Our outward journey was interrupted by a sharp encounter with a ju88. Surprised by a crack pilot we got quite badly shot up, losing the O2 bottles forward, nose compartment heat and our bomb aimed took a light wound to his left arm.
Seely, now a permanent part of the crew, drove him off damaged on his second pass.
Dropping to 10,000 we continued, taking some light flak but encountering no more fighters until the target zone.
Well lit, there was plenty of warning of our next attacker but setting up for the bomb run there was precious little we could do about it. Seemly tried spraying the locality only to suffer a jam but fortunately our opponent missed, probably overshooting due to inexperience.
Buffeting by turbulence and the effects of that wound put Sapsford off his bombsight and though we got some bombs on target, 90% went wild.
The return journey saw us hit by some of that flak for superficial damage to port wing and fuselage but no further nightfighters were encountered.