Not so nice as last time, but we made it. Couple of nightfighters surprised us over the North Sea. First one hit the starboard wing hard and caused a lot of minor damage before LeBlanc smashed him crossing behind us. Maddox nicked the second one, and I kept us out of his sights until he gave up.
Third nightfighter blasted the starboard wing on approach to Brunswick. Don't see how he missed everything that matters. Finally hit #2 engine as a parting shot. Shut it down as it started to run away, and feathered it.
No searchlight through the clouds over target, but flak found us anyway. One burst wounded both Kroll (engineer) and Oak (mid-upper gunner). Not bad, fortunately. Between the clouds and the flak, our bombs might have gone anywhere. I'm sure they hit Germany, though — good enough for me.
No nightfighters on the trip back.
F/S Thomas King
Pilot, The Real Pipperoo
April 26, 1944
61 Peckham Damage Points.