Steven K. Dixon 2024

Squadron: 102  Aircraft Name: Rita

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Crew:

Campaign 4 Credited Kills:

Campaign 4 missions:

Previous aircraft R-Regent lost on Peenemunde mission. F for Frederick lost on Courtrai, Be. mission. F-Fox lost on Bergerac, Fr. mission. C-Cecil lost on Ossun, Fr. mission, Y-Yorker lost on Berlin mission. Foxglove lost on St. Valery mission. R-Rosie lost on Chambly mission. W-Wellington lost on Karlsruhe mission. P-Pete lost on Noisy-Le-Sec mission. R-Roger lost on Villeneuve-St. Georges mission. K-King lost on St. Medard mission. D-Derby lost on Aufevre mission. V-Victor lost on Cambrai mission. C-Charlie lost on Cond-sur-Noireau mission. Previous aircraft, F-Fox,  lost on Wanne-Eickel mission. J-Just Jane lost on Stettin mission. S-Sally lost on Neuss mission.

Campaign 4

Mission 9 - Hugging the coast, we crossed into Germany when attack by a Do217 N-2. F/Sgt Talbot was lightly wounded, and the Dornier only made the one pass. Shortly after the attack Sgt. Bush received the code to abort the mission due to weather. Maintaining radio silence we could not confirm. We turned around and headed back down the coast. Search lights were particularly effective, coning us most of the flight in enemy territory. Flak was minimally effective, causing nothing but superficial damage. Returning to base we landed safely.

Mission 10 - A Do-217 N2 made a Schrage attack as we crossed the Dutch coast. We took numerous hits along the full length of the fuselage. Most were superficial, with the worst being the shattered glass of the nose turret, and a hit on our O2 system. We dropped below 10,000FT in order to keep the nose and turret manned for the duration of the mission. We faced no more enemy fighters for the rest of the mission. In the target zone flak was accurate into and out of the target. We took a hit to the starboard wing root going in to the target. On our way out we took four hits from the flak. Upon landing, the Erks found an unexploded shell embedded in the fuselage of the rear centre. With the battering from the flak, P/O Rutter was still able to put 40% on target.

 

Mission 11 - None submitted

Mission 12 - Received radio message, while over Rijssen, Netherlands, to abort due to weather.

Mission 13 - Little to no flak, and no sign of enemy fighters.We were coned by search lights over the target. P/O Rutter was able to put 60% on target, even being half blinded by the enemy lights.

Mission 14 - Quiet mission, except over the target. Target was completely obscured, and flak was accurate. Flak took out the bombsight after the bomb drop. No enemy fighters were to be seen.

Mission 16 - Well into Germany we lost the supercharger for #4 engine, forcing us into a low approach to the target. On approach to the target we were coned by searchlights allowing flak fire to be fierce but inaccurate. We held steady and put 30% on target. Right off of the target we were coned again by searchlights, with flak a bit lessened, and still inaccurate. Following the flak a Junker-88 G7 made a series of Schrage attacks. The airframe was peppered from nose to tail. His second pass killed our tail gunner. A few systems took hits, most inconsequential. The plane had a distinct whistle on the flight home, due to the large number of airframe skin punctures.

Mission 17 - None submitted.

Mission 18 - Between flak and night fighters, R-Rita had no rest over Germany. Flak was a constant companion, and four night fighters attacked. Numerous superficial hits recorded, with key systems being taken out one by one. Upon landing the count was:

MUG Heat Out

Tail Heat Out

Autopilot Bomb Drop Mechanism Out

O2 System took a hit

Autopilot Out

Left Dinghy shot up

Left Wing Root took 1 hit

Right Wing Root took 1 hit

Navigator Seriously Wounded