Steven K. Dixon 2023
Squadron: 104 Aircraft Name: T-Tommy
Crew:
Position |
Name |
Rank |
Pilot |
Ian Willoughby |
F/O |
Wireless |
Christopher Billing |
F/SGT |
Tail Gunner |
Patrik Sandu |
SGT |
Navigator |
Garry Francis |
F/SGT |
Mid-Upper |
Matthew Anderson |
SGT |
Bomb Aimer |
John Mainprize |
F/SGT |
Engineer |
Andrew Tucker |
F/SGT |
1944 Campaign 3 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) |
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12 |
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20 |
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1944 Campaign 3 Mission AARs
Mission 1 - Total milk run. Oxygen system went u/s on take off but decision made to press on at low altitude (Mentioned in despatches). No flak, no searchlights, no fighters. Good bomb run although target mostly obscured - bombed on the greens as indicated by Master Bomber: 40% on target. Home for bacon and eggs.
Mission 2 - Another milk run: some heavy flak over the target but only superficial damage, bomb Aimer planted 60% of the load on target despite it being completely obscured; we didn't see any night fighters (only 1 present, over target, but it failed to spot); weather was atrocious throughout but Ian put the plane down smooth as silk.
Mission 3 - All was great until we reached Chambly and then it all went to hell; Patrick called out a Me110 coming in from 6 o'clock low and opened fire as we went into a corkscrew: he got plastered, we lost the stab flaps and hydraulic pump but he must have driven him off. As we turned from hitting the rail yards we spotted another Jerry sneaking into a S-M attack, we corkscrewed and he missed but came back again and again (each time not spotting him) - Tommy got plastered: superficial hits all over; we lost the MU guns and heat out so had to come home at low-level; our port inboard fuel tank was hit costing us fuel; John in the nose was hit, Mandrel went u/s; our oxygen was hit and, from how it handled, the control cables were hit. Thank God he buggered off when he did and that we were so close, relatively, to home. The skies were clear as we headed for home and the ambulance was waiting for us as we pulled up. Far too dicey chum.
Mission 4 - Shoddy bomb run; upset by a S-M attack from a JU88 that missed; on the way back from the target got hit by another JU88 that shot up the tail and Stb. Wing - had to descend to low because T/Gunner's heat out. #1 engine packed up as we crossed over Belgium - the resulting longer flight meant we were on fumes as we landed. Not one of our best missions.
Mission 5 - Bloody awful. Fine until near Karlsruhe then picked up a nightfighter who used us as target practice: poor old kite was properly packed at. Shaun was wounded on his second pass; Patrick trapped in the turret on his third; our starboard wing felt more than a little loose (4hits) - Chiefy wasn't happy when we got back. The corkscrew on his 6th attack threw us off our line: John did his best from the nose but had to release manually so we only put 20% on target. Bloody bad show. Thank God the Jerries left us alone on the way home.
Mission 6 - Piece of cake old boy. Patrik knocked a nosey ME-110 about a bit as we were about to bomb but he buggered off into clouds and that was all we saw of Jerry. John did the business and we turned for home. Absolute piece-of-cake!
Mission 7 - Not a milk run this time. Picked on by 2 N/F - 1 in Zone 5 and 1 in Zone 6 just before bomb run. Not spotted - N/F in Zone 5 (ME-110G Experte) shot up the starboard wing, holed the outer fuel tank (self-sealed thankfully), took out the dinghy and gave the Bomb Aimer a light wound; on his second attack he put a hole in port rudder. He broke off out of ammo. On the Bomb run our bomb Aimer took another light wound. A Do217-1 attacked: took out the DR compass, hit the Port Inner tank (self-sealed again!) and gave the Tail Gunner a light wound. Despite his wounds the Bomb Aimer put 50% of the bombs on target. The trip home was uneventful, landed ok and the Doc says both John and Patrik will be good to fly for our next OP.
