one, or they'll kill YOU! Was what they told mu Uncle. Real Allies?

[@Dronescapes]

Never allies. They despised and still do, the American life

[@TacticalTerry]

​​@@Dronescapeshat might be so for the old generations, but it seems to be changing for the young kids. Of course each country will always have its patriots, but I haven't seen open rabid anti-American or anti-Russian sentiment out of either side until the Ukraine war became an issue. I can't say that the Russians despise American life, but they already have what they want to a certain degree, and they do not want what they have to be washed away by outside influences.

[@Dronescapes]

@@TacticalTerry You are right, mine was a generalistic comment. I have been to Moscow years ago, and the young people were definetively critical of their leader (in private) and eager to be able to go to the US one day. They also described a horrible economic situation outside Moscow, but they were definetively scared to say the same things in public (a restaurant for example). A lot of smart kid, I must say. They are probably all getting arrested these days.

[@TacticalTerry]

@@Dronescapes From what I know of in Siberia and closer to Moscow, most things have been as you describe. If you live in the big cities things are slightly more expensive, but life is basically okay. Had a few friends with loved ones that got jailed for protesting or almost disowned by their parents for doubting Putin infront of the older generations. The older generations remember how Putin and his government pulled them out of the severe post-USSR poverty (few clothes, no money, rarely had food), and they are somewhat willfully blind to the more criminal things going on surrounding Putin. It's a bit of a dangerous game to speak your mind nearer to Moscow seeing as the police can read your texts, emails and social media to see if anything speaks against Putin (or mentioning the word "war" toward the beginning of the SMO). There were efforts to raise bail money for the jailed folks, and other methods of protesting without being caught. Tons of talent and creativity there for sure in the youth and the old alike. It is unfortunate that so many were harassed by the government or had to leave family behind when fleeing from conscription. A friend I know left for a neighboring country early on (with her husband). As pacifists in the heart of Moscow they didn't have much of an option. The only slightly pro-Putin youngster I know is moving to Moscow soon and has a boyfriend with both parents in the military. I guess they have a similar idea of "warrior's pride" or warrior culture like people do in the US. It's a bit of a tightrope walk to firmly hold onto national pride and to also mourn Ukranian and Russian family members killed by the same regime that is supposed to be "the good guys" in their eyes.

[@noelmcgarry456]

propaganda

[@emperorpalpatine7540]

Perhaps you like only Soviet/Russian propaganda.

[@billciari5040]

And that 4 point plan in N.Y. 😂😂😂