Steven K. Dixon 2020
Squadron: 102 Aircraft Name: Hotspur
Crew:
Position |
Name |
Rank |
Pilot |
Hector Chard |
FO |
Navigator |
Frank Blissett |
PO |
Bomb Aimer |
Clifford Shane |
PO |
Wireless/Gunner |
Alec Childs |
F/SGT |
Engineer |
Arne Storm |
F/SGT |
Mid-Upper |
Rowland Cummins |
SGT |
Tail |
Anthony Jones |
SGT |
Missions:
Mission Number/Date |
Target |
Result |
1 |
Essen |
On Target - 20% |
2 |
Paris |
Off Target - 10% |
3 |
Kiel |
Off Target - 5% |
4 |
|
|
5 |
Warnemunde |
On Target 60% |
6 |
Dortmund |
On target 30% |
7 |
Rostock |
Off target 5% |
Credited Kills:
Mission No. |
ME 110 F-4 |
ME 110 G-4 |
JU 88 C-6 |
JU 88 G-7 |
DO 217 J-1 |
DO 217 N-2 |
HE 219 A-0 |
FW 190 A-5UZ |
ME 109 G-6U4N |
ME 262 B-1AU1 |
TA 154 A-0 |
DO 217 J-1 (Italy) |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mission AAR
Mission 1 - Essen: Bounced by enemy ME-110 over the N. Sea -- tail section hit, rudder inoperative, and O2 knocked out which also started a fire. Heavy flak and searchlights over target, with one hit sustained in the wing root and FE O2 knocked out. Target mostly obscured. Avoided near-collusions with other bombers in the stream five times in total. Crew in high spirits over breakfast (one lady luck token was acquired this mission). A/c lightly damaged, no crew injuries.
Mission 2 - Paris: Searchlights & heavy flak over the French coast -- no damage. Avoided searchlights and flak over Paris. Target mostly obscured. Bounced by two Me110s over the Channel. Sgt. Cummins claimed one Me110 destroyed -- second Me110 hit the #2 engine oil tank, but it self-sealed and the engine kept running. Ju88 intruder claimed by Sgt. Jones over the airfield. Had two close calls with other ships in the stream during this op. A/c superficial damage, no crew injuries, 2 x enemy a/c claimed destroyed.
Mission 3 - Kiel: Flight to target uneventful. No searchlights/flak over Kiel. Jumped by Ju88 over target - FE hit in face by shrapnel. Target completely obscured. Despite go-around and low alt, bombs fell wide - negligible turbulence. Bounced by Ju88 on return flight - #4 engine KO, TG hit in leg by shrapnel, but downed enemy a/c. Bounced by Do217 on landing, but TG probably destroyed him. Had two close calls with other ships this op. A/c light dmg, two crew LW, off target (5% acc.),1 x Ju88 & 1 x Do217 claimed.
Mission 5: Flight to target uneventful. Light AA over German coast. Target completely obscured, but the bomb run went smoothly at low alt. Light AA on the way out of the target area, and a/c jumped by an enemy Me110. TG Jones damaged the enemy NF, which made one pass before disappearing into the darkness. Superficial damage only, although the Gee set was knocked out. Flight back to base was similarly uneventful. Weather over base was poor, but landing was OK. No close calls with other ships this op.
Mission 6: Light AA outbound. Target completely obscured - bombed from low alt. A/c intercepted by Me110 on return leg - dmg by MUG Cummins, but TG Jones seriously wounded in the leg. Heavy AA over Germany - control cables and fuel tank hit but self-sealed. Bounced by Do217 and Me110 over NL - tail wheel & flaps damaged, #3 engine oil tank hit but self-sealed. MUG lightly wounded. Off UK coast a fire knocked out #1 engine, but it was put out. TG Jones made a rapid recovery and may continue operations.
Mission 7: A long and harrowing mission. Landing gear and Gee failed after takeoff. Encounter over Danish coast with a very persistent Dornier. A/c suffered significant structural damage before Jerry disappeared. No AA over Rostock w/target mostly obscured. Bounced by an Me110 on the way back, but the MUG splashed him. Couldn't get the wheels down, but FO Chard managed a textbook wheels-up landing. All crew safe. However, Hotspur will never fly again. Crew transferred to a new a/c, christened Hotspur II.
Mission 1 - Essen: Bounced by enemy ME-110 over the N. Sea -- tail section hit, rudder inoperative, and O2 knocked out which also started a fire. Heavy flak and searchlights over target, with one hit sustained in the wing root and FE O2 knocked out. Target mostly obscured. Avoided near-collusions with other bombers in the stream five times in total. Crew in high spirits over breakfast (one lady luck token was acquired this mission). A/c lightly damaged, no crew injuries.
Mission 2 - Paris: Searchlights & heavy flak over the French coast -- no damage. Avoided searchlights and flak over Paris. Target mostly obscured. Bounced by two Me110s over the Channel. Sgt. Cummins claimed one Me110 destroyed -- second Me110 hit the #2 engine oil tank, but it self-sealed and the engine kept running. Ju88 intruder claimed by Sgt. Jones over the airfield. Had two close calls with other ships in the stream during this op. A/c superficial damage, no crew injuries, 2 x enemy a/c claimed destroyed.
Mission 3 - Kiel: Flight to target uneventful. No searchlights/flak over Kiel. Jumped by Ju88 over target - FE hit in face by shrapnel. Target completely obscured. Despite go-around and low alt, bombs fell wide - negligible turbulence. Bounced by Ju88 on return flight - #4 engine KO, TG hit in leg by shrapnel, but downed enemy a/c. Bounced by Do217 on landing, but TG probably destroyed him. Had two close calls with other ships this op. A/c light dmg, two crew LW, off target (5% acc.),1 x Ju88 & 1 x Do217 claimed.
Mission 5: Flight to target uneventful. Light AA over German coast. Target completely obscured, but the bomb run went smoothly at low alt. Light AA on the way out of the target area, and a/c jumped by an enemy Me110. TG Jones damaged the enemy NF, which made one pass before disappearing into the darkness. Superficial damage only, although the Gee set was knocked out. Flight back to base was similarly uneventful. Weather over base was poor, but landing was OK. No close calls with other ships this op.
Mission 6: Light AA outbound. Target completely obscured - bombed from low alt. A/c intercepted by Me110 on return leg - dmg by MUG Cummins, but TG Jones seriously wounded in the leg. Heavy AA over Germany - control cables and fuel tank hit but self-sealed. Bounced by Do217 and Me110 over NL - tail wheel & flaps damaged, #3 engine oil tank hit but self-sealed. MUG lightly wounded. Off UK coast a fire knocked out #1 engine, but it was put out. TG Jones made a rapid recovery and may continue operations.
Mission 7: A long and harrowing mission. Landing gear and Gee failed after takeoff. Encounter over Danish coast with a very persistent Dornier. A/c suffered significant structural damage before Jerry disappeared. No AA over Rostock w/target mostly obscured. Bounced by an Me110 on the way back, but the MUG splashed him. Couldn't get the wheels down, but FO Chard managed a textbook wheels-up landing. All crew safe. However, Hotspur will never fly again. Crew transferred to a new a/c, christened Hotspur II.