Mission 8 - No Notes Sent
Mission 9 - Total milk run
Mission 10 - Another piece of cake - not that I'm complaining
Mission 12 - What a magnificent kite T-Tommy is; smooth as silk there and back. We picked up a bit of flak on the run-in and John (Bomb Aimer) caught a little shrapnel in his left leg (LW - graze) (Left Wing Dinghy U/S, Nosed Guns U/S and Right Wing Superficial) but still put all the eggs in the right place! We're looking forward to the photo analysis as John says he has a really good feeling about this one. Following photo analysis, and considering the Bomb Aimer was already wounded, the Wing Commander has recommended F/Officer John Mainprize for a DFC
Mission 15 - A piece of cake. Took some flak on the way in and out of the target but nothing major (hits on port flap and starboard aileron, both ok; hit on port dinghy u/s, 3 superficial), planted 60% on target - good show John! Took some fire from a night fighter on the way out (an experte in a Do217N-1 in a VC attack who missed) but he disappeared before we could spot him and it was smooth as silk all the way home. (2 other N/Fs were in play - Zone 6 and outbound Z8 but neither detected T-Tommy - she's always been a lucky kite!)
Mission 16 - Waste of time - flak blew out our bomb site just as John was getting ready to do his business so our bombs went everywhere. Almost skidded off the runway when we came back too. Not our best show.
Mission 19 - All went well until Zone 7 when we were attacked by a HE219: he shot chunks out of the tail and took out the rear guns; he also took out our Port #1 engine. I gave the order to jettison and we turned for home. Passing out of Zone 7 we got pounced on by a JU88 that peppered us all over: trapped the tail gunner in his turret, took out the heat for our MUG, damaged the control cables and on his second pass wounded our Bomb Aimer. Thankfully our MUG drove him off and we descended to warmer air. That was when we were picked up by a ME110 who knocked hell out of our wings and disabled my Port Flaps, took out the H2S. By this time I was throwing Tommy all over the shop and that threw him off his aim 3 times before he disappeared. Thankfully the flight back after that was uneventful and we made it back ok. If this keeps up we might need to change our battledress trousers for khaki!
Mission 1 - Total milk run. Oxygen system went u/s on take off but decision made to press on at low altitude (Mentioned in despatches). No flak, no searchlights, no fighters. Good bomb run although target mostly obscured - bombed on the greens as indicated by Master Bomber: 40% on target. Home for bacon and eggs.
Mission 2 - Another milk run: some heavy flak over the target but only superficial damage, bomb Aimer planted 60% of the load on target despite it being completely obscured; we didn't see any night fighters (only 1 present, over target, but it failed to spot); weather was atrocious throughout but Ian put the plane down smooth as silk.
Mission 3 - All was great until we reached Chambly and then it all went to hell; Patrick called out a Me110 coming in from 6 o'clock low and opened fire as we went into a corkscrew: he got plastered, we lost the stab flaps and hydraulic pump but he must have driven him off. As we turned from hitting the rail yards we spotted another Jerry sneaking into a S-M attack, we corkscrewed and he missed but came back again and again (each time not spotting him) - Tommy got plastered: superficial hits all over; we lost the MU guns and heat out so had to come home at low-level; our port inboard fuel tank was hit costing us fuel; John in the nose was hit, Mandrel went u/s; our oxygen was hit and, from how it handled, the control cables were hit. Thank God he buggered off when he did and that we were so close, relatively, to home. The skies were clear as we headed for home and the ambulance was waiting for us as we pulled up. Far too dicey chum.
Mission 4 - Shoddy bomb run; upset by a S-M attack from a JU88 that missed; on the way back from the target got hit by another JU88 that shot up the tail and Stb. Wing - had to descend to low because T/Gunner's heat out. #1 engine packed up as we crossed over Belgium - the resulting longer flight meant we were on fumes as we landed. Not one of our best missions.
Mission 5 - Bloody awful. Fine until near Karlsruhe then picked up a nightfighter who used us as target practice: poor old kite was properly packed at. Shaun was wounded on his second pass; Patrick trapped in the turret on his third; our starboard wing felt more than a little loose (4hits) - Chiefy wasn't happy when we got back. The corkscrew on his 6th attack threw us off our line: John did his best from the nose but had to release manually so we only put 20% on target. Bloody bad show. Thank God the Jerries left us alone on the way home.
