randomcanadian - multiple squadrons

[randomcanadian]

Plane: Sweet Chariot (B-17/G, 43-38501)
MISSION DATE: 10 June 1944
MISSION NBR. 77
TARGET: Nantes / Bouguenais, France - Airfield

Mission report:
Squadron: 80th
A/C No: Sweet Chariot / 43-38501
Date: 10.06.1944

Crew:
Pilot: 1LT Andrew Lovett (11) 2xAM
Copilot: 2LT Kenneth Bailey (11) 2xAM
Bombardier: 2LT Tomas Castillo (11) [4] 2xAM
Navigator: 2LT Malcolm McGuire (11) [2] 2xAM
Engineer: M/SGT Bradley Smith (11) [4] 2xAM
Radio Operator: S/SGT Larry Ramirez (11) 2xAM
Ball gunner: SGT Cedric Chavez (11) [2] 2xAM
Starboard Waist Gunner: S/SGT Woodrow Morton (11) 2xAM
Port Waist Gunner: S/SGT Douglas Wilson (11) 2xAM
Tail Gunner: SGT Harold Perkins (11) 2xAM

Immediate news to be telephoned:
One plane seen to go down in flames and then explode as we were nearly over the target.
Two planes, including the formation Tail End Charlie, dropped out after the bomb run.

Target attacked:
Nantes / Bouguenais, France - Airfield

Result of bombing:
20%

Narrative:
Beyond a momentary hiccup with engine no. 3 on the takeoff roll, the flight to the target was entirely uneventful.

Flak prior to the bomb run was surprisingly accurate and hit us, causing damage to the rudder. This did not prevent us dropping our bombs on target with the rest of the formation.

Return back to base was as uneventful as the flight to it in the first place. Landed at Sudbury without issue.

Injuries to crew:
none

Damage to aircraft:
Superficial flak damage to bomb bay; significant damage to top half of the rudder.

AAR summary:
Peckham: 11
Ammunition expanded: 0 rounds
Aircraft encountered: nil.

[randomcanadian]

Plane: Flying Scotsman (42-30173, B-17/F)
MISSION DATE: 180 June 1944
MISSION NBR. 78
TARGET: Hamburg, Germany - Oil refinery

Mission report:
Squadron: 79th
A/C No: Flying Scotsman / 42-30173
Date: 18.06.1944

Crew:
Pilot: 1LT Arthur Abernathy (14) 2xAM
Copilot: 2LT Charles Clyde (14) 2xAM
Bombardier: 2LT Elgan Morrison (14) [1] 2xAM
Navigator: 2LT Aldo Suarez (14) 2xAM
Engineer: T/SGT Joe Barber (14) [3] 2xAM
Radio Operator: S/SGT Kenneth Hinkley (14) 2xAM
Ball gunner: SGT Howard Klein (14) [4] 2xAM
Starboard Waist Gunner: SGT Frank Hudson (14) 2xAM
Port Waist Gunner: S/SGT Raymond Dobbs (14) 2xAM
Tail Gunner: SGT Bruce Doyle (14) [2] 2xAM

Immediate news to be telephoned:
One plane, Commodore Perry, was seen on fire and then exploding over the target. We counted only two chutes.

Target attacked:
Hamburg, Germany - Oil refinery

Result of bombing:
30%

Narrative:
Despite the usual English weather, takeoff and flight over the North Sea were as uneventful as it gets. Over the German coast some light flak was encountered but this was of no real concern. More worry was caused by the German fighters which headed in our direction, but these were chased away by our escorts.

The little loop into Germany and back did seem to stump them, as we didn't encounter any further resistance until we were practically over the target. A first wave of four fighters, approaching us from both sides and from the front, was reduced to three when one got distracted by our own fighters, to two when Sgt Dobbs scared him away with an intense burst in his general direction, and to one when Sgt Barber hit the one approaching from the front, causing him to miss and break off. The one that did get through does not appear to have dealt any truly significant damage.

We were then set upon by a pair of twin-engined Bf110s, but our little friends were again effective and Sgt Klein got the second one, ripping off his right wing. The pilot does not appear to have successfully bailed out.

Flak over the target was intense but inaccurate, and Morrison reported a satisfactory drop.

The return journey was quiet on our end, although Sgt Klein reported the heating system had gone out for him, probably knocked out by that fighter which got through, and he moved to the radio room with Sgt Hinkley.

