CURRENT MISSIONS

OLD RELIABLE  JZ-L    40161

25 SEP 1943 - ROCHEFORT CHATEAU - TGT DEMOLISHED
This was a weird one.  We were woken up at 0330hr and warned off for a special mission.  German brass were staying in a chateau and we were assigned to take them out.  We were supposed to take off in the dark but due to delays the sun was up when we took off.  It was just two flights on this one as it was such short notice.  No escort either as the geniuses in Ops figured we'd surprise the enemy fighters due to the size of our effort (luckily for us they were actually right this time).  We turned for Felixstowe Point straight after take-off and headed directly across the Channel.
The French Resistance promised to help us by marking our IP turn point as well as bracketing the target itself.  As it turned out, we had enough light to navigate right to the target.  Flak was fair to medium en route and negligble over the target.  The target was heavily damaged as the bomb drop was right on the money.  The route back was uneventful except for a lucky shot from a flak battery near Brussels hit "Easy Money" shearing off the wing.  The plane came apart, no chutes were observed, time was approx 1400hr.  That was the only serious casualty of the mission except for minor cuts and bruises.  Minor damage to rudder but managed a safe landing at Boxted at 1457hr.

30 SEP 1943 - LIEGE INDUSTRIAL AREA - MODERATE DAMAGE
Overall a good mission.  Form up over Felixstowe went well with all flights closing up over the Channel.  Fighter escort linked up just after the RV and raced on ahead.  We heard chatter that they were engaging fighters ahead of us.  Minor to moderate flak en route to the target area.  As expected the River Maas flak belt put up a good show but only slight damage to the squadron.  OLD RELIABLE followed the lead group but the lead seemed to get confused near the target.  Our bombardier originally lined up on the wrong target area so I was forced to do a go-around.  The flak was fairly heavy and persistent but focused on the main body as we went around.  Number 2 "Daisy Maisy" took a hit to the engine which started smoking.  We took a hit to a fuel tank but it sealed after a few minutes.  The go-around went ok and we were able to drop successfully right across the target area.  We turned out on the return leg ahead of the main body as we'd shortened our turn to the next waypoint but we were within a few kilometers of the others.  "Daisy Maisy" made a good run on the return leg but unfortunately ran out of gas near Antwerp and did a forced landing at approximately 1400hr.  We did see one bomber go down near the target and heard at least two saying they were crash landing.  On the way back it was just Old Reliable and Aluminium Eagle and due to a moment's distraction I almost collided with Jester's ship.  It was REALLY close.  We were alone approaching the coast but then two others from Yellow flight appeared and formed up on us at 1430hr for the rest of the trip back.  Successful landing at Boxted, no casualties.  Good mission.

8 OCT 1943 - THE HAGUE - FOKKER AIRCRAFT FACTORY - MODERATE TO HEAVY DAMAGE
Old Reliable lived up to her name and got us home on this one.  Form up was as per usual at Felixstowe but for some reason the second group fell way behind as we approached the Dutch coast.  Navigation was spot on.  No issues during the crossing with the first flak appearing as we crossed into Dutch territory.  Flak was fairly heavy on the bomb run.  Our rudder was damaged which affected the bombardier's control of the plane but we still managed to drop onto the target which despite some cloud was clear enough for the drop.  Old Reliable was peppered by flak and we had at least three fuel leaks that we could see and number three engine was smoking pretty good.  I shut down number three and feathered the prop after firing the extinguisher as a precaution.  I immediately made a direct course for home as I knew we weren't going to make it on the original flight path leaking fuel.  It was shortly after leaving the target area that we were hit by 190s.   Old Reliable and Aluminium Eagle accounted for at least one 190 each and we drove them off.  With the rudder, aileron and trim controls messed up I had the yoke hard over for most of the trip home and had to play with the throttle all the way back.  We  roller-coastered our way home and luck was with us as we reached the English coast near the Chain Home radar station of Bawdsey.  Our engines quit at 1355hr and I ordered the crew to bail.  Everyone got out safely and I watched as our trusty ship made its last dive.  The RAF guys from Bawdsey had seen us bail and were waiting to pick us up as we hit the ground.  A few warm British beers later and we got back to Boxted.

''BATTLE WAGON" B17-G JD-L SER.NO. 42-30026 

14 OCT 1943 - MAASTRICHT - INDUSTRIAL AREA - MODERATE DAMAGE
First and last mission for the "Battle Wagon".  Form up went very well at Felixstowe with the formation together but slightly strung out en route to the target  A collision was heard on the radio but noone in the squadron saw any evidence of it.  Navigation was excellent and we hit the coast as planned.  Occasional flak as we crossed Belgium.  Fighters hit us around the Diest area just as we were approaching the IP at approx 1311hr.  109s did some work on the formation but some of the fighters were left smoking.  The bomb run went very well with good visibility on the target.  'Battle Wagon' had a good drop and strung its bombs across the target area.  Flak was fairly heavy over the target and after.  Turn out for the route to RTB was OK and the squadron started back.  Flak started up again in the Diest area and 'Battle Wagon' caught a direct hit at 1340hr.  The port wing was seen to disintegrate and the plane lost control falling out of formation.  7 chutes were confirmed.

"MISS PATTY" B17-G  JD-P   SER. NO.  43-97145
20 OCT 1943 - DUISBURG - PORT FACILITIES - MODERATE DAMAGE
25th and final mission for the Squadron.  Unfortunately it was the first and last mission for Miss Patty.  Form up was a bit stretched en route to the target but closed up near the IP.  We were hit by fighters (109s) just south of BREDA at approx. 1310hr.  Took some damage but managed to drive them off.  Flak at the MAAS River, which we expected to be very heavy, turned out to be (thankfully) almost a no-show.  Flak was light to moderate crossing the MAAS.  We turned on time at the IP and started the bomb run.  The lack of flak at the MAAS was more than made up for at the target.  Massive amounts of flak covering the area yet Miss Patty managed to get through unscathed.  The visibility to the target was OK except for large intermittent cloud banks.  One interfered with Miss Patty's drop forcing a slightly late drop which only hit part of the target.  The turnout was OK and we headed for WESEL then NIJMEGEN.  109s hit us again at 1353hr near NIGMEGEN and while Miss Patty managed to get a shared kill another fighter took off a wing.  The crew was seen to bail successfully.