CHAPTER 3 1 MARCH 1944 TO 31 MARCH 1944 By March the Eighth Air Force had become the largest of the American Air Forces and had also exceeded the British Bomber Command in size. The Eighth concluded February by concentrating on the German aircraft production. In March the focus would change. The Royal Air Force (RAF) had bombed Berlin, "Big B "; however, the Eighth had not been there. The time was drawing near. MISSION NO. 5 FRANKFURT, GERMANY 2 MARCH 1944 Eighteen aircraft were dispatched to Frankfurt to bomb the Alfred Treves factories, makers of 50% of the aircraft piston rings produced in Germany. Six wings of the 1St Air Division were dispatched to this target. The 457th comprised the 94th Combat Wing high box. Major Theodore C. Hoffman was Air Commander and Lt. Raymond A. Syptak was pilot. There was ten-tenths overcast from the French Coast to the target and return. Bombing was done by PFF at 26,000 feet. The 94th Combat Wing went in to the target with the lead and high box abreast and the low box in trail. Bomb results were not observed due to the undercast. The formation over the target had been reduced to fourteen planes. One craft left the formation over France. Three others aborted the mission due to oxygen failure. Light resistance by enemy aircraft and by flak was encountered. All aircraft returned and damage was slight.