Over Sudbury, the pleasant weather was a welcome relief and landing was achieved without incident.

Injuries to crew:
none

Damage to aircraft:
Ball gunner's heating rendered inoperative due to damage from low-caliber round. Superficial damage from low-caliber round to main fuselage aft of the ball turret.

AAR summary:
Peckham: 11
Ammunition expanded: 650 rounds
Aircraft encountered/driven off/damaged/destroyed:
Me109 6/3/1/0
Fw190 2/2/0/0
Bf110 2/1/0/1

[randomcanadian]

Plane: Sweet Chariot (B-17/G, 43-38501)
MISSION DATE: 18 June 1944
MISSION NBR. 78
TARGET: Hamburg, Germany - Oil refinery

Mission report:
Squadron: 80th
A/C No: Sweet Chariot / 43-38501
Date: 18.06.1944

Crew:
Pilot: 1LT Andrew Lovett (12) 2xAM
Copilot: 2LT Kenneth Bailey (12) 2xAM
Bombardier: 2LT Tomas Castillo (12) [4] 2xAM
Navigator: 2LT Malcolm McGuire (12) [2] 2xAM
Engineer: M/SGT Bradley Smith (12) [4] 2xAM
Radio Operator: S/SGT Larry Ramirez (12) 2xAM
Ball gunner: SGT Cedric Chavez (12) [2] 2xAM
Starboard Waist Gunner: S/SGT Woodrow Morton (12) 2xAM
Port Waist Gunner: S/SGT Douglas Wilson (12) 2xAM
Tail Gunner: SGT Harold Perkins (12) 2xAM

Immediate news to be telephoned:
A/C with tail no. 619 aborted over North Sea due to an oil leak.
Tiny Jim, in the tail, dropped out after the target.

Target attacked:
Hamburg, Germany - Oil refinery

Result of bombing:
0%

Narrative:
A quiet flight most of the way through. A lone German fighter got through our escorts shortly after we crossed the coast, but was driven off after fire from Ltn Castillo hit him all over his right wing.

Flak over the target was intense and mostly inaccurate, but one burst close to us managed to throw off our bomb run. This appears to have however caused more fear than harm.

Journey back over the North Sea to Sudbury was as calm as most of the flight to it. No further enemy resistance was encountered, except for some light flak over the coast, as on the way in.

The pleasant weather was a welcome respite. Landed safely.

Injuries to crew:
none

Damage to aircraft:
Superficial damage from flak burst to radio room. Luckily no electrical equipment or cables appear to have been damaged.

AAR summary:
Peckham: 1
Ammunition expanded: 150 rounds
Aircraft encountered/driven off/damaged/destroyed
Me109 3/2/1/0

[randomcanadian]

Plane: Flying Scotsman (42-30173, B-17/F)
MISSION DATE: 5 July 1944
MISSION NBR. 79
TARGET: Hamburg, Germany - Oil refinery

Mission report:
Squadron: 79th
A/C No: Flying Scotsman / 42-30173
Date: 05.07.1944

Crew:
Pilot: 1LT Arthur Abernathy (15) 3xAM
Copilot: 2LT Charles Clyde (15) 3xAM
Bombardier: 2LT Elgan Morrison (15) [1] DFC 3xAM
Navigator: 2LT Aldo Suarez (15) 3xAM
Engineer: M/SGT Joe Barber (15) [3] 3xAM
Radio Operator: S/SGT Kenneth Hinkley (15) 3xAM
Ball gunner: SGT Howard Klein (15) [4] 3xAM
Starboard Waist Gunner: SGT Frank Hudson (15) 3xAM
Port Waist Gunner: S/SGT Raymond Dobbs (15) 3xAM
Tail Gunner: S/SGT Bruce Doyle (15) [2] 3xAM

Immediate news to be telephoned:
none

Target attacked:
Gilze Rijen, Netherlands - Airfield

Result of bombing:
95%

Narrative:
Engine no. 3 gave a momentary hiccup on takeoff, but everything went smoothly after that as far as formation assembly was concerned.

No sight of enemy fighters over the North Sea or the Dutch coast. We saw some activity around the squadron as a whole but nothing that remotely worried us. Flak was similarly a non-factor. All of this combined for a very good bomb run, Ltn Morrison estimating that our bombs likely dropped right on top of one of the German hangars, which was seen collapsing in short order.

The return was as uneventful as the journey to the target, and we landed at Sudburry with no serious issues to report.