Mission 6 - Piece of cake old boy. Patrik knocked a nosey ME-110 about a bit as we were about to bomb but he buggered off into clouds and that was all we saw of Jerry. John did the business and we turned for home. Absolute piece-of-cake!
Mission 7 - Not a milk run this time. Picked on by 2 N/F - 1 in Zone 5 and 1 in Zone 6 just before bomb run. Not spotted - N/F in Zone 5 (ME-110G Experte) shot up the starboard wing, holed the outer fuel tank (self-sealed thankfully), took out the dinghy and gave the Bomb Aimer a light wound; on his second attack he put a hole in port rudder. He broke off out of ammo. On the Bomb run our bomb Aimer took another light wound. A Do217-1 attacked: took out the DR compass, hit the Port Inner tank (self-sealed again!) and gave the Tail Gunner a light wound. Despite his wounds the Bomb Aimer put 50% of the bombs on target. The trip home was uneventful, landed ok and the Doc says both John and Patrik will be good to fly for our next OP.
Mission 8 - No Notes Sent
Mission 9 - Total milk run
Mission 10 - Another piece of cake - not that I'm complaining
Mission 12 - What a magnificent kite T-Tommy is; smooth as silk there and back. We picked up a bit of flak on the run-in and John (Bomb Aimer) caught a little shrapnel in his left leg (LW - graze) (Left Wing Dinghy U/S, Nosed Guns U/S and Right Wing Superficial) but still put all the eggs in the right place! We're looking forward to the photo analysis as John says he has a really good feeling about this one. Following photo analysis, and considering the Bomb Aimer was already wounded, the Wing Commander has recommended F/Officer John Mainprize for a DFC
Mission 15 - A piece of cake. Took some flak on the way in and out of the target but nothing major (hits on port flap and starboard aileron, both ok; hit on port dinghy u/s, 3 superficial), planted 60% on target - good show John! Took some fire from a night fighter on the way out (an experte in a Do217N-1 in a VC attack who missed) but he disappeared before we could spot him and it was smooth as silk all the way home. (2 other N/Fs were in play - Zone 6 and outbound Z8 but neither detected T-Tommy - she's always been a lucky kite!)
Mission 16 - Waste of time - flak blew out our bomb site just as John was getting ready to do his business so our bombs went everywhere. Almost skidded off the runway when we came back too. Not our best show.
Mission 19 - All went well until Zone 7 when we were attacked by a HE219: he shot chunks out of the tail and took out the rear guns; he also took out our Port #1 engine. I gave the order to jettison and we turned for home. Passing out of Zone 7 we got pounced on by a JU88 that peppered us all over: trapped the tail gunner in his turret, took out the heat for our MUG, damaged the control cables and on his second pass wounded our Bomb Aimer. Thankfully our MUG drove him off and we descended to warmer air. That was when we were picked up by a ME110 who knocked hell out of our wings and disabled my Port Flaps, took out the H2S. By this time I was throwing Tommy all over the shop and that threw him off his aim 3 times before he disappeared. Thankfully the flight back after that was uneventful and we made it back ok. If this keeps up we might need to change our battledress trousers for khaki!
Mission # |
Target |
Result |
1 |
Ghent, Be. |
On Target 40% |
2 |
St. Valery, Fr. |
On Traget 60% |
3 |
Chambly, Fr. |
On Target 40% |
4 |
Laon, Fr. |
On Target 30% |
5 |
Karlsruhe, Ge. |
On Target 20% |
6 |
Trappes, Fr. |
On Target 40% |
7 |
Noisy-Le-Sec, Fr. |
On Target 50% |
8 |
Berneval, Fr. |
On Target 50% |
9 |
Villeneuve, Fr. |
On Target 30% |
10 |
Wimereux, Fr. |
On Target 40% |
1944 Campaign 3 Missions
Mission # |
Target |
Result |
11 |
||
12 |
Aufevre, Fr. |
On Target 99% |
13 |
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14 |
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15 |
Foret de Montrichard, Fr. |
On Target 60% |
16 |
Westrove, Fr. |
Off Target 0% |
17 |
Aunay-sur-Odon |
On Target 33% |
18 |
||
19 |
Heilbronn, Ge. |
DNB - Abort |
20 |
Castrop, Ge. |
On Target 20% |