Mission 45 - February 21/22, 1944
Ludwigshaven - Industry
Outbound
No encounters until a few miles from the target when a Ju 88 got in without us seeing him. On his first pass put some rounds into the waist slightly wounding mid-upper. "Freebie". He over-shot us on his second and on the third pass the tail gunner missed him and he knocked out the tail guns and hit my cockpit putting parts of the window in my face.
Over target
No opposition. Bombing was on, estimate about 30%
Return
At about the same place we were attacked going in, we were again hit – this time a Me-110. His first pass knocked out the oxygen and started a fire in the waist which 'flight' quickly extinguished. He also packed up our auto-pilot. He should'a been satisfied with that because on his next pass the bomb aimer chocked up his first kill. No action the remainder of the flight and landing okay. (Me-110 Destroyed – Sgt. Guy Leighton).
Crew and plane serviceable for next mission.
"No Mice!"
(Signed) F/O Arthur Blackwell (Pilot)
Pilot: F/O Arthur Blackwell
Bomb aimer: Sgt. Guy Leighton
Flight engineer: P/O Todd Smyth
Navigator: P/O Layton Fox
W/O operator: Sgt. Stuart Hammond
Mid-upper gunner: Sgt. Basel Freeborn
Tail gunner: Sgt. Clive Southgate