Injuries to crew:
none

Damage to aircraft:
none

AAR summary:
Peckham: 0
Ammunition expanded: 0 rounds
Aircraft encountered: nil.
Awards and promotions:
DFC - 2LT Morrison - for exemplary bomb run
3rd Air Medal (whole crew) - 15 missions
T/SGT Barber has been promoted to M/SGT due to his continued excellence in performing his services so far, both in his duties as a flight engineer and in the gunnery department.
SGT Doyle has been promoted to S/SGT for his so far exemplary behavior and on seniority.

[randomcanadian]

Plane: Sweet Chariot (B-17/G, 43-38501)
MISSION DATE: 5 July 1944
MISSION NBR. 79
TARGET: Gilze Rijen, Netherlands - Airfield

Mission report:
Squadron: 80th
A/C No: Sweet Chariot / 43-38501
Date: 05.07.1944

Crew:
Pilot: 1LT Andrew Lovett (13) 2xAM
Copilot: 2LT Kenneth Bailey (13) 2xAM
Bombardier: 2LT Tomas Castillo (13) [4] 2xAM
Navigator: 2LT Malcolm McGuire (13) [3] 2xAM
Engineer: M/SGT Bradley Smith (13) [5] 2xAM DFC
Radio Operator: S/SGT Larry Ramirez (13) 2xAM
Ball gunner: SGT Cedric Chavez (13) [2] 2xAM
Starboard Waist Gunner: S/SGT Woodrow Morton (13) 2xAM
Port Waist Gunner: S/SGT Douglas Wilson (13) 2xAM
Tail Gunner: SGT Harold Perkins (13) 2xAM

Immediate news to be telephoned:
none

Target attacked:
Gilze Rijen, Netherlands - Airfield

Result of bombing:
30%

Narrative:
Takeoff and formation assembly are starting to feel quite a bit routine, particularly when the weather is good.

Nothing of interest to report until reaching the target, which appears to have been bombed rather successfully. Unfortunately this lead to some unwanted interest in us from a few German fighters, but between our escorts and our gunners, all were accounted for. Ltn McGuire claims that his shots went right through the cockpit of the first bandit to approach us, shattering it and probably killing the pilot. No parachute was observed as the plane gently began diving towards the ground, which means he's probably right. Smith got his fifth one by seemingly directly hitting the fuel tank of the other, as a violent fireball erupted almost immediately afterwards.

The rest of the short hop back home was uneventful.

Injuries to crew:
none

Damage to aircraft:
none

AAR summary:
Peckham: 0
Ammunition expanded: 100 rounds
Aircraft encountered/driven off/damaged/destroyed
Me109 3/1/0/2
Awards:
DFC - M/SGT Smith - For shooting down 5 enemy aircraft (ace)

[randomcanadian]

Plane: Flying Scotsman (42-30173, B-17/F)
MISSION DATE: 12 July 1944
MISSION NBR. 80
TARGET: Munich, Germany - City area

Mission report:
Squadron: 79th
A/C No: Flying Scotsman / 42-30173
Date: 12.07.1944

Crew:
Pilot: 1LT Arthur Abernathy (16) 3xAM
Copilot: 2LT Charles Clyde (16) 3xAM
Bombardier: 2LT Elgan Morrison (16) [1] 3xAM DFC
Navigator: 2LT Aldo Suarez (16) 3xAM
Engineer: M/SGT Joe Barber (16) [3] 3xAM
Radio Operator: S/SGT Kenneth Hinkley (16) 3xAM
Ball gunner: SGT Howard Klein (16) [4] 3xAM
Starboard Waist Gunner: SGT Frank Hudson (16) 3xAM
Port Waist Gunner: S/SGT Raymond Dobbs (16) 3xAM
Tail Gunner: S/SGT Bruce Doyle (16) [2] 3xAM

Target attacked:
Munich, Germany - City area

Result of bombing:
0%

Narrative:
Takeoff and flight to target was without incident.

Cloudy weather made a precise approach difficult, a fact which was not helped by a twin-engined bandit which kept coming back at us, unmolested by our escorts. He dealt a fair few hits and wounded Clyde and knocked out the heat in the compartment.

Flak after this was close but miraculously failed to hit us, but with all the disturbance caused by that fighter and with us unable to visually acquire the target, it is very much in doubt whether we hit anywhere close to it.

