After their first mission to Frankfurt which turned out to be a "Milk Run" the Kiwi crew found out why the other more experienced crews did not share their excitement about going to Berlin. The flight out over Europe was mostly uneventful but as the glow of Berlin appeared on the Horizon an unseen 110 scored hits on the RH inner wing causing a severe fuel leak.
The flak on the bomb run was very intense and accurate due to the bomber being illuminated by searchlights. The number 4 engine was hit, being ripped entirely from the wing. Due to the intense flak the jumpy bomb aimer released the bombs way off target with no chance of hits. On completing the bomb run the fuel finally ran out in the RH inner wing and the number 3 coughed to a standstill causing the crew to fly back at roof top heights. Flak batteries were alert on the return journey, around Munster causing damage to the ailerons, wing roots and flying control cables. Due to inexperience the Navigator routed the aircraft over Rotterdam on the return leg where intense flak caused severe damage to the nose of the aircraft lightly wounding the pilot, smashing the windscreen and severly wounding the bomb aimer. A roving night fighter homed in on the bomber hoping to bring the crew down over the North Sea, it managed to put the upper turret out of action, put holes in the life rafts and in a final attempt caused superficial damage to the number 1 engine. The wounded pilot managed to land safely.