AAR Mission: 113
Date: 17/18 November 1944
Target: Kiel, Germany, Industry
Aircraft: "Ferocious Florrie" (4th mission)
Pilot: Peter Mason
The long run to Kiel over water meant that navigator Tony Pettigrew would be working hard especially with the unsettled weather looming ahead. But our bomber made landfall at the German coast without being molested by pesky Jerry night-fighters. We were able to get our bearings quickly and made for Kiel — the glow on the clouds in the distance helped. Stan Bates the Bomb Aimer had settled down to the bomb run when tracers flying past "Florrie" made us aware that we were not to be left in peace. "S..t!" exclaimed George Taylor, the tail gunner "I didn't see the b…r. It's a 110." How the fighter missed our sitting duck I don't know. Not wanting to spoil the bomb-run I did not go into evasive manoeuvres, giving George a steady shot. To his chagrin George missed but incredibly so did the fighter — again. The Me110 persisted in a third pass and this time George nailed him striking around the cockpit area; it sped downward but we did not see it crash so claim it a probable. The searchlights were having a hard time picking anything up through the overcast. Flak coming through the bad weather was light and none exploded near us and no enemy fighters were encountered over the target. However, the weather was too bad for Stan to get a fix and although we dropped towards the glow we had to be off target for no result. Before we left Kiel we were surprised by another Me110 coming at us though the murk. Again the fighter missed "Florrie" and I threw us into evasive action effectively turning us in to him in a second pass; the fighter scored a hit on our starboard flap but did not affect its operation. Again the fighter came at us but we missed again and he made another superficial hit on the Lanc. The Me110 disappeared and thankfully we had a quiet flight back to base. Luckily the weather at base was good for I made a rather shaky landing; but "all's well that ends well".
Bomb run: OFF 0%
Claims: 0-1-0; Fighter hits: 2; Flak hits: 0; Damage points: 5