Close fighter cover proved decisive and thanks to the Spitfire boys we were largely unmolested. I know the front of the formation was busy for a time but we were only attacked once the whole trip by a single enemy fighter. Although the FW190 pilot seemed pretty hot stuff he put holes in just the starboard aileron and rudder. We put a few holes in him and then a Spit chased him away.
Flak was almost our undoing severing some control lines and a fuel pipe on the port outer engine which started a fire. Smart work with the extinguishers meant we could put the fire out before it could take hold and despite the flak hit we were able to bomb on the markers.
With an engine out and an oil leak on another we slowly lagged behind the formation but by some incredible luck we were unmolested back to the edges of the enemies range and managed a passable landing back at base.