Quiet flight until the target area. ME-110 came in unseen and caused S/F damage to SW (we later learned that the port landing gear's brakes were shot out.) No flak, no searchlights but we saw no markers as we bombed and with our run off target we got 0%. Coming out from the target area we were attached by another ME-110 that caused S/F damage to both wings, including a hit to the PW root. Sgt Reed in the Mid-Upper turret gave Jerry a burst on the second pass and claimed him as damaged. We wandered into Frankfurt's fighter defense zone by accident and caught hell for it. Attacked by so many ME-110's they must have been in a queue to get a crack at us. First one caused some S/F damage but the second ME-110 gave our #4 engine a burst as he went by and damaged the oil tank. Sgt Reed was again on the ball as he gave this nasty bloke a good burst in the cockpit and sent him down in flames. As we crossed into the Netherlands, our Flt Eng advised the skipper we needed to shut down #4 due t lack of oil. The skipper replied, Right.
as he chopped the throttle to #4 and shut down the engine. As we crossed the coast another ME-110 came in and caused some S/F to the bomb bay and waist. As we landed back home the skipper discovered that the port landing gear's brakes were out. Hang on chaps,
he called out as we landed.
Sgt Trimble
Tail Gunner
The Yank