Steven K. Dixon 2025
103 Squadron (Halifax) Aircraft Name: D-Diamond
Crew:
Position |
Name |
Rank |
Pilot |
Chris |
F/SGT |
Nav/Bomb Aimer |
General 2 |
SGT |
Nose Gunner |
Horty 2 |
SGT |
Engineer |
Bricks 2 |
Flt/SGT |
Wireless/Gunner |
Vargi 2 |
SGT |
Mid-Upper |
Bob Backwards III |
SGT |
Rear Gunner |
Griffin 2 |
SGT |
Mission AARs - 1944/45 Campaign 4
Mission 1 - It’s good to know that with the chaps on the ground pushing forward, we don’t have to get shot at from the French coast! As we entered enemy territory there were plenty of search lights and moderate flak. We received minor damage and we managed to dodge the old night fighters! The town was clearly ablaze when we arrived and we aimed for the flares and the flames.
Minor flak hits on our return trip and we landed safely.
Mission 2 - No casualties, no kills. On target 30%.
Mission 3 - Apart from the take off and landing, it seemed we were flying through heavy cloud there and back. Our gizmos stated we were over the target (50%cover) and we dropped our bombs. I can’t imagine the photo will be any good, but it was a good effort by the crew to get us there and back! Other than some light flak, we didn’t see anything.
Mission 4 - Take off and landing went well, the bit in between was troublesome. The weather was against us and thick cloud covered enemy territory.
We received a recall message when we were over Belgium. We boxed round and headed for home.
Mission 5 - This was a test of flying on instruments and predictive navigation along with all the gadgets the boffins have created. Thick cloud pretty much all the way there and back. Being in the middle of the stream meant keeping a good eye out for friendlies as well as Gerry! We bombed blind but somehow we hit the target! The flight back was uneventful with only a token effort of flak encountered! Landed safely.
Mission 6 - I must say, with the advance of our troops on the ground and moving forward towards Germany, the crew are filled with confidence of our ultimate victory! Flack was reduced in and out of the target area and the Night fighters seemed to be non existent (well at least for the D Diamond!) we dropped our bombs on the flares and seemed to Do quite well. Flight back and landing was smooth. Another Op chalked off!
Mission 7 - Take off went well, unfortunately the weather was pretty poor. Over Belgium we heard the recall back to base. It was as good as any landing with all our eggs onboard. The ground crew hated when we brought them back. I said to the chief about leaving them onboard for the next op. He wasn’t having any of it!
Mission 9 - Take off was a little hairy as the weather over Blighty was atrocious!
Thick cloud, strong winds and rain. Somewhere over the North Sea we heard the recall back to base. Due to the severe weather we decided to drop the bombs over the water in order to increase the odds of landing safely. Direct hit on the Briney! We took a large dog leg around to avoid the following squadrons and we were all glad to be back on the ground back at base, without any mishaps
Mission 10 - D Diamond was in the last group to take off and head to the target, the weather was pretty bad and we encountered no enemy aircraft. There was some light flak to no effect. We used our gadgets and dropped on the fires of the previous squadrons. The flight home was uneventful. Smooth landing and a tot of rum to send us off to bed after the debrief!
Mission 11 - D Diamond had a good start, our wireless operator received the about signal as we were reaching the Belgium coast. We couldn’t see a thing due to thick cloud. We looped back around to avoid any other aircraft and headed back to base. Safe landing.
Better luck next time!
Mission 12 - We were all ready to give Gerry a pasting! As the armies are advancing to take Berlin, we can all feel the ultimate victory, it’s a shame they do give up. Being in the lead squadron we had a fairly clear shot at the target. Flak was heavy, but despite that, we managed to get a good spread over the target! 50%. The night fighters seemed absent, but we’re not complaining. Gerry put a few holes in D Diamond, apart from that it was a good trip!
Mission 13 - D Diamond are racking up sorties over what’s left of the Third Reich. Other than light sporadic flack over the target, we didn’t see very much. We bombed on the well lit up target. We kept jinking about to avoid the fighters. It was a fairly short trip and we landed with only some minor damage.
Mission 14 - After a good take off, we made our way towards the target. Nav’s did a good job to get us there, regardless of the bad weather over Belgium. There was light flak on the approach and the target was well marked, we dropped all our eggs over the target and then headed for home. No fighters seen but the flak gunners had a go at us. Minor damage. We made a safe landing.
Mission 16 - D Diamond took off in the last section attacking Dessau. Once we were over enemy territory we were hit several times by Flak, our tail Gunner Sgt Griff damaged x2 ME110 G4’s tonight. We took several hits throughout the aircraft but were fortunate to be left alone whilst bombing. We hit 30% on target. Our Mid upper was severely wounded breaking his pelvis. He survived but will sit the rest of the war out. The ground crews have their work cut out repairing the old girl!
Mission 17 - D Diamond was patched up and repaired after our last mission, Mission 17 went a lot more smoothly. We encountered light flak, to no effect. The weather was poor most of the way to the target. We had no encounters with Gerry’s night fighters. Light flack around the target and we hit 20% in the target area. Our flight back was uneventful and we made a safe landing.
Mission 1 - It’s good to know that with the chaps on the ground pushing forward, we don’t have to get shot at from the French coast! As we entered enemy territory there were plenty of search lights and moderate flak. We received minor damage and we managed to dodge the old night fighters! The town was clearly ablaze when we arrived and we aimed for the flares and the flames.