Outbound flak was generally more distant, but one shell burst close, sending a few fragments flying towards the nose of the aircraft, though not dealing any significant damage.

Due to the inoperative heating, and needing to keep our hands not frozen to fly the plane, we dropped out of formation after reaching the French border. Luckily, the Germans appear to have missed the rendez-vous as we didn't see any of them again, despite being rather conspicuous, out all by ourselves.

Landing at Sudbury was uneventful. With already almost two thirds of our tour completed, the crew is hoping our so far rather good run doesn't falter this close to the end.

Injuries to crew:
2nt Ltn Clyde suffered from a headache and concussion caused by a shrapnel fragment. Expected time off duty: 7 days.

Damage to aircraft:
Several superficial hits all over the aircraft; rubber rafts shredded by enemy fighter fire; pilot compartment heating inoperative.

AAR summary:
Peckham: 29
Ammunition expanded: 400
Aircraft encountered: encountered/driven off/damaged/destroyed
Fw190 1/0/0/0
Bf110 1/0/1/0

[randomcanadian]

Plane: Sweet Chariot (B-17/G, 43-38501)
MISSION DATE: 12 July 1944
MISSION NBR. 80
TARGET: Munich, Germany - City area

Mission report:
Squadron: 80th
A/C No: Sweet Chariot / 43-38501
Date: 12.07.1944

Crew:
Pilot: 1LT Andrew Lovett (14) 2xAM
Copilot: 2LT Kenneth Bailey (14) 2xAM
Bombardier: 2LT Tomas Castillo (14) [6] 2xAM DFC
Navigator: 2LT Malcolm McGuire (14) [3] 2xAM
Engineer: M/SGT Bradley Smith (14) [5] 2xAM DFC
Radio Operator: S/SGT Larry Ramirez (14) [1] 2xAM
Ball gunner: SGT Cedric Chavez (14) [2] 2xAM
Starboard Waist Gunner: S/SGT Woodrow Morton (14) 2xAM
Port Waist Gunner: S/SGT Douglas Wilson (14) 2xAM
Tail Gunner: SGT Harold Perkins (14) 2xAM

Target attacked:
Munich, Germany - City area

Result of bombing:
30%

Narrative:
Journey to the target was as quiet as it gets, until we reached the German border, when some light flak burst in our vicinity. This does not appear to have hit any significant damage.

Upon reaching the target, flak was all over the place but not anywhere close to us. We dropped our bombs through the clouds and headed back home. That is when trouble started, as wave after wave of German fighters pestered us almost continuously from then onwards. First, immediately after the bomb run, a group of five 190s approached from all over. Sgts Chavez, Smith and Perkins claimed hits on them, although we could not entirely escape effects of the German attack, as the starboard wing was hit by a higher caliber shell. However, this first group was chased off by our accurate gun fire.

Another group attacked barely a few minutes after we crossed back into France. Escorts got one of them, but the others flew by us without managing to hit us and without us managing to hit them. Yet more bandits were up there to meet us as we continued our flight over France. Four 190s met us Reims. One of them was shot down by Castillo. The others missed and decided to not tempt fate in the same way as their comrade.

The Channel was now in sight, but we were still over French soil, and this meant that more bandits made their way to us. A large group attacked from all clock directions, but were met by a hail of bullets. Ltn Castillo shot down another one, while Ramirez also lodged a claim, confirmed when the plane in question was seen erupting in a ball of flames. Despite the accuracy of our defensive fire, some light damage was suffered during this encounter, with a few more holes appearing on the starboard wing.

One would have thought the Germans wouldn't venture over the water, but they followed us this time, if only briefly, maybe smelling blood? In any case, whatever they must have thought was there didn't quite turn out to be an easy target, as we again damaged several of them, Morton hitting one all over the fuselage while Castillo again showed his proficiency by sending one packing with the right wing missing a fair few chunks in it.

After all of this action, the crew was quite happy to take a well earned break after we landed.

Injuries to crew:
none

Damage to aircraft:
Starboard wing root hit by large calibre shell; starboard wing ailerons missing, seems as though the whole of it was shot away. Several holes around starboard wing and in tail section of aircraft.

AAR summary:
Peckham: 51
Ammunition expanded: 2,950 rounds
Aircraft encountered/driven off/damaged/destroyed
Bf110 3/2/0/0
Fw190 21/2/5/3
Awards:
2LT Tomas Castillo - DFC - For achieving ace status.