AAR Mission: 138
Date: 5/6 March, 1945
Target: Chemnitz, Transportation
Aircraft: Burke and Beyond (9th mission)
Pilot: William Farnham
Bomb Aimer: Henry Prentise, Navigator: Vern Bolland, Flight Engineer: Trevor Monash, Radio Operator: George Harris, Mid-upper Gunner: Dennis Tryon, Tail Gunner: Anthony D'Witt
Our long flight to Chemnitz encountered two Tame Boar fighters before reaching the target — a standard Me110 and a Ju88 equipped with Schrage Musik. The Me110 was spotted but was missed and in turn missed us; I evaded and on another run from 1:30 level it was badly damaged by Dennis Tryon on the mid-upper. The Ju88 surprised us but must not have been in position properly as he missed a sitting duck. I evaded this fighter as well and no hits were achieved by either side.
As we approached the target another Schrage Musik Ju88 surprised us and hit the port rudder; because we were starting our bomb run I didn't evade and this allowed Anthony D'Witt in the tail to pour fire from his four barrels into the big glazed cockpit and the fighter turned over and dropped like a stone. The searchlights never found Burke and Beyond and the flak did not affect us but just before the bomb drop a Wild Boar came at us from directly ahead and Dennis damaged it heavily but it still hit our #4 engine causing a runaway (luckily feathered). These events must have shaken us up a bit and even with the markers Henry Prentise was unable to gain a clear sighting and claims nothing on target. The flight home was an anticlimax with no sightings or attacks and the landing was safely made at base.
Bomb run: Off; 0%
Bomber Damage: 2 hits (none from flak). Repairs by tomorrow.