Steven K. Dixon 2024
103 Squadron (Halifax) Aircraft Name: Gray Owl
Crew:
Position |
Name |
Rank |
Pilot |
Alfred Johnson |
F/O |
BA/Gunner |
Douglas Charron |
SGT |
Nav |
Matthew Gilbert |
P/O |
Engineer |
Malcolm Gosling |
SGT |
Wireless/Gunner |
Richard Hewett |
SGT |
Mid-Upper |
Brian Simpson |
SGT |
Rear Gunner |
Brian Simpson |
SGT |
Mission AARs - 1944/45 Campaign 4
Mission 11 - Navigation to Target was not very good resulting in a decision to come around again to negate the poor initial run in on target. During second run we were attacked by a HE219 night fighter which was damaged during its first attack and destroyed by the mid upper gunner in its second attack. Grey Owl received minor damage to her tail section control cables. Return trip was uneventful.
Mission 12 - Straight forward mission, no fighter interaction. Highlighted by a searchlight over Holland resulting in some light AA fire but no damage resulted. Navigation onto target was good. Near miss collision with friendly on return leg. Successful landing.
Mission 13 - Good take off. We experienced a power failure to the mid upper turret over the channel, but the gunner managed to repair this as we crossed the coast into the Netherlands. We were highlighted by a searchlight as we crossed the coast and were subjected to a heavy AA barrage but were unharmed and evaded the searchlight. We were flying through medium to light AA barrages all the way to the target but sustained no damage. Over the target we dropped our bombs on target but picked up a searchlight as we came around, again subjected to AA fire but sustained no damage. Our return flight was uneventful and we landed safely.
Mission 14 - Uneventful inbound journey, experienced some flak over the target but we were unscathed. We saw a night fighter over the target but it didn’t see us, so we had no direct enemy interaction. Return trip run of the mill with a successful landing back at base.
Mission 15 - Good take off, we were highlighted by a searchlight crossing the coast of the Netherlands and was subjected to light AA fire sustaining superficial damage to the left wing. Proceeded to Dortmund where we experienced a hydraulic failure over the target but no important systems were affected. Bombs were dropped and we headed for home. Again picked up AA fire crossing the coast but took no hits. Safe journey across the channel and landing.
Mission 16 - Eventful mission, Attacked by a He219 A-0 over Germany resulting in damage to control cables in the tail, the mid upper gunner hit the fighter causing damage and it bike off the attack. Attacked twice over the target by a DO217 N-2, first pass caused superficial damage and it broke off after its second pass missing our plane. Bombs were dropped on target and we headed for home under heavy AA fire. Luckily we again suffered superficial damage so our luck was in. Just before we crossed out of Germany we suffered an engine fire in the number 1 engine. The fire was extinguished but the engine was out. There was happily no further incidents and we landed safely in England.
Mission 17 - Good take off and aircraft remained on course, picked up a search light crossing the German border and took 3 AA hits. The nose gunner/ Flgt. Engineer suffered a light wound and a hit to the port wing made the undercarriage inoperable. We continued across Germany towards the target. As we entered the vicinity of Frankfurt we collided with a friendly damaging Gray Owls tail killing the tail gunner and putting the aircraft into an uncontrolled dive. All crew bailed out but the Pilot and Navigator were captured by the enemy. The remainder of the surviving crew made it to allied lines.
Mission 11 - Navigation to Target was not very good resulting in a decision to come around again to negate the poor initial run in on target. During second run we were attacked by a HE219 night fighter which was damaged during its first attack and destroyed by the mid upper gunner in its second attack. Grey Owl received minor damage to her tail section control cables. Return trip was uneventful.
Mission 12 - Straight forward mission, no fighter interaction. Highlighted by a searchlight over Holland resulting in some light AA fire but no damage resulted. Navigation onto target was good. Near miss collision with friendly on return leg. Successful landing.
Mission 13 - Good take off. We experienced a power failure to the mid upper turret over the channel, but the gunner managed to repair this as we crossed the coast into the Netherlands. We were highlighted by a searchlight as we crossed the coast and were subjected to a heavy AA barrage but were unharmed and evaded the searchlight. We were flying through medium to light AA barrages all the way to the target but sustained no damage. Over the target we dropped our bombs on target but picked up a searchlight as we came around, again subjected to AA fire but sustained no damage. Our return flight was uneventful and we landed safely.
Mission 14 - Uneventful inbound journey, experienced some flak over the target but we were unscathed. We saw a night fighter over the target but it didn’t see us, so we had no direct enemy interaction. Return trip run of the mill with a successful landing back at base.
Mission 15 - Good take off, we were highlighted by a searchlight crossing the coast of the Netherlands and was subjected to light AA fire sustaining superficial damage to the left wing. Proceeded to Dortmund where we experienced a hydraulic failure over the target but no important systems were affected. Bombs were dropped and we headed for home. Again picked up AA fire crossing the coast but took no hits. Safe journey across the channel and landing.
Mission 16 - Eventful mission, Attacked by a He219 A-0 over Germany resulting in damage to control cables in the tail, the mid upper gunner hit the fighter causing damage and it bike off the attack. Attacked twice over the target by a DO217 N-2, first pass caused superficial damage and it broke off after its second pass missing our plane. Bombs were dropped on target and we headed for home under heavy AA fire. Luckily we again suffered superficial damage so our luck was in. Just before we crossed out of Germany we suffered an engine fire in the number 1 engine. The fire was extinguished but the engine was out. There was happily no further incidents and we landed safely in England.
Mission 17 - Good take off and aircraft remained on course, picked up a search light crossing the German border and took 3 AA hits. The nose gunner/ Flgt. Engineer suffered a light wound and a hit to the port wing made the undercarriage inoperable. We continued across Germany towards the target. As we entered the vicinity of Frankfurt we collided with a friendly damaging Gray Owls tail killing the tail gunner and putting the aircraft into an uncontrolled dive. All crew bailed out but the Pilot and Navigator were captured by the enemy. The remainder of the surviving crew made it to allied lines.
1944/45 Missions: Campaign 4
Mission |
Target |
Result |
11 |
Hanau |
On Target 40% |
12 |
Osnabruck |
On Target 30% |
13 |
Wesel |
On Target 30% |
14 |
Vohlwinkel |
On Target 30% |
15 |
Dortmund |
On Target 20% |
16 |
Dessau |
On Target 30% |
17 |
Plauen |
Shot Down |
18 |
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19 |
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20 |
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1944/45 Credited Kills - Campaign 4
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 |
11 |
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12 |
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13 |
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14 |
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15 |
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16 |
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17 |
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18 |
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19 |
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20 |
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