Russia's Secret American Air Force

The American B-17 bombers had just returned to friendly territory after a successful shuttle bombing operation deep in German territory. They had taken off from the United Kingdom and were now refueling at Poltava Airfield, Ukraine. They were part of Operation Frantic.

In a surprising turn of events, Joseph Stalin had allowed the US to establish three airbases in the USSR as long as defending them fell to the Soviets.

Besides the obvious benefits of striking the Axis from the Eastern Front, the Americans also sought to develop amicable post-war relations with the Soviets through the mutual cooperation of the US and Russian airmen.
Nevertheless, the future of Operation Frantic was about to change as the maintenance crews heard the sound of aircraft above the skies of the Poltava airfield at midnight of June 1944.

They were puzzled. No one had informed them of another arrival. Then came the sound of sirens and the first Luftwaffe bombing run. The base was under attack, and they would have to depend on the Soviets to defend it.
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