Minor flak hits on our return trip and we landed safely.
Mission 2 - No casualties, no kills. On target 30%.
Mission 3 - Apart from the take off and landing, it seemed we were flying through heavy cloud there and back. Our gizmos stated we were over the target (50%cover) and we dropped our bombs. I can’t imagine the photo will be any good, but it was a good effort by the crew to get us there and back! Other than some light flak, we didn’t see anything.
Mission 4 - Take off and landing went well, the bit in between was troublesome. The weather was against us and thick cloud covered enemy territory.
We received a recall message when we were over Belgium. We boxed round and headed for home.
Mission 5 - This was a test of flying on instruments and predictive navigation along with all the gadgets the boffins have created. Thick cloud pretty much all the way there and back. Being in the middle of the stream meant keeping a good eye out for friendlies as well as Gerry! We bombed blind but somehow we hit the target! The flight back was uneventful with only a token effort of flak encountered! Landed safely.
Mission 6 - I must say, with the advance of our troops on the ground and moving forward towards Germany, the crew are filled with confidence of our ultimate victory! Flack was reduced in and out of the target area and the Night fighters seemed to be non existent (well at least for the D Diamond!) we dropped our bombs on the flares and seemed to Do quite well. Flight back and landing was smooth. Another Op chalked off!
Mission 7 - Take off went well, unfortunately the weather was pretty poor. Over Belgium we heard the recall back to base. It was as good as any landing with all our eggs onboard. The ground crew hated when we brought them back. I said to the chief about leaving them onboard for the next op. He wasn’t having any of it!
Mission 9 - Take off was a little hairy as the weather over Blighty was atrocious!
Thick cloud, strong winds and rain. Somewhere over the North Sea we heard the recall back to base. Due to the severe weather we decided to drop the bombs over the water in order to increase the odds of landing safely. Direct hit on the Briney! We took a large dog leg around to avoid the following squadrons and we were all glad to be back on the ground back at base, without any mishaps
Mission 10 - D Diamond was in the last group to take off and head to the target, the weather was pretty bad and we encountered no enemy aircraft. There was some light flak to no effect. We used our gadgets and dropped on the fires of the previous squadrons. The flight home was uneventful. Smooth landing and a tot of rum to send us off to bed after the debrief!
Mission 11 - D Diamond had a good start, our wireless operator received the about signal as we were reaching the Belgium coast. We couldn’t see a thing due to thick cloud. We looped back around to avoid any other aircraft and headed back to base. Safe landing.
Better luck next time!
Mission 12 - We were all ready to give Gerry a pasting! As the armies are advancing to take Berlin, we can all feel the ultimate victory, it’s a shame they do give up. Being in the lead squadron we had a fairly clear shot at the target. Flak was heavy, but despite that, we managed to get a good spread over the target! 50%. The night fighters seemed absent, but we’re not complaining. Gerry put a few holes in D Diamond, apart from that it was a good trip!
Mission 13 - D Diamond are racking up sorties over what’s left of the Third Reich. Other than light sporadic flack over the target, we didn’t see very much. We bombed on the well lit up target. We kept jinking about to avoid the fighters. It was a fairly short trip and we landed with only some minor damage.
Mission 14 - After a good take off, we made our way towards the target. Nav’s did a good job to get us there, regardless of the bad weather over Belgium. There was light flak on the approach and the target was well marked, we dropped all our eggs over the target and then headed for home. No fighters seen but the flak gunners had a go at us. Minor damage. We made a safe landing.
Mission 16 - D Diamond took off in the last section attacking Dessau. Once we were over enemy territory we were hit several times by Flak, our tail Gunner Sgt Griff damaged x2 ME110 G4’s tonight. We took several hits throughout the aircraft but were fortunate to be left alone whilst bombing. We hit 30% on target. Our Mid upper was severely wounded breaking his pelvis. He survived but will sit the rest of the war out. The ground crews have their work cut out repairing the old girl!
Mission 17 - D Diamond was patched up and repaired after our last mission, Mission 17 went a lot more smoothly. We encountered light flak, to no effect. The weather was poor most of the way to the target. We had no encounters with Gerry’s night fighters. Light flack around the target and we hit 20% in the target area. Our flight back was uneventful and we made a safe landing.
1944/45 Missions: Campaign 4
Mission |
Target |
Result |
1 |
Ludwigshafen |
On Target 30% |
2 |
Sterkrade |
On Target 30% |
3 |
Bingen |
On Target 30% |
4 |
Kaiserlautern |
DNB - Recall |
5 |
Wanne-Eickel |
On Target 30% |
6 |
Munster |
On Target 50% |
7 |
Stettin |
DNB - Abort |
8 |
|
|
9 |
Sassnitz |
DNB - Recall |
10 |
Hanover |
On Target 30% |
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 |
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Mission |
Target |
Result |
11 |
Hanau |
DNB - Recall |
12 |
Osnabruck |
On Target 50% |
13 |
Wesel |
On Target 30% |
14 |
Vohlwinkel |
On Target 30% |
15 |
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16 |
Dessau |
On Target 30% |
17 |
Plauen |
On Target 20% |
18 |
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19 |
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20 |
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