Campaign 4

Mission 13 - AAR
Mission 14 - Near collision while crossing the Channel coastline. Otherwise uneventful run to target, avoided Flak and searchlights. On turn from target, was engaged by 1x HE-219, which managed to make two passes. First pass from 9 o'clock high resulted in a holed dinghy and a damaged bomb release mechanism. Second pass from 6 o'clock high resulted in a port wing root hit and the W/O's station being shot up. Fortunately Sgt Hall was in the ventral turret. F/Sgt Sussman and Sgt Callaghan both returned fire while in a corkscrew. Strikes were seen, as well as some vapor or smoke from the 219's port engine. No further engagements. Another near collision while crossing the Channel coast back in, landed - all hands off to grab a pint.

Mission 15 - Enroute to target was mostly uneventful. Evaded searchlights in Zones 4 and 5. Light AAA was ineffective in Zone 4. Target area was mostly quiet - light AAA was again ineffective. 30% on target. While RTB in Zone 4, we were struck twice by light AAA; one was a superficial hit, but the other knocked out the tail runner's oxygen. Descended to low level and encountered an apparently very inexperienced JU-88 trying to sneak up at 6 o'clock level. Sg.t Callagahan put a few devastating bursts into the fuselage and walked the rounds into the cockpit. The E/A dove down and was seen to explode by Sgt. Hall in the ventral position. Rest of route back home was clear sailing. Sgt. Callaghan was given full credit for his victory.
Mission 16 - We'll all need a few rounds after this. On the way out, we had near mid-air collisions in Zones 2 and 4. Our Window and Mandrel kept the flak and searchlights off us nearly all the way. In Zone 8 we got off course, but were able to correct in the next Zone. On the run in, we again avoided searchlights and flak but were intercepted by 1x HE-219 which made three determined attacks. Thankfully he only landed hits on one of them, from the 6 O'clock high, damaging out port wing flap and aileron, as well as causing some Superficial damage to the tail. His next attacks at the 6 level and 9 high caused no damage, but we likewise landed no hits. After all the twisting and turning, we were looking to be off target for the bomb run, so after a quick discussion, the crew decided "we came here to bomb," and we went around. For our efforts, we were accosted by a DO-217 which made two attack runs. His first from the 1:30 low missed, but so did our nose, ventral, and tail gunners. He then attacked from the 6 O'clock low, resulting in a hit to the bomb bay (the boys must have been saying their prayers...the bombs didn't detonate), the port wing root, right rudder, and some Superficial damage to the rear centre section. Sgt Callaghan was able to land some rounds on this bandit and saw him peel away, leaking fluid from his right wing. Our bomb run was thankfully on target this time, and we landed 40% on. On the way out on Zones 9 and 7, we were engaged with searchlights and light flak, thankfully ineffective.

Things quieted down until Zone 4 where our #4 engine rapidly overheated and caught fire. It took far too long...but it was extinguished before it spread to the wing. Landing was somehow uneventful, though a bit of a struggle with the shot up aileron, flap, and rudder. Off for a good drink...
Mission 17 - A mostly uneventful flight until returning. Engaged by a searchlight and AAA in Zones 7 and 9, but no damage taken. Contrails the entire way to target. Target was completely obscured, but we managed to stay on course and still deliver 30% of our bombs on target. Praise be to the Pathfinders.We were nearly home free when we were set upon by an inexperienced but very motivated DO-217 N-2. His first attack at the 6 Level resulted in misses for everyone. He then was able to sneak underneath for a Schrage Musik attack which raked us from stern to stem. Most of the damage was superficial, but we did take hits to the control cables, the Wireless station was shot up again (thankfully the operator was once more in the ventral), and Keith and I both were wounded. The bastard nearly hit us in the process. I received some shrapnel to my right shoulder, but Keith took the worst of it, with a compound fracture of his left tibia. The ventral gun took a chunk out of the fighter, but he swung around for one more attack from the 3 o'clock. He was ineffective, however Sussman took a good chunk out of his tail. Nothing definitive though. It was enough to send him packing. Andy came up to give aid to Keith and Stuart was able to patch me up during the flight home. Good thing the weather was alright. Seems like Keith will pull through but he's done flying for a while. Could have been worse, I suppose.

Mission 18 - Uneventful through the target area. A combination of window/Mandrel and clouds kept us from any enemy engagements. A couple of night fighters were confirmed as in the target zone but neither detected us. Despite being in the last 1/3 of the stream, we only encountered light to moderate thermal turbulence.Near collision with another bomber in Zone 8 while returning home.In Zone 7 we had another engagement. A searchlight coned us and we took a flak hit to the left wing flap. The illumination allowed an ME-110G4 to sight us, and we had a running battle with this fighter. It conducted five attacks, with a variety of hits to the aircraft. Thankfully most were superficial. Andy in the nose scored some hits on the 110, but it was eventually able to conduct a Schrage Musik attack, scoring hits on both wings. Thankfully these were again mostly superficial or had no effect. Hall in the ventral gave him a good burst to the tail and the fighter disengaged.RTB was otherwise uneventful, even with the poor weather. After landing we learned that our dinghy had been destroyed by the 110. Good thing we didn't have to ditch.